EPPING Forest Conservative MP Eleanor Laing has warned people they will have to examine their consciences very carefully if they vote for the British National Party at Thursday's district council elections.

Speaking in Loughton last weekend, Mrs Laing said: "There is no such thing as a protest vote' without consequences.

"You cannot actually vote against a party, you can only vote for one. And if you vote for a party, you're saying that you support what they stand for.

"The Conservative Party doesn't control Epping Forest District Council at present, although many people think we do! So, obviously, it would be better if we had a decisive Conservative regime instead of a hung council.

"I understand many people are fed up with Tony Blair's New Labour' approach and they want to register their discontent. Equally, there are people who could never quite bring themselves to vote Conservative, no matter how much they hate New Labour.

"They may be tempted to register a protest' by voting BNP. What has the BNP to do with local issues that the district council deals with?

"The stark fact is that if you put your cross in the BNP box you're saying you support what they stand for and you will have to examine your conscience very carefully if you do.

"Politics is about principles. I say to the voters of Epping Forest, vote Labour if you want to, but please don't vote BNP."