Sefton says ‘no thanks’ to the BNP

| Friday, 3 March 2006 Source: Searchlight

Mike McDermott continued his run of failures for the BNP when he took a mere 159 votes, just over 10%, in a council by-election in Church ward, Waterloo, on 2 March.

The BNP had campaigned hard and hoped for a better result even though it was the first time it had stood in this ward.

The weekend before polling day around 45 anti-fascist campaigners had distributed leaflets against the BNP. Alec McFadden, trade unionist and president of the Merseyside Coalition Against Racism and Fascism, said: "It was a joy to go out in Waterloo.

"We had a great reception from local people who were keen to discuss the issue. Nearly everyone we spoke to said they were shocked and horrified that a representative from this party was standing in their area."

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

McDermott has previously 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%.

Result: Sefton council, Church ward, 2 March

Turnout 17.18%