I AM conducting post-graduate research on the British National Party in Burnley and am puzzled about why the BNP is winning council seats there.

Do readers subscribe to the view that the town has become a hot-bed of racism? Or do other factors come into play?

If so, what are these factors? Perhaps the people of Burnley could enlighten me.

ANDI ALI, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE. E-mail: AAli3@uclan.ac.uk