We can beat the BNP in Barking & Dagenham

| Monday, 17 April 2006 Source: Searchlight

Many people might be perplexed and concerned by recent media reports that eight out of ten white families are thinking of voting for the BNP in Barking & Dagenham in the forthcoming local elections. Taken at face value the reports suggest the BNP is certain to win several council seats.

Searchlight does not believe this is so.

Our own research suggests that BNP is currently on 20%-30% in the wards it is contesting. This figure corresponds with the results of extensive work carried out by the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust into potential support for the BNP in outer east London.

Over the past 18 months the BNP has averaged 35% in five council by-elections in the borough. However, by-elections allow the BNP to concentrate its resources. Experience from elsewhere in the country clearly demonstrates that such results are rarely replicated in normal elections where the BNP's resources and activists are dispersed.

It is important to stress that in the two most recent council by-elections in Barking & Dagenham, the BNP polled 33% in Goresbrook (down from 51% in the same ward only nine months earlier) and 18% in Becontree. The second result came only a week after the 7 July bombings in London.

Searchlight would also like to emphasise that the threat posed by the BNP should be a concern for all mainstream parties. While there are serious issues that the Labour Party has to address in how it relates to its core traditional voters, a major factor in the rise of the BNP in Barking & Dagenham is the absence of Conservative and Liberal Democrat candidates. There are several wards where it is now a Labour v BNP fight, with at most one Conservative candidate and no Liberal Democrat. In all-out elections this will only boost the BNP as it will collect the anti-Labour protest vote.

The BNP does pose a serious threat in east London, but it can be beaten. However, this will only happen if anti-racists, anti-fascists and trade unionists do the hard work to ensure the anti-BNP vote comes out.

Searchlight has identified between 1,500 and 3,000 anti-BNP voters in each of the key wards. What we need are the people to deliver literature to ensure that these voters turn out on Polling Day. If we can get 50% of our identified voters out then we will beat the BNP.

Please give us some time to help defeat the BNP in Barking & Dagenham. You can start by joining our anti-BNP Day of Action on Saturday 22 April. We are meeting at 10.30am at the Labour Hall, Tenterden Road, Dagenham.

For details about this and our other campaign days please visit our election website: www.stopthebnp.com

Nick Lowles

Searchlight