Writing in a national newspaper, Dr John Sentamu also said he would be praying for the safe return of both Claudia Lawrence and Madeleine McCann in 2010, and spoke about the continued fighting in Afghanistan and the situation in Zimbabwe.
But he led with a call for people to dump the BNP.
The archbishop said: “I hope there will not be a repeat of the fatigue, distrust and disinterest that allowed the BNP to gain two seats in the European Parliament last year.
“Where I live, in Yorkshire, the BNP vote decreased by over 6,000, but their representation increased because a large majority of people did not come out and vote for mainstream political parties.
“I hope we will not make the same mistake at the General Election and allow candidates with sectarian, divisive and engineered hatred into Parliament via the back door."
He said there was a moral responsibility for everyone to vote.
He quoted historian Edmund Burke: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
Dr Sentamu spoke out on behalf of British soldiers, saying we should “honour and salute” them and called for “considerable improvements in the way we treat our brave soldiers”.
He also said he hoped 2010 would see a regime change in Zimbabwe, noting that it was now more than two years since he cut up his dog collar in protest at Robert Mugabe.
He concluded: “We have waited a long time for someone to repeat the feats of Alf Ramsey’s boys, but this could be the year that we rewrite the history books. We need to join together and cheer on our new generation of footballing greats to success.
“My prayer for 2010 is that Madeleine McCann and Claudia Lawrence will be found safely.
“Together we can make this country great again. Together we can make 2010 a year to remember.
“A year in which all of us exercise that greatest gift – of charity.”
* York Press
