`Politics of sewer' jibe in campaign.

Byline: By Ross Smith

A trade union boss was last night accused of "the politics of the sewer" by opponents after twice linking the campaign against a North-East assembly with the far-right British National Party.

GMB regional secretary Tom Brennan highlighted the BNP's opposition to an assembly in a national radio feature on the referendum, and later at a joint Press conference with other North-East union leaders.

In a head-to-head debate on a radio breakfast show with No campaign spokesman Graham Robb yesterday, Mr Brennan highlighted the parties asagainst the assembly before stating the case for it.

He told the programme: "Graham represents the Tory Party, with the support of the UK Independence Party and the British National Party."

He later explained: "I think it's important that if there's a party being represented by a group of people, it's best people know what people represent. It's a Conservative Party No campaign. Everybody should know that. I said that, and also I made a lot of positive points. I gave a very positive, glowing report of the Yes campaign."

But in a Yes campaign statement yesterday afternoon, Mr Brennan went on to say: "The No campaign has been secretive in concealing who is really behind them. It is an unholy alliance between the Tories and UKIP ( people who would not normally even speak to each other.

"Furthermore, the BNP is against this, too. It is amazing that they can join forces to try to silence the people of the North-East.

"We need to ask whether they have other motives behind their interest in the North-East referendum?"

The BNP applied to the Electoral Commission to be designated the official No campaign, but they were turned down in favour of North East Says No, which has backing from the Conservatives and UKIP.

Mr Robb said yesterday of the Yes tactics: "This is a dirty, sewer-like, gutter politics smear campaign. It's an attempt to lay guilt by association. It's disgusting. It brings shame on the Yes campaign.

"The Electoral Commission designated us after close scrutiny of our campaign and there is no association with extremists.

"He should apologise both to me and to the people in the No campaign for that deliberate slur."

The comments have escalated a row which erupted after a public speech by Ray Mallon in Durham on Wednesday, when he was criticised for labelling No campaigners as Conservatives.

But Yes4theNorthEast chairman John Tomaney refused to criticise Mr Brennan for his comments. He said: "I think what the trade unions did was make a very positive case of how an assembly could help the big issues facing the North-East."

North East No Campaign director Neil Herron said: "This smacks of desperation by Tom Brennan."