'Sir, I'm not playing with him, he smells...!'

According to the 'Telegraph' this morning, there's trouble ahead at the Assembly following the election of the BNP candidate:

But Richard Barnbrook has been warned to expect no co-operation from other parties and a possible boycott by staff, many of whom are from ethnic minorities.

Each assembly member is entitled to two staff to perform research and secretarial duties. Traditionally, these are non-political civil servants recruited from an internal pool.

However, it's being suggested that these civil servants might break their own rules and refuse to work with them (in which case, sack them!). Who could be suggesting that, you ask...? Loony lefties? Union leaders? Well, no:

Richard Barnes, the Conservative leader on the 25-member assembly, said: "The BNP will have problems finding secretaries and getting support from the staff here, and I will totally support people's right to say they don't want to serve them.

"They may have a foot in the door but they won't get anywhere near the levers of power."

Len Duvall, the Labour group leader, said: "They are going to have to go and get their own people. Richard Barnbrook will have pariah status."

So, there you have it, from our elected politicians - if they don't like the way the voters voted, they will encourage their staff to pick up their ball and go home! Did City Hall become a creche while no-one was looking..?

I hold no brief for the BNP, but they were voted in. Refusing to work with them is not going to pursuade the voters that politicians really are 'listening to the people'...