BRITISH National Party bosses could change selection procedures for elections after a former councillor revealed her political hero was Nelson Mandela.

The far right party, which has six councillors in Burnley and also won a seat in Mill Hill, Blackburn, in 2002, is now planning to quiz would-be candidates more closely in a bid to weed out those who may be unsuitable.

Although no actual list of names has been compiled, BNP bosses said political heroes likely to result in rejection include the South African freedom fighter, as well as communists Karl Marx and Lenin.

Mr Mandela was released in 1990 after 26 years in prison for sabotage. He became president of South Africa and won the Nobel Peace Prize. He is described on the BNP website as a communist terrorist but the party today insisted Mandela would be an unsuitable political hero because of his so-called terrorist background rather than his race.

But Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said the idea showed the BNP's true colours. He added: "This shows what a shambles the BNP is. Nelson Mandela is one of the greatest figures of the 20th Century and this makes clear the BNP's racist agenda."

The move follows the resignation of Coun Maureen Stowe from Burnley Council last week, which prompted claims the party's influence in the area was crumbling. Robin Evans, once the party's lone councillor in Blackburn, also quit to become an independent last year.

Coun Stowe, 65, of Athens View, Burnley, claimed she wanted to move on and work for the people in the Brunshaw ward where she was elected last May. She said she realised the BNP were not the party for her and that she wanted to become an independent. She said: "Nelson Mandela is certainly a political hero of mine, I have a lot of admiration for him. He fought for what he believed was right and stood up against the persecution of his people. You have got to respect that.

"I remember watching him come out of prison after all that time and being inspired by his principles, he is a great man."

The policy change is suggested in an article on the BNP's website which reads: "Coun Stowe proved to be an effective ward councillor but a mistake was made in the selection of Maureen for the BNP.

"A lesson has been learnt that all candidates for any elected position need to be assessed for suitability. A simple question and answer session would have revealed Maureen's declared political hero of Nelson Mandela was not a joke, but the truth.

"Regional and branch organisers would do well to learn the lesson this episode has provided. Asking the question 'who is your most respected political hero' may enable organisers to weed out those who profess a love for communist terrorists."

North West regional spokesman for the BNP, David Jones, confirmed party leader Nick Griffin would have at least read and probably approved the article. He said: "There is no actual list of unacceptable figures and a lot would depend on how the case for a figure was argued."

A spokesman for the South African High Commission, in London, said: "Nelson Mandela is viewed as a hero, not only in South Africa as shown by his victory in the presidential elections in 1994, but across the world, as his endorsement as Nobel Peace Prize winner shows.

"As the South African country for which he was imprisoned approaches 10 years of democracy he is seen as a national and international icon."