Stalled - no by-election joy for BNP

A crop of local by-elections in the north-west of England and north Wales last night brought no cheer to the British National Party, which voters decisively rejected in four out of the five wards where it stood candidates.

So dire was the BNP's performance that at the time of posting nothing has been published on its main news webpage. Presumably its so-called news team are having problems working out how to spin the bad tidings. While the wait goes on the party faithful have been thrown a bone in the form of a gloating "analysis" of the UKIP's dismal performance on Thursday night. Tucked away on its "Regional Voices" page the article is entitled "UKIP’s week of unremitting woe" and speaks of a "hat-trick of disasters" for the anti-Europe party - epithets which might equally well be applied to the BNP's own showing, which the article (unsurprisingly) manages never to mention!

The only vaguely bright spot for the BNP came in Rossendale Irwell ward, where the party's percentage vote rose slightly over last May's. Irwell was the scene of the BNP's greatest efforts in Rossendale, where it also fought Goodshaw and Whitewell wards. From a base of 26.25% of the vote in May, the vote in Irwell rose to 27.55% - an increase of only 1.3%, giving the racist party third place and disappointing many members who believed the BNP could take the seat or at least come second.

Elsewhere in Rossendale, the BNP scored 7.52% in Goodshaw and 7.29% in Whitewell, where it has not fought previously.

In Liverpool Warbreck ward the party lost ground, having scored 4.72% in May, falling slightly to 4.47% on Thursday. While the BNP will plead that Warbreck is not suitable territory for a party of its type, the fact remains that Warbreck is exactly the kind of ward in which it should be making an impression if its claims to electoral progress are to have any validity. As it is the 146 votes and 4.47% garnered is little different from that obtained by racist parties in Liverpool in the 1970's.

The BNP's attempt to establish itself in Wales saw it contest Conwy Borough Council's Mochdre ward, to very little effect. Out of 663 votes cast the BNP gained a measly 35, or 5.28% of the vote.

While we accept the local factors and local personalities play an important part in local elections, what is abundantly clear from the latest crop of results is that the BNP's electoral stall - readily evident in the May elections - has become part of a fixed trend.

Earlier this month we reported on the Loughton Alderton ward by-election, where the BNP retained the ward by the skin of its teeth but suffered a 5% loss of votes, pointing out that though the party might crow about its "success" a 5% fall-off was a serious matter that could not be avoided or explained away.

The party's propagandists will have a harder time explaining away Thursday's poor performance, in which the only crumb of comfort was a 1.3% increase in a seat where they hoped for more. We have no doubt, however, that Griffin's men will come up with something plausible enough to reassure the BNP faithful in their continuing belief that, somehow or other, only with Nick Griffin at the helm will the BNP make electoral progress - despite the fact that by any standards, what Nick Griffin is presiding over can hardly be called "progress".

Results (percentages in brackets):

Goodshaw (Rossendale)

Lab 632 (59.40)
Con 300 (28.20)
LibDem 52 (4.89)
BNP 80 (7.52)

Total 1064

Whitewell (Rossendale)

Lab 399 (31.97)
Con 152 (12.18)
LibDem 606 (48.56)
BNP 91 (7.29)

Total 1248

Irwell (Rossendale)

Lab 379 (37.16)
Con 312 (30.59)
LibDem 48 (4.71)
BNP 281 (27.55)

Total 1020

Liverpool Warbreck

Lab 1796 (54.99)
Con 40 (1.22)
LibDem 1024 (31.35)
BNP 146 (4.47)
Ind 131 (4.01)
Green 45 (1.38)
LLCP 32 (0.98)
UKIP 52 (1.59)

Total 3266

Conwy Mochdre

Lab 303 (45.70)
Con 159 (23.98)
BNP 35 (5.28)
Plaid 166 (25.04)

Total 663