TRADE Unionists in Burnley have joined forces to campaign against racism and the threat they say is posed by extremists in the British National Party.

Union members have formed a new group called Trade Unionists Against the Nazis and are planning a series of initiatives designed to counter the "racist propaganda" of the BNP.

At a meeting in the Keighley Green Business Centre, the new group agreed a strongly worded founding statement which opposes both the BNP and the National Front.

It says: "Members of the BNP and NF might dress smartly at election time, but this is only a disguise for their true politics and to win votes."

The new group says it is hoping as many trade unionists as possible will support a levy to fund the event.

A leafleting campaign is also planned, designed to counter racist myths they say have grown up in Burnley over the years.

Peter Thorne, secretary of Burnley Trades Council says wild rumours about council funding in white and Asian areas had been allowed to circulate locally.

"Some of the racist myths are just plain daft but over all they have contributed to the racist tension which has done so much damage to the town."

He added: "The truth which the BNP has kept from the people of Burnley is that South West Burnley, which is all white, has had exactly the same amount of money as Stoneyholme and Daneshouse."

He went on: "We know that anti racists everywhere will be helping us to spread the message that right wing extremism has no part to play in the town's future."