Political tensions over race and asylum exploded onto the British election stage yesterday after a night of rioting in Oldham.
But the Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesman, Mr Menzies Campbell, appeared anxious to defuse the row last night after his colleague, Mr Simon Hughes, had accused Mr William Hague and the Conservative Party of helping create a climate of intolerance with their statements on asylum policy.
Mr Hague flatly rejected the charge, insisting: "It's an accusation made by parties trying to play the race card themselves. Asylum is an entirely different issue to race." And he was acquitted of the charge by the Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, who said it was "incredible" to attempt to lay responsibility on Mr Hague for seven hours of violence during which 30 police officers were injured and at least 17 people were arrested for public order offences.
Up to 500 Asian youths armed with petrol bombs and bricks burned cars and fought pitched battles with police in riot gear. Chief Supt Eric Hewitt said he had been shocked by the "ferocity and sheer carnage" of the overnight clashes, believed to have been triggered by an attack on a number of Asian homes by white youths.
Police were last night investigating reports that the town's night of race riots might have been fuelled initially by an argument between two schoolboys. But the leader of Oldham Council, Mr Richard Knowles, echoed the charge of other community leaders who blamed "far right" groupings for promoting tension and trouble in the town, which has large Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities.
As the morning-after clear-up got under way - amid fears of further violent outbreaks - Mr Hughes told GMTV the language used by senior Conservatives like Mr Hague might also, indirectly, have helped fuel racial tensions.
"If politicians talk up things that encourage the view of racial difference then there is an indirect likelihood that will resonate with people, particularly young people, impressionable people, and increase prejudice," Mr Hughes said.
"That's a very big danger for Britain in our inner cities with mixed societies. We must be very careful with our language and that's why some of us have been very critical of some of the language particularly William Hague and his colleagues have used over the last two years. It may not have a direct effect but it doesn't help, and in some cases it may well encourage people to think they can get away with intolerant language, intolerant attitudes and sometimes intolerant behaviour."
The Shadow Home Secretary, Ms Ann Widdecombe, accused Mr Hughes of "a scurrilous smear attempting to stifle understandable public disquiet over the shambles of the government's asylum system".
The Home Secretary, Mr Straw, said the Oldham violence was "serious" and had to be "unreservedly" condemned. While describing Tory proposals to detain asylum seekers in secure units as "inhumane", Mr Straw said of Mr Hughes's comments: "We have all got a duty to moderate our language. But I do think it is impossible to argue, incredible to argue, that what happened in Oldham can be laid at the door of William Hague."
There was sporadic fighting on the streets of Oldham today as police put on a massive show of strength in an attempt to prevent a second night of rioting. They reported small outbreaks of disorder and stone throwing, in various parts of the town but police stressed there was nothing on a par with Saturday night's violence.