Waking up to a different London

posted by: Nick L | on: Saturday, 3 May 2008, 08:29

So the BNP has one person on the London Assembly. If someone had offered us this two days ago, coupled with a net gain of just ten councillors across the country, we would have jumped at it. The media's one-sided obsession with immigration and migration and in particular the BBC's and Channel Four's fascination with the anniversary of Enoch Powell, together with the obvious collapse in support for Labour, meant we entered polling day fearing the worst.

Even the BNP was predicting 40 new councillors and three on the London Assembly.

That they didn't achieve this was down to the hard work of literally thousands of activists across London and the rest of the country. We have never had so many people involved in the anti-BNP campaign before. Against the odds, both political and climatic, decent people took to the streets and campaigned for HOPE not hate.

We suffered a few defeats but overall we held back the BNP, and in many areas we actually reduced their vote.

Even in London, their biggest prize, we succeeded. In 2004 the BNP polled 4.8%, just missing out on a seat by 0.2%. In the same election UKIP polled over 8%. Since 2004 the BNP has grown significantly in outer East London and generally become a household brand. With the collapse of UKIP we really believed that the BNP were on course for two, if not three, seats.

In the end they just got one. They polled 5.4%, hardly increasing their share of the vote. Obviously, the BNP getting anyone elected is bad but we can all be proud that we helped keep them to just that. Indeed, for much of the day we actually thought there was a chance that we were going to stop them altogether.

The campaign against the BNP will continue. We will expose the incompetence of their councillors, we will highlight the extremism of their politics and we shall work to bring hope instead of hate to communities.

There are several new fronts around the country where the BNP has now emerged and we have to start working. Next year we also have the European Elections where they will pose a serious threat in several regions. However, we feared that London would act as a springboard for future success but with just 5.4% we have shown that the vast majority of people continue to reject the politics of hate and that there is still everything to play for. And in many of their heartlands, such as Sandwell, where the BNP vote has halved in two years, we have shown that we can beat them anywhere.

I would like to finish be reiterating my thanks to everyone who got involved in this campaign. There are lessons to be learnt and techniques to improve but we can safely say that we did our bit to prevent the BNP making a major breakthrough and I look forward to continuing the fight together.

HOPE still won out over hate.

Nick Lowles, (nick@stopthebnp.org.uk)

Barnbrook gets elected to the London Asembly

posted by: Nick L | on: Saturday, 3 May 2008, 01:20

Timescale?

posted by: Nick L | on: Saturday, 3 May 2008, 00:24

2004 v 2008 comparison

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 23:41

While waiting for the party list votes to emerge, I've just been going through the 2004 Mayoral contest results which provide an interesting comparison with the 2008 results. The BNP results this time are higher than in 2004 which indicate that the BNP will get a higher vote in the party list. This probably means that they will get enough votes for one seat on the Assembly even taking into account the increased turnout.

I hope I'm wrong.

City & East

4,154

10,724

Havering & Redbridge

2,797

9,563

Greenwich & Lewisham

5,170

3,067

North East

2,894

3,776

Enfield & Haringey

2,541

3,293

Bexley & Bromley

3,200

Result to come

Barnet & Camden

2,098

2,778

Brent & Harrow

3,222

2,622

Croydon & Sutton

4,197

5,845

Lambeth & Southwark

3,014

2,448

Merton & Wandsworth

2,740

(result to come)

South West

2,812

4,491

West Central

1,898

1,883

Greenwich and Lewisham

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 23:11

Richard Barnbrook polls 5,170 (3.5%) in the Mayoral vote in Greenwich & Lewisham

Havering and Redbridge

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 23:07

Richard Barnbrook polled 9,563 (5.7%) in Havering & Redbridge. Johnson won with 52% to Livingstone's 27%

At least another hour to go

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 22:57

Lordy, just heard that we will have to wait another hour for the Mayoral results and I bet the London wide results will be some time after that.

I might true to catch a few minutes rest. See you later!

It's been a long campaign

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 22:52

Don't know about anyone else but I'm struggling to stay awake for these results. Is it me or shouldn't machines have meant the process should have made it faster? I read yesterday that if the counting was done manually then it would take two or three days.

