Salford’s BNP contingent have made some outlandish claims during the Irwell Riverside by-election campaign, but I do find it impossible to believe they were “attacked by communists” at the weekend. Apparently 30/40 BNP activists were on Duchy Road campaigning – where? I was on Duchy Road myself on both Saturday and Sunday, along with other members of my team (at different times throughout the day) – we did not see the BNP, nor did we see any “communists” (although we didn’t stop to ask anyone if they were communists).

One has to ask, if coming under attack from balaclava-clad assailants, “armed with slingshots  and steel ball bearings for ammunition” – would you stop and ask their political leanings? Excuse me, could you stop hitting me for a moment and tell me if you are a communist or not? I don’t think so!

Nationally, the BNP are no different. Mark Pack posted on the excellent Lib Dem Voice about another fake BNP leaflet photograph. It seems the BNP used the image of former Scots Guards NCO Stuart Walker and entered a quote alongside his photo, which indicated his disdain at “being sent ill-equipped to fight in foreign wars” and another about being “abused on the streets of our cities by Muslims.”

As The Sun reports today, Mr Walker who left the Army in 1997, first knew about his image being used on the leaflet  when it dropped through a relative’s letterbox. The dad-of-two, now a corporate manager in London, said he rang the BNP’s offices to complain and was told to “f*** off”.

He told The Sun: “I was completely outraged when I saw this leaflet. I think they got the photo off a website and the quote they’ve made up. They are scumbags and I’d never vote for them in a million years.”

Clearly the BNP have decided at a national level that it is OK to lie to the electorate in order to win elections. We have now seen this in Irwell Riverside. Fortunately, the honest and hard working residents of Irwell Riverside are not stupid enough to be taken in by these lies and will vote accordingly.

Vote STEVEN IAN MIDDLETON – LIBERAL DEMOCRAT on May 21st.

If you need a lift to the polling station on Thursday, please do not hesitate to give the Salford Liberal Democrat office a ring on 736 5500.