Most people will be aware that the BNP is going through a little spot of internal turmoil at the moment. However, the strife is only at the top end – the grass root organisers remain active and well prepared for the local elections in May.
Today’s Time’s has a comment article on the subject by Tim Hames. Here’s some pertinent extracts:
“A by-election was held in Redwell West last Thursday. The Conservatives easily retained the seat but there in second place, eight votes ahead of Labour and with four times the strength of the Liberal Democrats was the British National Party candidate. At Yapton, seven days beforehand, the BNP had come third, a mere seven votes behind the Liberal Democrats, and with almost a fifth of the vote. A fortnight earlier Lawford and New Bilton had witnessed a cracking contest with Labour hanging on by a single vote over the Tories and with the BNP securely third on 15 per cent, well ahead of Nick Clegg's contender.”
“The last local by-election conducted in London was on March 20 at Gooshays in the Borough of Havering. The BNP had narrowly won it in May 2006 in something close to a statistical fluke but now had to defend it after the departure of its councillor. It was assumed that this might be a challenge for the BNP. Far from it. Its share of the vote went up from 28 per cent to 38 per cent. The Liberal Democrats, for the record, managed the singularly strange feat of finishing sixth.
The ward of Gooshays is striking for the lack of immigrants who live there. The ward is 96.4 per cent white, making it one of the least ethnically diverse in London. The place, however, is polarised by age (disproportionately large numbers of very young and very old voters), has comparatively high unemployment and very low levels of educational attainment. It is ideal terrain for the BNP and there are other Gooshays in London. That being so, the stealth success of the BNP could be the real story of the local elections.”
Today’s Time’s has a comment article on the subject by Tim Hames. Here’s some pertinent extracts:
“A by-election was held in Redwell West last Thursday. The Conservatives easily retained the seat but there in second place, eight votes ahead of Labour and with four times the strength of the Liberal Democrats was the British National Party candidate. At Yapton, seven days beforehand, the BNP had come third, a mere seven votes behind the Liberal Democrats, and with almost a fifth of the vote. A fortnight earlier Lawford and New Bilton had witnessed a cracking contest with Labour hanging on by a single vote over the Tories and with the BNP securely third on 15 per cent, well ahead of Nick Clegg's contender.”
“The last local by-election conducted in London was on March 20 at Gooshays in the Borough of Havering. The BNP had narrowly won it in May 2006 in something close to a statistical fluke but now had to defend it after the departure of its councillor. It was assumed that this might be a challenge for the BNP. Far from it. Its share of the vote went up from 28 per cent to 38 per cent. The Liberal Democrats, for the record, managed the singularly strange feat of finishing sixth.
The ward of Gooshays is striking for the lack of immigrants who live there. The ward is 96.4 per cent white, making it one of the least ethnically diverse in London. The place, however, is polarised by age (disproportionately large numbers of very young and very old voters), has comparatively high unemployment and very low levels of educational attainment. It is ideal terrain for the BNP and there are other Gooshays in London. That being so, the stealth success of the BNP could be the real story of the local elections.”
Hames then goes on to list three reasons why the BNP could do better than expected this May. Firstly, this year there is a lack of a European vote and UKIP candidates. Secondly, the BNP are better organised than ever and thirdly, a plethora of fed up voters are waiting to knock their party of choice - Labour voters sick of Brown and the state of the economy, Conservatives voters disappointed with the lack of a solid anti immigration policy and a Liberal Democratic Party which cannot attract any votes at all.
Unfortunately all the ingredients for a gain in seats exist – it’s up to those who can see through the racist overturns to stop them. Whilst voter disillusionment will account for some of their votes, so will the apathy of those who campaign against them.
We all need to be on our guard.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/tim_hames/article3648815.ece
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