The British National Party has dismissed an appeal by senior Anglican church leaders for voters to boycott the party at next month's elections.

The archbishops of Canterbury and York are urging people not to let anger over the MPs' expenses scandal drive them to vote for the party.

BNP leader Nick Griffin said it was time the church grew up and began talking to them about issues.

He accused them of letting MPs "off the hook" and turning on his party.

In a joint statement, on behalf of the Church of England House of Bishops, Dr Rowan Williams and Dr John Sentamu said the English local and UK-wide European elections on 4 June were coming "at a time of extraordinary turbulence in our democratic system".