British MEPs have described the development as horrific and called for a change of rules to prevent the creation of a pan-European alliance of racist parties supported with EU funds.

Europe’s far-right parties, such as the BNP, the National Front in France and the Vlaams Blok in Belgium, are expected to do so well in next week’s elections that they will together be able to qualify as an officially recognised “political group” in the Parliament. This would entitle them to a variety of European Union funding, paid-for staff and the power to change legislation.

The links between the BNP and the National Front became apparent in April when Jean-Marie Le Pen, the leader of the far-right French party, had a dinner in the UK with Nick Griffin, the BNP leader. M Le Pen had always previously refused invitations from the BNP because he thought that they had no chance of political success.

It would be the first time in 20 years that there has been a far-right political group in the European Parliament, and anti-racism campaigners say that it would give the extremists far greater impact.

“A political group will give them a lot of clout to make amendments to legislation,” Claude Moraes, a Labour MEP and former commissioner of the Commission for Racial Equality, said.

“They will get public money to publicise their political group. It will be an amount of money allowing them to build alliances among fascist parties.

“People should be aware that parties which advocate repatriation (of ethnic minorities to their home countries) will get European funding,” he said.

Glyn Ford, a Labour MEP who is secretary of the antifascist group in the European Parliament, said: “It will be horrific if the BNP get EU money to produce the sort of leaflets they have been producing in the UK.

“I want to change the funding rules. People should have to sign an agreement saying they won’t stir up racial hatred, and I don’t see how the BNP could sign that.”

Pollsters say that the BNP could win its first European seat in next week’s elections. The Vlaams Blok is expected to increase its seats from two to three, and the National Front from five to eight.

The Freedom Party in Austria already has five seats, Italy’s Northern League has three, and Denmark’s far-right People Party has one. All parties either advocate repatriation of non-whites or have elements that do.

Under the rules of the European Parliament a political group must have a minimum of 18 MEPs from five countries to qualify.

Frank Vanhecke, president of the Vlaams Blok, which is expected to get about 20 per cent of the vote in the Flemish region of Belgium, said: “I will do everything I can to form a political group after the election. The groups are very heavily funded.”

As a political group, the far-right parties would qualify for about 20 full-time staff paid for by the Parliament, as well as “information money” to publicise their political message around Europe. They would have the right to table amendments, propose declarations and automatically be included in the power structure of the Parliament, having a full say in how it is run.

DEBATE
Do you fear a European right-wing party?
Send your emails to debate@thetimes.co.uk

Explore World News

• Iraq News

• US & Americas News

• Europe News

• Middle East News

• Asia News

• Africa News

• Ireland News

Times Recommends

• Green activists 'are keeping Africa poor'
• 'Delayed justice' fear for OJ Simpson
• Sex and the sari