David Cameron has called on voters to back "any party" other than the BNP.

Responding to reports of research showing that as many as one in four voters has considered supporting the extremist far-right party, the Conservative leader said the threat had to be tackled head on.

He claimed the BNP thrives on hatred and would exploit people's fears in the current local election campaign unless mainstream parties confront their arguments.

"I want them to get the smallest possible share of the vote," Cameron told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme on Tuesday.

"I would rather people voted for any party other than the BNP."

He added that the Tories have to demonstrate that there was a "really moderate, sensible, reasonable alternative to this government that is failing them".

Earlier this week reports suggested that the BNP could win up to 70 council seats on a five per cent swing.

Welfare minister Margaret Hodge warned that it was set for gains in her Barking constituency, where the party came third in last year's general election, where Labour has "stopped listening" to the concerns of white, working-class voters on issues such as housing and immigration.

But Home Office minister Andy Burnham said the nationalists should not be given "more coverage than it deserves".