Excuse me for being dumb but they manage to count the General Election vote in a matter of hours - surely the logical answer is simply to have more people (or in this case machines) counting.

I for one have hardly had any sleep for what seems like weeks. Certainly in this final week of the campaign I think I've managed on three or four hours a night. Just my luck that it is catching up with me as I stare at this bloody computer screen waiting for the next result!

Bexley and Bromley

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 22:34

City and East Mayoral result

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 22:31

Constituency section

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 22:17

With the BNP only standing in one constituency section I guess it will be some time before we hear the results from the party list vote.

City and East

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 22:07

NE London - votes in

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 22:00

Another rumour

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 21:55

Just got a call from someone who has no reason to know this information that with 99% of the votes counted in City & East, the BNP has come fourth, ahead of George Galloway's Respect.

Again, might be complete nonsense but with no other news to report I thought I'd pass this on

Rumour mill

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 21:44

Rumours are flying around and of course most are totally contradictory to one another. I've just spoken to two journalists covering the elections and one says that the BNP is on the 5% mark while the other puts them slightly over 7%, which of course is closer to two seats rather than one.

I have no idea how it is going to go. I'd be surprised (but delighted) if the BNP don't get one elected. The 5.6% vote for the NF does suggest that there is a strong racist vote on the outskirts of London.

first constituency announced

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 21:29

Bexley & Bromley has just announced. The BNP is not standing but the National Front is and they polled 5.6%.

For more details click here:

Local elections 2008 Statement

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 20:08

The BNP has failed to make its expected breakthrough in the 2008 local elections, ending up with a net gain of just ten council seats. More significantly, its vote in many of its heartlands has gone down, in some cases quite considerably.

On election day the BNP predicted it would win 40 new councillors and three seats on the London Assembly. However, when the first results came in, it quickly became clear that this was too optimistic. As the night continued the size of the BNP failure became apparent.

The BNP won three seats in Stoke-on-Trent and two each in Amber Valley, Rotherham and Nuneaton & Bedworth. It also took one seat in Thurrock, Three Rivers, Pendle and Calderdale. It also successfully defended seats in Epping and Burnley. This takes the number of BNP councillors to 55, up from 45 before these elections.

However, it also lost two seats it was defending in Epping and one in Kirklees.

In most areas the BNP share of the vote was well down on last year, which in itself was down on the previous election, particularly in its traditional heartlands.

The fall in the BNP vote was especially surprising given Labour’s difficulties. Just under 80% of the BNP’s target wards were held by Labour but it seems that the BNP did not benefit from this. Instead, early analysis seems to show that many BNP supporters either stayed at home or switched to the Conservative Party. Suddenly, for those who wanted to register an anti-Labour vote, there was an alternative.

The BNP’s decline did not happen by chance. Searchlight and the HOPE not hate campaign had been working tirelessly in the key wards for many months. We organised telephone and doorstep canvassing, direct mail shots and localised leaflets. We worked with all the political parties best placed to beat the BNP and co-ordinated work with the trade unions, and faith and community groups.

Nationally, we joined forces with the Daily Mirror to run another HOPE not hate tour of Britain. In addition to our colourful old London bus, daily articles in the newspaper and a daily video on YouTube, we sent out over 150,000 “Get Out and Vote” emails on the day before polling. It was the largest ever email campaign in domestic British political history. Our finest hour came with U-Day two days before the election, when 700 volunteers braved inclement weather to deliver 200,000 campaign leaflets at 200 tube and railway stations in the Greater London area.

The BNP did not achieve its hoped-for breakthrough but there is no room for complacency. With the BNP on course to win one seat on the London Assembly and the European elections, contested under PR, only a year away, the BNP is still a major threat. We should be encouraged that the BNP can be defeated in its heartlands by a strategy that takes the party on rather than ignores it, but there is still a lot of work to do.

London on a knife-edge

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 18:18

It seems London is on a knife edge. I am hearing conflicting stories about the strength of the BNP vote. It is clear that they have polled well in Barking & Dagenham, Redbridge and Haverving, though of course less well in the inner London boroughs.

