A few weeks ago I was talking with a regeneration practitioner from Burnley, and I asked about the council’s work on community cohesion. Was support for the British National Party starting to ebb away? He told me that far from diminishing, the party seemed to be getting stronger than ever. This week’s local election results will indicate just how influential the BNP is becoming, and it’s unlikely to be good news for anyone who believes in bringing communities together rather than pitching them against each other. Julian Dobson, editorial director, New Start Online magazine