BNP leader Nick aiming to be North West Euro MP

| Friday, 17 October 2008 Source: Lancashire Evening Post

BNP leader Nick Griffin looks set to stand as a candidate in the North West for next June's European Parliamentary elections.

The right-wing group's deputy leader Simon Darby told the Evening Post it was a "pretty good bet" his boss would top the party's list in a region he has got "an affinity with".

Mr Griffin headed the BNP candidate list for the last Euro elections in the North West in 2004 and the party won 134,958 votes (6%) – but it was not enough to elect him.

Mr Darby said Mr Griffin's candidacy is likely to be announced at the BNP's party conference in Blackpool next month. He said: "It's not 100% certain yet as we haven't gone through the main selection process but it's a pretty good bet. I'm pretty sure Nick will wake up on June 5 as an MEP for the North West."

Ketlan Ossowski, co-ordinator of the anti-Fascist Lancaster Unity group, said : "We are opposed to the move obviously. We will fight tooth and nail to stop him."

Mr Griffin, who has been leader of the BNP since 1999, has courted controversy for his views on immigration, race and religion.

There will be eight seats up for grabs in the European elections in the North West which is pencilled in to take place on June 4.