The efforts by the leader of the Conservative party to dampen down the row over race the general election campaign have been dealt a blow by news that Kent local Tories have put out an ad that aims to tap into local fears over bogus asylum seekers.

The ad, placed by former home secretary Michael Howard's Folkestone and Hythe constituency, has been criticised by refugee charities as "blatantly playing on fears of racism".

Shadow home secretary Ann Widdecombe yesterday dismissed the race pledge, put forward by the Commission for Racial Equality, as "silly" and a distraction from political issues such as immigration.

Gordon Brown's supporters have accused foreign secretary Robin Cook of poor tactics over the race row, as it emerged that it was the strategists' plan not to go head to head with the Tories over their refusal to sign the race pledge. Brown, who is heading the Labour election team, was not asked to clear Robin Cook's "chicken tikka massala" speech. The row is being considered a 'stitch up' by Conservative central office, after it was revealed that three of the 14 part-time commissioners were members of the Labour party.

The Commission for Racial Equality is not without its critics, as a former commissioner accused it of causing racial hatred.