FURIOUS scenes greeted the far-right BNP’s European election victory after a night of drama at Manchester town hall.
Party leader Nick Griffin – who has a conviction for publishing material likely to incite racial hatred – will now represent the north west of England, including Greater Manchester, in Brussels.
Newly-elected Euro-MPs from all the mainstream parties walked off the stage in protest as Griffin began his victory speech.
Sir Robert Atkins, the Conservatives’ top candidate, described the BNP as an ‘aberration’.
Tony Lloyd, MP for Manchester Central, described the result as a 'moment of shame’ for the region.
The BNP won the last of eight seats in the north west by around 5,000 votes, ahead of the Greens.
It came fifth in the north west elections with 132,094 votes meaning the party gained their second seat of the night.
His victory came after the party won its first seat when Andrew Brons received 120,139 votes in the Yorkshire and Humber region.
Earlier hundreds gathered outside the town hall under the Unite Against Racism banner ahead of the candidates arriving for the declaration.
Euro election results night - as it happened
Placard waving campaigners manned the entrance to the Town Hall to greet the MP delegates.
And when the BNP leader arrived in a gold people carrier vehicle they stormed forward preventing him from getting out.
Paul Jenkins
The BNP is not a normal political party and they should not be treated as such
Earlier speakers told crowds to the strains of the Bob Marley hit One Love that a vote for the BNP was a vote for ‘racism and ignorance’.
The BNP wins came as the party appeared to attract significant numbers of disaffected Labour voters.
Health Secretary Andy Burnham, a North West MP, said the result was a “sad moment for British politics”.
He said: “It is deeply uncomfortable to see the BNP polling in the numbers they have.
“Whatever the country’s problems the BNP are never the answer.
“The BNP is the ultimate protest vote, a two fingered vote and largely a comment on Westminster politics.
“I think the BNP have got very clever in hiding their racist beliefs.”
Aberration
Tory MEP Sir Robert Atkins described the BNP as an ‘aberration’.
Speaking after his re-election, Sir Robert said: “We have today an aberration which many right-thinking people in this country and in this region will be appalled by.
“I know that my colleagues in the Labour Party and Liberal Democrats will join with me in regretting what has happened tonight.
“I can promise on behalf of the sensible parties represented tonight that we will fight the battle for regional and British interests.
“I am sad that a triumph has been tarnished by the election of someone who we do not approve of.”
Re-elected Labour MEP Arlene McCarthy added: “I am sad that democracy has thrown up the aberration of the BNP. It is a party of prejudice and intolerance.”
Lib Dem MEP Chris Davies, speaking after his re-election, said: “Ninety-two per cent of the people of the north west have rejected a party which promotes policies of racial hatred.
“It says something about us as individuals. We can try to justify it as a protest vote but I do not think that the BNP hides its racist views and clearly some people sympathise with that.”
Sad
Sir Richard Leese, Labour leader of Manchester City Council said: “It is a very sad day for the north west.
“I think it shows the flaws in a system that allows them to get a seat with such a small share of the vote.
“All of us who care about this country, care about our way of life here, care about democracy, will spend the next five years working to make sure the fascists are not returned.”
But Mr Griffin said he was “absolutely delighted”.
“It will be a huge change in British politics,” he said.
“The most demonised and lied about party in British politics has made a massive breakthrough tonight.
“The public have had their say in a democratic election and we should respect that.”
The European elections use a method of proportional representation used in elections to the European Election is called the d’Hondt system.
The voter votes for a candidate, personally, but the vote is principally counted as a vote for the candidate’s party.
The basic idea is that a party’s total vote total is divided by a certain figure which increases as it wins more seats.
The party with the highest vote gets one seat allotted in the first round. Its vote is then divided by two. The party with the highest vote in the second round then wins a seat and its vote is divided by two.
If a party which has already won a seat wins another round then its percentage vote is divided by the number of seats it has won plus one.
This continues until all the seats are allocated.
The elected MEPs are: Sir Robert Atkins (Con), Arlene McCarthy (Lab), Paul Nuttall (UKIP), Chris Davies (Lib Dem), Saj Karim (Con), Brian Simpson (Lab), Jacqueline Foster (Con), Nick Griffin (BNP).
Showing comments 76 to 100 and replies | View All
Laetitriumphantes (08/06/2009 at 10:46)
We have a council that is out of touch ie it is confiscating two Catholic Schools & forcing them (with the connivance of the Bishop of Salford) to become an 'academy' on a site few catholics in the area want to use. And it is re-developing one of the sites (in Royton) as a new school for the largely Muslim pupils of the present Grange School (a mile away in Oldham) to use - despite its being on a site next to Catholic primary schools & church & within a mile of another - largely white - secondary school. Two secondary schools, ethnically & religiously poles apart yet geographically close to each other - its asking for trouble!
Baron Greenback (08/06/2009 at 10:46)
Hopefully this will be a wake up call to the other parties and next time this freak result will not occur again.
Billy Brag (08/06/2009 at 10:51)
You can only push the small people around for so long before they will start to fight back, the cost of living in this country has pushed working people to the brink and our welfare state is to blame.
How long before the people start to demonstrate in the streets again?
