Johnson attacks Hodge over 'BNP' remarks

Education Secretary Alan Johnson said the Trade Minister's words would help the far-Right by fuelling myths about immigrants getting special favours.

His attack came as Justice Minister Harriet Harman also distanced herself from the 'Brits first' stance on housing policy.

But Mrs Hodge received a boost as a poll showed the majority of voters supported her. Sixty-nine per cent believed British families should always get priority for social housing ahead of immigrants. Only 27 per cent disagreed.

Mrs Hodge, whose Barking constituency in East London is a hotbed for the BNP, provoked protests when she said many poor, white families who had paid taxes for generations felt abandoned when foreigners were given priority for council housing.

She said there should be a points system to allocate homes, giving weight to where people were born, how long they had lived in an area and their National Insurance contributions.

Critics said only 1 per cent of council housing was occupied by foreigners. And three candidates vying to be Labour deputy leader criticsised her. Mr Johnson said:

"That's the kind of language of the BNP. There's any problem in social housing caused by immigration, none whatsoever."

Jon Cruddas, whose Dagenham seat borders Mrs Hodge's, said:

"Margaret is on the wrong side of the debate by focusing on racialising allocation policies rather than the fundamental issues which are all about the lack of supply of affordable housing units."

Miss Harman, whose deputy leadership campaign has listed Mrs Hodge as a key backer, said all families should be treated equally.

A Populus poll of 1,171 voters for BBC2's The Daily Politics found 69 per cent of voters believe British citizens should head the list for council houses.

But 75 per cent agreed that newly-arrived immigrants who work and pay tax in the UK "are entitled to the same degree of help from the state as everyone else".

Fifty-six per cent thought Mrs Hodge's comments could damage community relations.