Patricia Hewitt has promised to crack down on the BNP's activities in the workplace.

The trade and industry secretary told the Labour Party conference on Monday that the far right group would not be allowed to infiltrate trade unions.

She was responding to activists' concerns that the BNP was seeking to use the union movement to promote their anti-immigration agenda.

"We've heard again today about the problems caused by BNP activists infiltrating our trade unions," she said.

"So I can announce that as part of the employment rights review we will take action to ensure that unions can deal with those who try to use trade unionism to peddle their racism."

Speaking in a debate on industry, the Cabinet minister also vowed to introduced legislation against race and religious discrimination by employers.

"I have already given shareholders the power to vote on directors' pay - but we the people, through our pension funds, own the majority of Britain's largest plcs," she said.

"So there's more we can do to ensure that companies work for us - and we'll be working on that together.

"Fairness for working parents...fairness for gay men and lesbians with a new law against discrimination at work - and legal recognition for same-sex relationships.

"Fairness too for every worker, whatever their race or religion."