FORTY-ONE city councillors have signed an open letter condemning the election of a BNP activist to European Parliament to represent the Yorkshire and Humber region.

The unprecedented move comes after Harrogate-based retired lecturer Andrew Brons took the sixth and final regional seat on behalf of the BNP party, following last week's elections.

He will be joined in Brussels by BNP leader Nick Griffin, who won a seat in the North West region.

The open letter, which is published by the Mail today, has been signed by councillors from across the political divide at the Guildhall.

The councillors' letter describes the two men as "harbingers of hate" and says just one vote for the BNP is "one vote too many".

It said: "We often disagree in our daily politics, we insult and undermine each other, we passionately believe in different things but in this we have common cause.

"As a threat to our democracy and freedom, it outweighs any moat or duck house, phantom mortgage or second home, even whilst those things may have helped its rise.

"We pledge to resist its further rise, the lies and distortions which support it and the hatred and prejudice which underlies it.

"We have learned the lessons of history, we do not need to repeat them."

Across the Yorkshire region, the BNP polled just over 120,000 votes.

Most of its support came from areas of west and south Yorkshire although the party polled 5,729 votes in the East Riding and 3,715 votes in Hull.

Mr Brons ducked eggs thrown by protesters as he and Mr Griffin attempted to stage a press conference outside the House of Commons earlier this week.