Duncan Smith rejects endorsement of BNP

Iain Duncan Smith's campaign for the Tory leadership faced fresh embarrassment over race yesterday when he was officially endorsed by the British National Party and one of his backers adopted a golliwog as a mascot.

The Shadow Defence Secretary moved swiftly to disown both the BNP and a local Conservative councillor who had bought the golliwog "in a protest against political correctness".

Councillor Richard Eddy was forced to resign as deputy leader of the Tory group on Bristol City Council after local race equality groups attacked the stunt. Mr Eddy, who has publicly declared for Mr Duncan Smith, said he was making a "tongue in cheek" gesture against Labour's criticism of the use of golliwogs.

In a separate move, Nick Griffin, the BNP's chairman, declared that BNP activists who retained dual membership with the Tory party could swing the result of the leadership race if it was close.

"'We want Duncan Smith!' That's the message from the British National Party," he said. "If by chance IDS wins by a whisker, the new leader of the Conservative Party will owe his position to BNP members." The far right party published a picture of Mr Duncan Smith on its website, claiming that it supported his backing for capital and corporal punishment.

Mr Duncan Smith was forced to sack Mr Griffin's father, Edgar, from his campaign team last month after his links to the BNP were made public.

Last night, the Kenneth Clarke campaign said that it was "not surprised" by the call by the BNP or by Mr Eddy's backing for the Shadow Defence Secretary.

Mr Eddy triggered the controversy yesterday when he claimed he was offering "sanctuary" to the golliwog, a 12in- high doll wearing red and white striped trousers, bow tie and a blue coat. Posing for photographs for his local newspaper, he said that the toy would live on the Conservative group's office filing cabinet as a protest.

The adoption of the golliwog follows a decision by Robertson's jams, formerly a Bristol-based company, to drop its golliwog symbol, used since 1910, as it was no longer recognised by schoolchildren. Mr Eddy said: "We are making a little tongue-in-cheek gesture, for generations gollies have been loved by children of all racial backgrounds. If it was supposed to be racist he wouldn't be loved in the way and treated as a charming and harmless toy.

"Where better to have a sanctuary than the bowels of the Conservative office which represents the real sanctuary from fashionable causes."

However, following an outcry from ethnic groups, Mr Eddy later tendered his resignation as deputy leader of the Tory group and apologised for the embarrassment he had caused.

"It is a matter of great regret that I brought this thing upon myself and my colleagues. I was simply trying to make the point that Robertson's is a Bristol company and we should be proud of its history," he told The Independent last night.

"Both Kenneth Clarke and Iain Duncan Smith have no truck with racism and neither do I. I regret that my actions may have diverted attention on to this issue."

A spokesman for Mr Duncan Smith praised the Bristol Conservative group for seeking Mr Eddy's resignation so quickly and launched a scathing attack on the BNP.

"We don't need support from people like this. The local Tory group acted swiftly and we back that completely. There is no place for racism within the Conservative Party," the spokesman said. "On the BNP, nobody in Iain's campaign wants the endorsement of racists. We don't want or need their votes and if anybody is found having dual membership we will demand that they be kicked out, just as we kicked out Mr Griffin."