Blunkett Plays Race, Underclass Cards

My God, they must be worried. About losing votes of course, not about what's happening to England - with its knock-on effects on Wales.

Council property should be set aside for Britons trapped on long waiting lists to help tackle rising anger at immigrants and single mothers perceived to be jumping the housing queue, says former Home Secretary David Blunkett.

The controversial call reflects fears that the BNP is successfully exploiting resentment over the housing shortage in this year's local elections. White working-class voters are said to be increasingly convinced, often wrongly, that they are waiting years to be housed because asylum seekers get preference over them, while soaring house prices have put private properties out of their reach.

While a pool of emergency housing should always be kept for those in direst need such as refugees, he said the government should now consider creating two streams of housing - one reserved for people who did not benefit from the points system. It could help reduce anger not only at immigrants but also at young women perceived to be given flats just for getting pregnant: 'The BNP play the race card, but of course it's also applied to single mothers - if you get a baby you get a house. What signals does that send?'

UPDATE - the BBC report from Sandwell.

There is open and unblushing backing for a party traditionally seen as racist, xenophobic and homophobic.

So that'll be a Labour vote then ?

Some voters might struggle to articulate their reasons, but they can be summed up with the thought that "the BNP would put British people first".