The BNP finished last in the poll as Liberal Democrats retained their seat in the district council Bentswood ward by-election at Haywards Heath.
British National Party candidate Tony Brewer polled 92 votes as Liberal Democrat Irene Balls won with 514. Not elected: Richard Goddard, Labour, 456 and Andy Mackintosh, Conservative, 332. Liberals also retained their seat on the Haywards Heath Town Council, with Claudette Furminger polling 545. Not elected: Derek Booker, Labour, 430, Andy Mackintosh, Conservative, 389.
Voting was on Thursday January 22 and the results were announced today at Clair Hall, Haywards Heath. The results leave the political make-up of both councils unchanged.
West Sussex Gazette
January 23, 2009
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4 comments:
Looking at the problem from an epidemiological point of view (to use a medical analogy), do we know what factors promoted the spread of the BNP mind-virus in Bexley, but inhibited it in East Sussex?
These case-studies could offer the key to stopping the BNP in its tracks.
Labour deputy leader to head North-west anti-BNP campaign. http://www.lep.co.uk/news/Far-right-Euro-MEP-could.4909519.jp
"do we know what factors promoted the spread of the BNP mind-virus in Bexley, but inhibited it in East Sussex?
These case-studies could offer the key to stopping the BNP in its tracks."
Here's two differences:
As far as I know there was no anti fascist activity in East Sussex, certainly not to the degree there was in Bexley, which is a double edged as it sometimes talks up the BNPs chances and becomes a self fulfilling prophecy...Burnley, Barking etc etc.
Fewer parties contested the election in Sussex I think (could be wrong there), it seems BNP does better when the non BNP vote is spread amongst more than the normal number of candidates.
Other than that Ive seen Bexley being referred to as a "white flight" area, dont know if it is but sitting on the A2 London Road could well be, like parts of Essex are. East Sussex is much further out, although its surprising the BNP dont do well in Crawley a 'new' town and Id have thought also a haven for ex Londoners.
Additionally the BNP are alleged to have put out 10 leaflets in Bexley and canvassed, I havent read they did that in east Sussex.
Lastly, Nick Gri$$in helped out in East Sussex, maybe that was the actual kiss of the death. hahaha
The BNP has worked Bexley for at least the last ten years, the last six pretty intensively. It has had numerous local 'initiatives' from removing graffitti to dealing with abandonded cars, several times, it must be said, more effectively than the local council. Several of its candidates (not sure about this one) have been local Neighbourhood Watch organisers, sat on tenant's committees and so forth.
In Haywards Heath the BNP turns up about once every 18 months, puts out a leaflet for a by-election, then buggers off until there is another vote. I doubt if they even have a local branch (probably part of Crawley or Brighton).
Anything much higher for the BNP would have been a major success for them. Finishing a distant third in Bexley would have been a major defeat.
Both results pretty much where it was expected, both fairly good for the BNP (they will certainly take comfort that their campaigns for the EU are on-track in London and the SE from these results) but nothing to catapult them into a BNP-serving media frenzy and nothing that will influence people outide of their immediate areas.
Probably fair to call it a score-draw, fascists being the away side!
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