The BNP is vying with Respect for third place in City and East, the constituency that covers Tower Hamlets, Newham and Barking & Dagenham.

Their lowest vote appears to be in Haringey, where the HOPE not hate campaign, and Matthew Collins in particular, spent many a hour pounding the streets.

Are the BNP going to get over the 5%? Richard Barnbrook is confident, some journalists don't think so but to be honest no-one has a clue.

Darby struggles with his maths

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 17:32

The BNP's poor performance is obviously taking its toll on poor old Simon Darby. His latest blog claims that yesterday's turnout of 44% "is not too far away from the 2004 figure of 37%."

By not too far away, Darby actually means 385,000, which could make the difference between the BNP winning a seat on the London Assembly and not!

BREAKING NEWS! The BNP has dipped

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 16:39

Latest news, with 50% of the votes counted, is that the BNP is currently BELOW the 5% mark.

This is really remarkable and if proved true will be a disaster for Nick Griffin and the BNP.

Darby is getting desperate

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 16:03

Times musts be hard at BNP HQ. Simon Darby is reporting that BNP Treasurer John Walker has been elected to his local community council in Flintshire.

What's next? Mark Collett is the lucky winner of a Star Wars character that had been deposited in his box of Cornflakes!

The Winners and the Losers

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 15:53

Just to recap for those who have just joined us or the rest of us (including me) who are not quite sure where things stand.

BNP have gained three seats in Stoke-on-Trent, two seats in each of Amber Valley, Nuneaton & Bedworth and Rotherham, and one seat in Thurrock, Calderdale, Burnley, Pendle, Three Rivers and Epping Forest. This makes a total of 15 gains.

However, the BNP has lost one seat in Kirklees and two seats in Epping Forest.

The BNP net gain for the 2008 local elections, with only a few results still remaining, is just 12.

Last night the BNP was confidently predicting 40 new councillors.

Empty handed in Solihull

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 15:48

BNP dip in Birmingham

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 15:41

Just doing a bit more number crunching and it seems that the BNP averaged 7.5% in Birmingham. This is down from 8.1% last year and 11.3% in 2006.

A further sign that the BNP vote is declining

BREAKING NEWS!

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 14:58

A little bird has told me that with 30% of the votes counted in London the BNP is on 5%. This would give them one seat on the London Assembly but a few votes less it would mean nothing.

I have no idea how true this is but I'm happy to believe it and if it is true then this is incredible. The BNP leadership was last night predicting three seats in London so this will be a humiliation for the leadership.

My source inside the corridors of power say the Green Party is on roughly the same vote. However, it could be some time before the final votes are known, not least because 10% of the votes are having to be counted by hand.

London turnout

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 14:49

London Elects estimates the turnout in London to be 45%, up from 36% in 2004. This translates into 2.4m votes. This in turn means the BNP need 120,000 votes to secure 5%, 192,000 to get 8% and 264,000 for 11% and three seats.

So, who is going to make any predictions?

Kicked into touch in St Helens

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 14:41

BNP vote down in Burnley

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 14:36

The BNP averaged 22.8% of the vote in the ten wards they contested in Burnley, down 25.1% in 2007, 30.0% in 2006 and 36.4 in 2004.

They held the won seat they were defending but its candidate in Cliviger with Worsthorne only polled 7.4% compared to the 12.5% obtained by the England First Party leader Steve Smith.

Back at the computer

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 14:31

Sorry, had to get a bit of fresh air. would like to have said that I went out for a run but I'd be lying. Went to the shops, bought a bit of food and just took in some air.

Anyway, I'm back now so some more results shortly.

Also, I'll try to have an initial assessment of the elections outside London very soon

what's left?

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 13:53

I am still waiting to hear a couple more results from Stoke-on-Trent and then Solihull. Apart from that I can't think of any other councils where the BNP might have picked up any seats.

If this is the case then we safely say that the BNP has underperformed (again) this year. They have failed to capitalise on Labour's collapsing vote and it appears on first glance that the BNP share of the vote has fallen.

The other key headline is that it would appear that some of the anti-Labour vote which has gone to the BNP in recent years has switched to the Conservatives.