The fact is the BNP are offering something different to people who no longer buy into the lies of the Labour party and the conservatives, its just a shame its racist nonsense.
We need a strict immigration policy, not a ‘ship them out if they look a bit different’ policy!
Working Class Hero (08/06/2009 at 11:05)
A good day for England, a good day for immigration.
CorneredAllTheLuck, Tameside (08/06/2009 at 11:17)
Chapman (08/06/2009 at 11:20)
Can anyone enlighten me please as it seems that the vote across the UK and Europe is very low.The general public, who can't be bothered to vote, then get annoyed when party's, such as the BNP and UKIP, organise their candidates to win.
Ace Shakespeare , manchester (08/06/2009 at 11:24)
In your book you would like to intimidate all political parties that dont meet your ideals? The anti nazi looneys.They are the anti democractic ones. they are the the ones who are the bullies who throw eggs and try and frighten people. What a disgusting gang they are.The same ones who call voters "Racists and nazis ect .
Fozz, (08/06/2009 at 11:26)
Ace Shakespeare , manchester (08/06/2009 at 11:27)
readersdigest (08/06/2009 at 11:28)
Readersdigest.
yesnomaybe, Eccles (08/06/2009 at 11:29)
bet you are happy now that the BNP will be representing us in the rest of europe and setting such a terrible example.
you are welcome to your vote but maybe reading the policues would be a better reason for your choice next time
salford attack (08/06/2009 at 11:31)
how about if everyone told you to not rob old people or mess with kids?
Donna. Harpurhey, Nr Mostonbique (08/06/2009 at 11:32)
We're also shown videos of the 7/7 suicide bombers spouting their hatred of all things British after their carnage, what do you expect ?
Then we're treated to the live tv broadcasts as holiday makers are targeted by other suicide bombers at Glasgow airport, what do you expect ?
These are the people who are recruiting votes for the BNP and putting Nick Griffin and the BNP in seats of power.
If the BNP are ruling the country then at least we're cutting the odds of being blown to bits as we travel to work.
It's as simple as that !
Fozz, (08/06/2009 at 11:33)
Black Flag (08/06/2009 at 11:33)
But the BNP isn't growing. In the North West it is shrinking; the BNP got fewer votes than they did at the last European Election in 2004. Only three parties which stood in 2004 managed to increase their vote and they were UKIP, the Greens and the English Democrats.
The BNP haven't made gains because their support is increasing, they've made gains because voters are deserting Labour at a faster rate than they are deserting the BNP. As long as both parties are getting fewer votes, there are reasons to be optimistic.
RT, UK (08/06/2009 at 11:40)
He certainly did not present the case for a modernised and balanced Conservative Party.
He alone typified the ignorance found in politics.
pete clarke, liverpool (08/06/2009 at 11:43)
uss midway, Holstein Ostsee. (08/06/2009 at 11:44)
BALL AND BAT, ALL OVER (08/06/2009 at 11:45)
la source de sagesse, Manchester (08/06/2009 at 11:47)
zarquon, bramhall (08/06/2009 at 11:49)
Ace Shakespeare , manchester (08/06/2009 at 11:49)
Rathole of a country?The sooner you leave the better.
The Voice (08/06/2009 at 11:58)
As a race (and I’m taking the human race here) we tend to be not very bright – its quite depressing that people’s memories should be so short that they have forgotten what people like the BNP really stand for. Black & Asian people were often told in the past that ‘my parents didn’t fight in the war just to see the country taken over by people like you’ Well Black & Asian people fought in the war too – against people who had the same beliefs as the BNP. Last night we took the first step along a treacherous road it begins with non whites, then the Irish, people with disabilities then gay’s – theses people discriminate against anyone who does not conform to their idea of perfection. Its up to those of us who still remember the sacrifices and the horrors of the past to stand up and be counted.
Evil flourishes when the good do nothing.
Audenshaw Bob (08/06/2009 at 12:02)
It is a bit like the last General Election isn't it Mr Leeses when only 22% voted Labour but they were given enormous pwoer. More peopel actually voted Conservative than Labour when taken as a whole but Labour won more seats as that is the system and we have had boundary changes to accomadate this. Oh and let's not forget that we have an unelected Prime Minsiter. If a Prime Minister resigns or dies whilt in office there should be an Acting Prime Minster for three months and then there should be a General Election.
I knwo many who never used to vote Labour but did when Blair was leader as they liked Blair. Never in a million years though would they have voted for Brown.
How can it be right that we have a Prime Minister who wasn't voted for by the elctorate? John Major at least went to teh polls early. Until Brown does he can't truly be Prime Minsiter.
I went to a lecture and saw Helana Kennedy and she is behind the 'vote for change' campaign which means we don't have issues liek the one's above.
As for Labour blaming it on the 'global recession and expenses' well what tosh. Give the public a the benefit of doubt when it comes to intelligence. I didn't vote Labour because of issues like the snooping state we have become, much higher taxation, failing public services, nanny stae and more importantly teh sahambles that is Gordon Brown, NOT because of the recession (which they lead us into) or expenses..
Joe Whittaker (08/06/2009 at 12:05)