February 20, 2009

BNP gains first council seat in south-east England

Win in Sevenoaks is far-right party's first victory in south east outside London

The British National party has gained its first council seat in south-east England outside London, taking a traditional Labour seat in Sevenoaks, Kent. The surprising win saw BNP candidate Paul Golding beat Labour's Mike Hogg in Swanley St Mary's, the first time the far-right party has campaigned in that ward.

Swanley St Mary's has been a traditional Labour seat in a Conservative-controlled district. The BNP gained 408 votes to Labour's 332, while the Tories earned 247.

Speaking to the BNP website, Golding said the win was "outstanding" and had "implications" for the rest of the south east and the upcoming European elections.

The BNP made advances in local government byelections across the UK yesterday. Although they failed to win in Thringstone, North West Leicestershire, the party polled more than 28% in third place. Labour successfully defended the seat.

They also failed to win at Bilton, Harrogate Borough, North Yorkshire, where Liberal Democrats held onto the seat, but did come third with 9% of the votes. Labour polled just 3% of votes, taking fourth place.

In Downham, Lewisham, south London, a double contest saw the Lib Dems hold both seats, while Labour came second with 24% of the votes. The BNP polled 11% in fourth place.

Last night's results follow a near miss for the far-right party in January. The BNP were just nine votes short of taking a Tory ward in a Bexley council byelection. However, Welling, where the byelection was held, is where the party used to have their headquarters.

Labour MP Jon Cruddas, who campaigns against the BNP in his London constituency, says the far-right party does pose a threat in the EU elections. Writing in the Guardian last month, he said: "The BNP poses a threat in six Euro regions, with as little as 7.5% required in the North West, where the party leader, Nick Griffin, is standing. With Ukip faltering, few local elections and the economy hurtling into recession, we will need everyone who opposes the BNP's message of hate to play a part. A BNP victory will change the political landscape in Britain."

Guardian

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

fucking brilliant ,do you need clean underpants yet ,we are coming for you lol

Antifascist said...

'do you need clean underpants yet'

Why, because you've now won TWO by-elections in over FOUR years? No, not really.

'we are coming for you'

Course you are. Your 'quiet revolution' is relentless (yawn, sorry).

Anonymous said...

'we are coming for you'

Course you are. Your 'quiet revolution' is relentless (yawn, sorry).

LOL

Anonymous said...

"fucking brilliant ,do you need clean underpants yet ,we are coming for you lol"

What a silly little man
47 councillors out of a possible
23,400

41 parish councillors out of a possible 110,00 parish councillors.

How in the feckin name of Jesus are they coming to get anyone???

the mind boggles

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah
One other thing....................
Sevenoaks council have 54 elected councillors. the BNP are getting excited about getting one cheesedick elected.

In one sense you have to feel sympathy for the idiotic members who think this is a major success ??????? NAH

Anonymous said...

Clive Jefferson is going bonkers on Cumbrian Patrits

"The BNP last night SHOOK THE POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT!"

He wishes. I doubt that the establishment gives a flying fuck.

Anonymous said...

As a wise Irish builder once told me when my newly-fitted window frame went haywire (my fault) ...

"shit happens"

It happened in Swanley last night, but it hardly shakes the political firmament!

Anonymous said...

Did the electorate know they were voting for the british Nonces Party ?If not why not ?

Old Sailor

Anonymous said...

Given the state that the UK is in, I'm glad I emigrated! is it any wonder that people are voting for the BNP whehn Labour and the Tories have no clear answers and absolutely no clue on why people are no longer supporting them in the numbers that they were previously accustomed too?