There is still London to come. As you will all know the BNP need just 5% to get one seat, 8% for two and 11% for three. To be honest I have no idea how it will turn out. I had thought that a high turnout was good but hearing that 70% of people voted in Bexley makes me quite worried. In 2004 the combined BNP and UKIP vote was 25.4% in the party list section.

I can't call London, though it will be quite incredible if the BNP do not get anything.

Two more wooden spoon awards

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 13:43

No gains in Rossendale or Doncaster.

Again, it seems that the BNP has declined in Rossendale, with much of it appearing to go to the Conservatives. There is a trend developing here...

Back to school for Daniel

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 13:37

Just had this email from a BNP supporter. Not sure what results he is looking at back I don't think they are from this world. I thought I'd spare his blushes by removing his surname.

Hello!

Great news!

The BNP have more than DOUBLED their number of council in England and Wales, from 22 to 46!

I for one will be looking forward to them double it again next time!

THE BNP IS ON IT'S WAY!

From a true Brit!

Daniel xxxx

Whiskey not marmite

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 13:30

Just took a look at Simon Darby's BNP blog. He told readers that he had marmite on toast this morning. Guess he has moved onto something far stronger now the scaleof the BNP's failure to take advantage of Labour's decline has become apparent.

Btw, I had marmite on toast as well this morning. Scary!

the story so far pt2

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 13:25

So here is where we are (I think)

BNP gains:

Stoke-on-Trent 3 seats

Rotherham 2 seats

Amber Valley 2 seats

Nuneaton & Bedworth 2 seats

Calderdale 1 seat

Three Rivers 1 seat

Pendle 1 seat

Thurrock 1 seat

BNP hold:

Burnley 1 seat

Epping 1 seat

BNP lose:

Epping 2 seats

Kirklees 1 seat

That makes it a net gain of 10 seats, well below the 40 the BNP projected yesterday. Still a few to go in Stoke-on-Trent and also I've heard nothing from Solihull. and of course there is London....

BNP fail to impress in Wrexham

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 13:20

If there was one council in which the BNP hoped to make a breakthrough in Wales it was Wrexham. However, like so many others across Britain, the BNP left empty-handed.

The BNP averaged just 11.4% of the vote in the seven wards contested, three of which they believed they had a serious chance of winning.

I think it's time for a round-up...

The scale of victory emerges

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 13:16

The BNP has done badly in West Yorkshire for the second year running. The Conservatives beat the BNP in its heartland seat of Queensbury, Bradford, by 200 votes.

In the end the Labour candidate defeated the David Exley in Heckmondwike by 194 votes. Back in 2004, Exley took with seat with a 600+ lead over Labour.

It appears that the anti-Labour vote, which has gone to the BNP in recent elections, has switched to the Conservatives. I'm hearing that there are a couple of wards in Bradford, including at least one in which the BNP had a councillor in 2004, where the BNP vote has totally collapsed. I'll get the exact information on this asap

Labour beat BNP in Leeds battle

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 13:10

Labour has held off the BNP in Ardsley & Robin Hood by just 11 votes. However, for much of the morning and going into the recount it seemed that the BNP had taken the seat.

another great result and it confirms a bad election for the BNP in West Yorkshire

Exley has gone

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 13:07

Just had a call from Kirklees. BNP councillor David Exley has lost his seat to Labour

Great news!

BNP gain three in Stoke-on-Trent

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 12:55

The Stoke results are in. It seems that the BNP picked up three seats, two in wards where they already had two councillors (Bentilee & Townsend and Abbey Green), meaning they have all three councillors in each.

They have also won Meir Park & Sandon from the Independents.

Labour has taken Longton North off Mark Leat, who was originally elected as a BNP councillor before becoming an Independent last year.

The BNP came third in Western & Meir North, despite having won this seat in the last two years. The sitting Labour councillor was beaten by the Conservatives.

More results to follow

The BNP are getting angry

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 12:49

You can always tell when the BNP is losing, the Searchlight switchboard and emails are logged up with abusive messages.

...and it's starting.

I've just had a number of abusive emails sent through so we must all be doing something right

Another BNP councillor gone?

