Call to ban English Defence League's Wellington march

Trade union bosses are today calling on the police and council officials to ban a planned protest demonstration in Telford by the far-right group the English Defence League.

The organisation is planning to hold the march in Wellington on August 13 – the same day as the Bucks take on Luton in the Blue Square Conference.

Almost 400 people are expected to take part.

Brett Davis, president of Shropshire and Telford Trades Union Council, today said: "We want to send a signal out that the people of Telford are not racist and we don't want violence.

"We have asked for the protest to be banned and it's not a view we take lightly, but we don't want this sort of thing going on in Telford.

"People we are talking to in community groups are just appalled that a march like this can be going ahead.

"We have written to the police and Telford & Wrekin Council to get the march banned."

Councillor Mike Ion, Telford & Wrekin Council ward member for the College, said he would now be writing to the Home Secretary Theresa May to ask her to step in over the march.

He said: "I have real concerns that, if this march goes ahead, groups opposed to English Defence League will also take to the streets and that the results will be a significant increase in the risk of disorder."

Chris Ammonds, of Telford police, said officers were reviewing various options over policing.

An EDL member said it was a "peaceful organisation".