LIKE most people I am alarmed at the election success of the BNP in both the local and European elections.

However, now is not the time for wringing of hands and panic because we are going to be overrun by a party that excludes anyone but the indigenous population (a highly contentious description in itself).

Now is the time for calm and resolve. Calm because we need to reflect carefully on why the BNP vote was so strong, and resolve because we can only maintain a fair and reasonable society through strong democratic representation. In a nutshell that means mobilising people to vote.

I helped leaflet for the Hope not Hate campaign, not because of any political affiliations but because I value my right to vote and I would hope that others would do the same. I cannot recall a time in history when politics of exclusion has led to anything other than bloodshed and heartache.

We must halt this movement now for the sake of ourselves and our children.