Labour Targets The Threat Of Right-wing Extremism, ''

It's about time that Communities Secretary John Denham does something about the threat of right-wing extremism.

White working-class estates are to be targeted in a government drive to tackle the threat of right-wing extremism, Communities Secretary John Denham has said.

About 100 of the most deprived neighbourhoods in England will be involved in the programme, which could include open discussion meetings to allow residents to air grievances about housing and immigration without being accused of racism and a requirement on councils to be more transparent about their social housing policies.

The plan comes after years in which the far-right British National Party (BNP) has made inroads into traditional Labour strongholds, culminating in the election of two BNP candidates to the European Parliament in June.

Mr Denham said that some of those backing the BNP were "undoubtedly people who have voted Labour in the past" and that the government had to launch a "sustained and visible campaign" to re-engage with white working-class communities.

"Very few people would actually see themselves as white supremacists or white fascists," he said.

"But we know that those communities are the ones that often say no-one's speaking up for us. That's a sense populist parties can exploit.

"I think that there has been a concerted effort over the last 10 years to target resources at the most deprived communities. But I think, if we're honest about it, the extent to which that work has really engaged a lot of local people has been patchy."

The neighbourhoods to be involved in the scheme are expected to be identified by Mr Denham's Department for Communities and Local Government towards the end of the summer, with work starting in September.