Keighley West falls to Labour; BNP loses its safest seat

| Saturday, 25 March 2006 Source: Searchlight

The British National Party lost its safest council seat last month after the voters of Keighley West turned to Labour in large numbers.

The by-election, caused by the resignation of BNP councillor Angela Clarke, was seen as an important barometer for May's local elections, which the BNP has declared a referendum on Islam.

The Labour victory was a vindication of a strategy, supported by Searchlight, of confronting the BNP on the hard issues on which they campaign.

BNP stronghold

Keighley West was the BNP's safest seat in the country. Clarke took it in 2004 with 51.2% of the vote, leaving Labour trailing well behind. Her victory came against the backdrop of the "grooming" scandal which the BNP turned into a race issue. It was assisted by the public silence from the other parties on the subject.

Nick Griffin, the BNP leader, hoped to exploit the "grooming" issue further when he stood in Keighley in last year's general election but by now Searchlight, the local TUC and Keighley Labour Party had changed tack. The "grooming" issue was tackled head-on when Searchlight carried a two-page interview with Angela Sinfeld, the mother of a young girl who was abused by several men.

Angela had led the mothers' campaign to change the law over the issue. She publicly denounced the BNP for exploiting the mothers and daughters in the same way as the abusers themselves.

When Clarke resigned as a councillor there was only one person who could defeat the BNP – Angela Sinfeld. She campaigned on her own record and the strong voice she would give the local community.

In contrast the BNP picked Ian Dawson, the party's North Yorkshire group development officer and Scarborough branch organiser. He had got himself on the electoral register in Bradford shortly before Christmas obviously with the intention of standing in the local elections.

Co-ordinated campaign

From the outset, the campaign was co-ordinated by the Labour Party and Bradford TUC. Amicus gave special assistance by providing activists throughout the campaign.

Every house was canvassed and on election day dozens of activists from across Bradford knocked up and telephoned voters.

It was clear that Angela had strong personal support, particularly among women.

However, what really won the election was the two years' hard work put in on the estates of Keighley West. Ever since the BNP breakthrough in 2004 Bradford TUC had prioritised community work in the area.

They provided practical assistance to local community centres, leafleted the estates on a regular basis and continually highlighted the empty promises of the BNP.

Many people who had voted BNP in 2004 now switched back. "I voted BNP last time but what have they actually done for us?" one voter told Searchlight.

May elections

Calling the by-election in March was always going to be a gamble. A BNP victory would have set the party up for a major challenge across Bradford and West Yorkshire on 4 May. By contrast, a BNP defeat would give anti-BNP forces a great boost.

Some within the Labour Party canvassed against calling the election but the local party and Bradford TUC had confidence in their hard work since 2004.

The gamble paid off.

There is still a lot to do in the run-up to 4 May and a BNP vote of 1,216 is alarmingly high. However, this election, coupled with the Goresbrook (Barking & Dagenham) by-election last summer, has shown that the BNP can be defeated in its heartlands.

A strong campaign, long-term community politics, addressing the tough issues and having an excellent local candidate can result in hope winning over hate.

Result: Keighley West, 23 March 2006

Turnout 35%