A HUDDERSFIELD headteacher has labelled claims she is fascist as "deeply offensive" after a BNP candidate complained when he was not invited to take part in a school event.

Pupils at Colne Valley High School came face to face with a group of election candidates yesterday to gather tips on campaigning for the school's mock election on May 5.

Students have been working hard in recent weeks to learn about the election process and nominate their own school candidates to stand in the election.

Labour hopeful Kali Mountford, the Liberal Democrat's Elisabeth Wilson, Lesley Hedges for the Green Party and Conservative candidate Maggie Throup were among those invited to advise pupils on campaigning methods and the election process.

But BNP candidate for Dewsbury David Exley claims the party was deliberately excluded from the event for political reasons.

He said: "I think it is totally undemocratic and if that isn't being a fascist dictator then I don't know what is."

"We had a few phonecalls from parents last week concerned because there was going to be no BNP representation.

"I suspect she is imposing her own political views on the whole school."

Mr Exley said he had asked headteacher Linda Wright for permission to attend the event but she had declined.

But Mrs Wright dismissed claims she was acting politically.

She said: "It is not about this election - it is about the electoral process.

"None of our children can vote so the candidates were not electioneering.

"There were a lot of parties not invited. We only invited those the children had chosen to stand as in our own election.

"They were the three key parties - Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem - and the Green Party because so many pupils are concerned about the environment.

"I find it deeply offensive that they are making politics at school about how democracy works into party politics."