RESIDENTS of Turkey Street have given a mixed reaction to the news that the British National Party is targeting them in the local and national elections.

A poll of ten local residents found that two people were sympathetic to the BNP, six were against to varying degrees, and two said they had no opinion because they were not interested in politics at all.

Tony Avery, who teaches English as a foreign language, is standing as BNP candidate for Turkey Street, and Parliamentary candidate for Enfield North.

Across the country, the latest YouGov poll, done on April 11, put support for the BNP at 2 per cent while support in London was 3 per cent.

FOR: Karen Price, 42, a bank worker, said: “I am sympathetic to them, very much so. I think Enfield has been taken over, but as much as I would like to vote for them, it would be a wasted vote. I don’t agree with the racist side of things, but I do think there are too many immigrants.”

Pauline Cooper, 60, a caterer for a private hospital, said: “It depends what their policies are. I find them a bit racist, but I am so fed up for Gordon Brown, if he gets in again I will move out. We need to stop immigration. This used to be a very nice area to live. I’m not racist, but I don’t think this ethnic society works. They don’t want to integrate with us. There is a lot of poverty with immigrants. In Enfield Wash there are 26 different takeaway shops but if I want to by a pair of shoes I have to go to Enfield Town. I think the BNP are more for the British person, I do really feel we are treated as second class. I work with people from all over the world who are all moaning they can’t get their kids in decent schools.”

AGAINST: Carl Wilson, 30, a publican, said: “I don’t agree with their views, they are racists to an extent. I have never voted. I think all MPs are as bad as each other, especially with the expenses scandal.”

Edward Wilson, 26, a psychology student, said: “I am totally against them. They are not interested in ethnic minorities, and not really interested in anything which helps the country. To me they are a bunch of hooligans who have no right to have anything to do with any party at all.”

Yona Daja, 15, a pupil at Oasis Academy, said: “Which ones are they? Are they the hate party? They are kind of racist, they have a different kind of mentality, no-one in Turkey Street would vote for them, it’s so mixed here.”

Clive Cooksey, 71, said: “I’m not really worried about who is standing. I had my own building company and voted Tory, and I’ll probably vote Tory again, but I think all MPs are about the same now.”

Steve Willoughby, 54, who is unemployed, said: “My grandfather fought in the war to get rid of people like that. I don’t think they really have any policies - you don’t see many people with any brains it almost looks like old fashioned politics where if you say anything wrong the guerrillas throw you outside.”

Iris Pay, 67, retired, said: “Absolutely definitely not. I shall vote Tory. I am not a racist to start with and I just don’t like Nick Griffin and his attitude. I’ve always voted Conservative, and I like David Cameron.”