BNP to contest council by-elections

| Thursday, 16 February 2006 Source: Searchlight

A BNP candidate is contesting a council by-election in Church ward, Waterloo, on 2 March. Mike McDermott is hoping to win a seat on Sefton council. McDermott has stood three times for the BNP in local elections in Southport gaining 159 votes in 2002, 226 in 2003 and 417 in 2004. He also stood in the general election in Knowsley North and Sefton East, gaining a mere 872 votes – 2.4%.

Formby MP Claire Curtis-Thomas, who lives in Church ward, said she did not think the BNP would succeed. She added: "I think this is a divisive, nasty party who prosper from insecurities.

"I don't believe for one moment that they will get any significant support from the people in Church ward."

Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats are also fighting this previously Liberal Democrat seat.

The following week, on 9 March, John William Burgess is contesting a by-election in Werrington ward on Staffordshire Moorlands District Council against six other candidates. Last time the Conservatives won the ward in a straight fight with Labour.

The BNP also intends to fight a by-election in Keighley West, Bradford, caused by the resignation of BNP councillor Angela Clarke after the BNP criticised her performance. The date of the election for a seat on City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council has not yet been announced.

Clarke came top of the poll in June 2004 standing as sole BNP candidate in a three-seat election with 1,659 votes. This is a very important by-election as a BNP loss would demoralise the nazi party in West Yorkshire in the run-up to the May council elections, when it is hoping to take several more seats in the region.