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 12:46

Kirklees is another BNP stronghold where the BNP has fallen back. Rumours are that David Exley, the BNP councillor for Heckmondwike has lost his seat to Labour. The result should be announced soon.

Elsewhere, the BNP has done badly in Kirklees, slipping from second to third in some seats.

Removing Exley will be a real scalp and will probably hasten the depature of a number of other BNP members who have been disillusioned with the BNP leadership.

BNP lose two in Epping

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 12:43

The results are coming in thick and fast now.

The great news is that the BNP has lost two of the three seats it was defending on Epping Forest council. Not sure what has happened to the third but this is great news all the same

Three Rivers correction

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 12:40

Guess it was me who was drinking the wine last night. I've just been told that the BNP did win a ward in Three Rivers, though in a different one to where they were second.

Three Rivers is not too far from London and follows a number of similar councils on the fringes of the captial where the BNP has done well in recent years.

BNP fail in Three Rivers

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 12:36

Mixed results from Calderdale

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 12:11

It seems that the BNP has retaken Illingworth & Mixenden but failed in its other target seat of Ovenden.

More from Calderdale to follow shortly

Bradford

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 11:49

Recount in Ardsley and Robin Hood

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 11:47

Latest update

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 11:19

The BNP have so far won nine seats in this election, including one that they were defending.

However, this is well below their expectations and their overall share of the vote is down on last year.

The BNP gains are Amber Valley (2), Rotherham (2), Nuneaton & Bedworth (2), Burnley (1), Thurrock (1), Pendle (1).

Yesterday the BNP was confidently predicting 40 new councillors and 3 seats on the London Assembly.

BNP vote down in Basildon

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 11:03

Another council, another declining vote. In 2007 the BNP averaged 16.1% in Basildon. This year they averaged 14.7%.

BNP fail to make breakthrough in Burnley

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 10:52

The BNP has performed below expectations in Burnley with them holding the one seat they were defending (Hapton-with-Park) but failing to make any further gains.

They had gone into the election believing that they could win two or three more but in two wards it was the Liberal Democrats that took the seats off Labour while in two others, Trinity and Gawthorpe, Labour held on quite comfortably.

One BNP councillor was overheard saying "thank god we've won one" when the Hapton-with-Park result was announced.

BNP hardly move in Coventry

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 10:36

The decline continues ... Broxbourne

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 10:00

The BNP's share of the vote in Broxbourne has dropped 25% in one year. In 2007 the BNP averaged 20% in the wards it contested. This year their average vote was 15.4%.

For details of the results visit: http://www.broxbournelabour.org.uk/content/00000225.html

BNP vote down over 40 pre cent in Southend

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 09:33

Going with the general trend the BNP vote was well down in Southend. Last year the BNP averaged 15.3% in the wards they contested.

This year they averaged just 11.0%.

BNP vote down in Thurrock

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 09:13

The BNP might have won one seat in Thurrock but according to my cursory look their average share of the vote is down on last year. In 2007 the BNP contested every single seat and averaged 24.5% of the vote.

In 2008 they again contested every seat but their average vote fell to 21.8%.

This is still far too high but reflects a general decline in the BNP share across the country.

Black Country decline

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 09:01

It is fitting that in the fortieth anniversary of Enoch Powell's Rivers of Blood speech, and all the accompanying lurid media stories that went with it, the BNP's vote in the Black Country declined.

As previously reported, the BNP vote in Sandwell fell from a 33% average in 2006 to just 17.4% today.

In neighbouring Dudley, the BNP average vote has collapsed from 26.5% in 2006 to just 14.7% this year. There was only one ward, in the 10 contested, in which the BNP vote was higher than last year.

I hope the editorial policy unit at the BBC, which has led the Enoch Powell remembrance society, is taking stock at these results. Again, more on the appalling BBC approach in the May edition of Searchlight.

BNP vote slashed in Sandwell

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 08:45

Just been comparing this year's election results in Sandwell to previous years and the scale of the BNP decline is startling. In 2006 the BNP averaged 33% in the wards they contested. Last year it slipped down to 24% and now it has fallen even further to just 17.4%.

There vote declined in every single ward, in some cases by as much as 50%.

