HUNDREDS of anti-racists rallied in Batley in West Yorkshire yesterday ahead of a by-election that is being contested by the far right.

The rally was called by Stand Up To Racism after it was reported that far-right fraudster Stephen Yaxley-Lennon was to campaign in the town in support of For Britain Movement candidate Anne Marie Waters.

Mr Yaxley-Lennon did not turn up and the anti-racist campaigners claimed victory.

Police mounted a huge operation to contain the estimated 400 anti-racists, who were hemmed into the square outside Batley Town Hall.

With lines of officers surrounding the square, another 10 police vans arrived from Durham. One source said that reinforcements had been drafted in from across the north of England.

The vans were used to further hem in demonstrators.

As the campaigners prepared to march, police sent in the cavalry of 10 mounted officers who were stationed at the front and rear of the march.

The march, accompanied by the rhythms of the PCS union band, was halted briefly by police after a mounted officer at the head of the march lost control of her horse and it kicked a parked car.

Trade union and campaign banners were marched through the town.

One read: “From the Pennines to the sea, we’ll make Yorkshire fascist free.”

At the rally speaker after speaker condemned fascist and racist parties for cashing in on the publicity surrounding the by-election by standing candidates, particularly as Batley and Spen Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered by neonazi Thomas Mair in 2016.

Leeds Trade Union Council president Jain Aitchison said: “Five years ago an MP was murdered here by a fascist. Never again.”

She told the rally how immigrants had benefited Britain, including Irish, Caribbean, South East Asian and Eastern European workers.

Speakers from the constituency’s Muslim community voiced solidarity with the campaigners.

Sarli Nana of the Migrants Organise group said: “The anti-fascist movement in Britain beat the National Front, the BNP and we will defeat the fascists again.”

Police said that there were three arrests, two for public order offences and one for possession of an offensive weapon.

The by-election is scheduled to be held on Thursday following the resignation of previous Labour MP Tracy Brabin who was elected as the Mayor of West Yorkshire.