Please copy and send (or email) to your Lancashire County Councillor (who can be found here) and Hazel Harding, the current Leader of the Council, whose email address is  hazel.harding@lancashire.gov.uk. Feel free to forward it to any media of your choice.

It has been brought to our attention that a recent judge in the recent Lancashire County Council cycling photo competition is a member of the British National Party.

John Aspden and his partner, who own 'On Yer Bike' (Burnley and Blackburn) have recently had their details leaked to the world as being members of the racist and fascist party BNP and thus are not qualified to participate in any event that is organised by, for or on behalf of Lancashire County Council, whose Equality and Diversity Policy states:

'We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and to closing the gaps between people in social and economic wellbeing. Equality and diversity are part of the core purpose of our Corporate Strategy. They will run through everything that we do. Our commitment is underlined by legal duties to promote equality and diversity for people of every age, disability, faith, gender, race and sexual orientation.'

Lancashire County Council will be very well aware of the BNP's appalling views on Muslims, Jews, diversity, equality and sexual orientation and will, we feel sure, avoid working with the BNP in this way in the future, now that it is aware of Mr Aspden's connection with a party that repeatedly espouses hatred of minorities and directly promotes racism. An example of the latter can be seen here.

I would appreciate an acknowledgment of this email and I would like to be informed as to what measures will be taken in the future to avoid any connection with similar racist groups.

Yours faithfully