Well done Sandwell. This is the product of a robust policy of confronting the BNP rather than ignoring them.

Far more analysis will appear in the May edition of Searchlight

Back on line

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 08:15

Morning everyone. I'd like to say that I felt refreshed after a good sleep but I'd be lying. Feeling knackered but I guess I'm not the only one out there. I'll do a quick check around the net but I don't think there have been any more BNP gains since I signed off at 3am.

To recap, the BNP have won eight seats so far, which given the collapse of the Labour vote must be a disappointment for them. However, must crow too soon as there are several 'big' councils to count today. Among them are Stoke-on-Trent, Burnley, the entire West Yorkshire councils, Solihull and Epping.

I must admit to having some real fear about the Stoke results. Let's hope I'm wrong.

The story so far

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 03:01

The BNP has taken eight seats so far. These include two each in Nuneaton & Bedworth, Amber Valley and Rotherham, and one in Pendle and Thurrock. However, this is still short of what they would need to meet their own prediction of 40 gains and in many years they failed to win seats they expected.

They failed to win any seats in the Black Country boroughs of Dudley, Walsall and Sandwell. There were also no gains across the entire North East, Oldham and Broxbourne, a council where they held a seat until last year.

The BBC is also reporting that the BNP's average vote is down on 2004, with it now being 11% in the wards they contested in both years.

Tomorrow they will be counting in Stoke-on-Trent, Burnley, Epping and across West Yorkshire and while they are bound to win several more seats they will probably still fall well short of their target of 40. Counting will also take place in London and BNP gains here will not only usurp the small gains made across the country tonight but also act as a guide for next year's European Elections.

I think that's it for me for tonight. There is going to be a long day ahead of us so it's best to get some rest. Thanks to everyone who has sent me results, gossip and, in some cases, just kept me amused during these early hours.

More blanks

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 02:36

The BNP has won no seats in Southend, Carlisle, Tameside and Broxbourne, where the party once had a seat.

The target of 40 still appears a long way off

BNP gain second seat in Amber Valley

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 02:31

Gains so far

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 02:12

The BNP has taken seven seats so far. These include two each in Nuneaton & Bedworth and Rotherham, and one in Pendle, Thurrock and Amber Valley.

However, this is still short of what they would need to met their own prediction if 40 gains and in many years they failed to win seats they expected.

The BBC is also reporting that the BNP's average vote is down on 2004, with it now being 11% in the wards they contested in both years.

Tomorrow they will be counting in Stoke-on-Trent, Burnley, Epping and across West Yorkshire so while they are bound to win several more seats they will probably still fall well short of their target of 40.

Sandwell

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 02:05

Basildon

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 02:01

No BNP gains in Basildon

BNP fail to hit expectations in Thurrock

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 01:56

Correction to Oldham

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 01:53

BNP draw blank in Dudley

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 01:40

BNP win two in Rotherham

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 01:31

No breakthrough in County Durham

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 01:20

BNP gain in Oldham?

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 01:14

BNP vote slips in Wigan

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 01:05

No breakthrough in Barnsley

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 01:00

First result from Wales

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 00:53

Swansea (Bonymaen)

Labour 1,052

Independent 893 votes

BNP 447

Nunnery ward - Worcester

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 00:41

Worcester - NUNNERY

Mike Layland Independent 1,115
Vanessa Mann Labour 707
Tom Amos

British

Party

Last year the BNP polled 281 votes

Bede ward

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 00:39

The only just missed out on a third gain in Nuneaton and Bedworth in Bede ward. The BNP came second with 819 votes, just 16 behind Labour.

In another ward in the borough, Arbury, the BNP polled 347, well behind the Conservatives

Thurrock

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 00:34

Birmingham

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 00:32

Here are some initial results from Birmingham. I think some of the smaller parties have not been included.

