A CRUCIAL by-election is set to hold the key to political power at Burnley Town Hall.

All four of the borough’s main political parties will contest the Rosegrove with Lowerhouse poll on June 4, prompted by the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Bernard Hill.

If the Lib Dems lose the ward to either Labour, Conservative or the BNP the opposition parties would have a majority and could vote against the ruling group over key issues.

However the BNP has ruled out moving a step further and forming a coalition with any of the other parties, which could have seen the Lib Dems lose power.

The Lib Dems have chosen Iris Gates, of Sycamore Avenue, to defend Coun Hill’s majority.

Labour have selected Charles Baker, of Cumbrian Way while the Tory candidate is Barry Elliott, of Loxley Gardens. John Cave, of Caernarvon Avenue, will represent the British National Party.

Coun Hill stood down for family reasons, which had left him unable to attend a number of council meetings.

But the shock coalition of Labour, Tory and BNP councillors, in a bid to oust council leader Gordon Birtwistle from his post after two-and-a-half years, shows how finely-balanced the balance of power is.

Only the abstention of one unnamed opposition councillor prevented the authority either being left in limbo or a minority party leader being elected.

Coun Birtwistle said if the opposition vote had been successful “thousands of pounds coming to Burnley on regeneration projects could have been under threat”, if an effective leader was not in place.

Currently though there are 22 Lib Dems in the ruling group – but the opposition also numbers 22 with 12 Labour, six Conservative and four BNP members.

Rosegrove with Lowerhouse has proved to be a battleground previously, with the 2007 poll between Labour’s Paul Reynolds and the BNP’s John Rowe initally being ruled a dead heat.

Coun Reynold won after lots were drawn and later had to survive a BNP High Court challenge to retain his seat.

BNP group leader Sharon Wilkinson said there was “absolutely no chance” of a coalition with the Tories and Labour.

She added: “We are totally independent so we can vote for what we think is best for the people of Burnley.”

Labour group leader Julie Cooper and Conservative chief Peter Doyle were unavailable for comment.