A RETIRED Asian teacher is helping to spearhead the far-right British National Party's campaign to win council seats in the North-East.

Rajinder Singh will be standing side-by-side with BNP candidate Trevor Agnew and others as they try to gain seats on Darlington Borough Council.

Mr Singh, who left India about 30 years ago, is to act as a local ethnic liaison officer in the run-up to the May 1 polls.

And he declared yesterday that he would be backing Mr Agnew "to the hilt".

He said: "There is nothing in the BNP manifesto that one could criticise. The only criticisms come from those with closed minds."

But Mr Singh's role was condemned as a gimmick last night by the Tyne and Wear Anti-Fascist Association.

A spokesman said: "They are trying to find these kinds of characters to give themselves this sort of multi-racial respectability.

"They are trying to promote this friendly face which doesn't really tally with what they're about."

Mr Agnew, who is contesting the Harrowgate Hill ward, is one of seven candidates to fight for seats in Darlington, the largest number the BNP has ever put up for election in the town.

The party is also putting forward three people to stand in Stockton Borough Council elections, making it the BNP's biggest ever push in the North-East.

Mr Singh is a former teacher in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, and an ex-Gurkha.

He supports the BNP's stance against asylum seekers, claiming that the influx into Britain was simply "storing up trouble for future years".

Mr Singh said: "Their manifesto is excellent for this country.

"I want to break down barriers - political correctness is stopping common sense."

Mr Agnew said: "Rajinder will be helping to urge people to support our stance against the asylum racket, which is causing trouble for white British people."