A LLANDYBIE community councillor has become the second member of the authority to join the extreme right-wing British National Party.

Meirion Bowen, a former Plaid Cymru county council candidate who in recent years has been standing as an Independent, claims local people are “disillusioned” by the mainstream parties.

And he revealed he is also considering standing against Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Adam Price in the next general election, which must take place sometime in the next 14 months.

The shock move follows the announcement that Llandybie councillor Kevin Edwards, who represents Penygroes, will be standing for the BNP in the European elections on June 4.

Cllr Bowen told the Guardian he had been thinking of joining the BNP for some time.

“I walked away from Plaid because I was being dictated to by party politics,” he said.

“People feel let down by Plaid and Labour and the BNP is prepared to address certain issues other parties aren’t.

“Labour and Plaid have lost their way while the BNP has more in common with the man in the street.”

But his decision has been condemned by Mr Price.

“I think it is sad that anyone would join a party with fascist principles,” he said. “The people of Ammanford were among the first to respond to the threat of fascism during the Spanish Civil War.

“We are certain the message of hatred that is at the heart of the BNP will receive little support today either.”Llandybie-based Labour county councillor Anthony Jones said: “Mr Bowen’s efforts to attract publicity come as no surprise.

“Dig deeper into the BNP’s policies and they’re actually quite frightening.”

And fellow Labour councillor Peter Cooper commented: “I don’t think Mr Bowen is the type of person voters will take seriously.”