SIR I would like to reply to David Barnett's column, "So why would you vote BNP?" (T&A, May 2).

Firstly, I am certainly no supporter of the BNP, though as leader of the UKIP group in Bradford I believe I am in a good position to comment on why people voted for them.

Many sections of the community feel totally isolated by the old parties.

New Labour is no longer concerned with the working man, and Blue Labour (the old Tory party) has trashed all their traditional policies and is no longer concerned about issues such as immigration.

The old parties continue to abuse us with their policies, violent prisoners are released early from prison to terrorise innocent people, and mass immigration is destroying our NHS.

When people try to speak out against this they are gagged by the modern-day shackles of political correctness and if they don't conform are labelled racists. Support for the BNP is born out of frustration rather than racist kinship. In the absence of another free-speaking party the BNP will continue to thrive.

Thankfully for the electorate, that other party will be on the ballot paper in 2007.

Jason Smith, Chairman, UKIP Bradford, Town Gate, Wyke