Birmingham Sheldon:

Liberal Democrats 3224 60.51%
British National Party 789 14.81%
The Conservative Party 586 11.00%

Longbridge

Wood The Conservative Party 1997
Bedser The Labour Party 1720
Wainright British National Party 716

Northfield

Lawrence The Conservative Party 2804
Coulson The Labour Party 1496
Orton British National Party 1003

Shard End

Bridle The Labour Party 1752
Holland The Conservative Party1011
Lumby British National Party 999

Sheldon

ANDERSON, Sue*Liberal Democrats 3224
DEVENPORT, Robert Arthur British National Party 789
AXFORD, Hannah

Kings Norton:

SUTTON, Geoffrey Lionel* The Conservative Party 2345
WATSON, Amy Louise The Labour Party 1492
DOUGHTY, Malcolm Lee British National Party 534

Bartley Green

BNP gain second seat in Nuneaton & Bedworth

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 00:19

BNP gain Bar Pool

BNP 663

Con 650

Lab 624

BNP gain seat in Nueaton & Bedworth

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 00:15

Nuneaton & Bedworth (more)

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 00:11

Bnp 391

Green 204

Con 608

Labour 1016

Galley Common

BNP 417

Labour 413

Con 1118

Wigan

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 00:09

Wigan

Pemberton

Lab 1387

CAP 406

Con 350

BNP 334 (333 last year)

Nuneaton & Bedworth (more)

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 00:03

Slough ward

BNP 517

Labour 725

Con 806

Lib dem 98

Wem Brook

BNP 519

Con 541

Labour 1021

Sandwell - BNP vote slumps

posted by: Nick L | on: Friday, 2 May 2008, 00:01

For three elections in succession the BNP won Princes End ward but today they have slumped into third place.

It appears that much of the BNP vote has gone to the Conservatives as they have taken the seat off Labour

The result is:

Con 914

Lab 720

BNP 427

Nuneaton & Bedworth

posted by: Nick L | on: Thursday, 1 May 2008, 23:59

Poplar

Con 611

Lab 829

BNP 396

Lib Dem 146

Nuneaton & Bedworth

posted by: Nick L | on: Thursday, 1 May 2008, 23:57

Attleborough

Con 1048

Labour 547

BNP 322

Kingswood

BNP 462

Lab 619

Con 750

Tamworth

posted by: Nick L | on: Thursday, 1 May 2008, 23:54

STONYDELPH

Con 689

Lab 458

BNP 293 (3rd)

Tamworth

posted by: Nick L | on: Thursday, 1 May 2008, 23:51

Just been sent this from Nuneaton but I have no idea which ward it is from:

Lib dem. 216

Lab. 896

BNP. 320

Con. 550

more Sunderland

posted by: Nick L | on: Thursday, 1 May 2008, 23:49

Copthill

Ind 1487

Lab 1123

BNP 197 (176 last year)

Hendon

Lab 874

BNP 234 (4th) (362 last year)

Sandhill

Lab 1196

BNP 358 (3rd) (405 last year)

Silksworth

Lab 1503

BNP 406 (3rd) (395 last year)

St Chads

Con 1660

BNP 249 (3rd) (248 last year)

Sunderland results

posted by: Nick L | on: Thursday, 1 May 2008, 23:40

Once again Sunderland comes in first (well, to me anyway)

Redhill

Labour hold with 1315

BNP 2nd with 517

That means the BNP has slipped from 585 last year

tonight's count

posted by: Nick L | on: Thursday, 1 May 2008, 23:12

There are about 100 councils counting tonight. These include Thurrock, Nuneaton & Bedworth, Sandwell and Dudley.

Another 60 councils are counting tomorrow. They include Bradford, Leeds, Calderdale, Burnley, Stoke-on-Trent and Epping Forest.

BNP predictions

posted by: Nick L | on: Thursday, 1 May 2008, 22:23

The BNP's legal eagle Lee Barnes seems to reckon that the BNP will get 40 new councillors and get 120 second places. He also believes there will be 3 BNP Assembly members - though if there is "fraud" then only Barnbrook will get in. He goes on to predict "the BNP will hold the balance of power in the assembly".

Again, we shall see in very shortly

Spare a thought for Nick Eriksen

posted by: Nick L | on: Thursday, 1 May 2008, 21:57

As we enter the final few minutes of the 2008 elections I wonder what Nick Eriksen must be thinking. As the nomination papers for the party list section of the London elections went in Eriksen, who was number two on the BNP list, must have been pondering life as an Assembly member and a wage of £50,000 to go with it.

Within days however his life was turned upside down as Searchlight exposed his outrageous comments about rape and women generally. The BNP initially stuck by him but eventually they were forced to ditch him in a bid to save their campaign.

So, let's spare a thought for Nick ... ok, that's enough of that thought. Polling stations close in three minutes. I guess the first exit polls will be out moments later.

BNP no show in Sandwell

posted by: Nick L | on: Thursday, 1 May 2008, 21:44

In 2006 the BNP averaged 33% in the nine wards it contested in Sandwell, making it second srongest BNP area after Barking & Dagenham. How times seem to have changed. Since 2006 BNP fortunes have slipped and during this election there was very little activity.

This was mirrored today when, for the first time in years, there was not even the obligatory speaker van touring the streets annoying local people. Beyond a handful of posters in windows there was no sign of the BNP.

Is this a good sign? Let's hope so. Fortunately we won't have to wait too long as our Searchlight correspondent will be reporting in from the count tonight.

Voters turn out in Hapton-with-Park

posted by: Nick L | on: Thursday, 1 May 2008, 21:23

One of the key battlegrounds I've identified is Hapton-with-Park in Burnley. BNP Group leader Sharon Wilkinson is defending her seat in a ward where the BNP has all three councillors. Labour has worked tirelessly over the past six months but no-one knows if this will be enough to take the seat off the BNP.

Just spoken to someone in Burnley who said that turnout appeared brisk and could even hit 40%. Who they are voting won't be known tomorrow when they start counting.

How are things going in your area? Drop me a line here or email me at nick@stopthebnp.org.uk

Nick Griffin causing a nuisance in Thurrock

posted by: Nick L | on: Thursday, 1 May 2008, 20:05

Just had a call from a friend in Thurrock to say that the BNP leader Nick Griffin was campaigning with a dozen supporters in and around Tilbury station for local BNP candidate Emma Colgate.

Thurrock is one of the BNP's top targets tonight, with the local branch confident of winning a couple of seats. It was also going to be the seat Griffin was to have contested if there had been a General Election last year.

However, I think that Griffin had other reasons to be in the area. It appears that he is getting increasingly jealous of the media interest in the party's Mayoral candidate Richard Barnbrook. After hearing that several TV companies were keen to interview Barnbrook tomorrow, the party leader whizzed down the motorway to grab a slice of the limelight.

Election '08 blog

posted by: Nick L | on: Thursday, 1 May 2008, 17:49

Welcome to Searchlight’s Election ’08 blog. Over the course of this evening and tomorrow I hope to report on the votes as they come in and give an initial analysis.

Over the past few hours I’ve had a number of calls from journalists, politicians and local activists asking me how I think it will go. The truthful answer is that I really don’t know. I’ve spent much of this election campaign working London so I don’t really have a feel for what is happening around the country. There appears to be no great movement to the BNP but I guess the question is whether they will benefit from the expected drop in the Labour vote.

Most eyes will be on London, which counts tomorrow and the result is unlikely to be announced until 8pm or even later. The BNP only need to add another 6,000 votes to their 2004 result (on the basis of a similar turnout) so they are confident of getting someone elected.

Here are some of the key seats I’ll be watching out for outside London. They include some of the most vulnerable wards but also others where the rival far right groups might be challenging the BNP or local factors have made them interesting. Either way, over the course of the evening I’ll try to add a bit of background to some of these wards.

Ardsley & Robin Hood (Leeds)

Aveley and Uplands (Thurrock)

Brockmoor & Pensett (Dudley)

Coedpoeth (Wrexham)

Darton West (Barnsley)

Hapton-with-Park (Burnley)

Heanor West (Amber Valley)

Heckmondwike (Kirklees)

Longton North (Stoke-on-Trent)

Loughton Alderton, Loughton Broadway, Loughton Fairmead (all Epping)

Princes End (Sandwell)

Queensbury (Bradford)

To make this blog work effectively I need information so please send me down the results as you get them. A more detailed and comprehensive list of election results will be posted on the Hope not hate site as soon as possible.

Please send reports, results, election count stories to me, either as a comment to this blog or by email at

Until later…