After work yesterday I went to a Searchlight meeting at the House of Commons, held on “Beating the BNP in London”. Frank Dobson MP chaired, speakers included Jon Cruddas MP, Megan Dobney (SETUC) and Nick Lowles (Searchlight). As you would expect there was a good attendance and range of people present. Afterwards I went to a West Ham Labour Party Campaign meeting, where we had invited our “City & East” London Assembly member John Biggs, to talk to us about campaign issues. The BNP came up as well since Barking and Dagenham is also in “City & East” constituency (City of London, Tower Hamlets and Newham).
There is a real risk that the BNP will win seats in the London Assembly. Last time they got 4.8% of the vote and under the PR list system they only needed 5% to get a seat. If they get 8% they could get 2 seats, 11% 3 seats. The BNP themselves are predicting 3 seats. In the last GLA election 2004 which was held at the same time as the European election, the UK Independence Party got 8.2% and 2 seats. Since then UKIP has collapsed and it is likely that the BNP will get some of their votes. Hopefully these sobering facts will concentrate minds.
16 comments:
Absolutely John - it's essential we unite to see off these "thugs in democrats clothes". There are are two problems I foresee - Respect candidates (both sects) splitting the effort and the vote, and complacency by those who think the BNP's recent organisational troubles will reduce their vote.
Nicky Kennedy
you lot are the problem.
I am glad that you mentioned about the BNP you forgot to mention about the West Midlands Region.
Lets hope that we get rid of the far right groups
Hi Nicky
"Absolutely John - it's essential....".
I think that Respect will take some votes from Labour and let Tories (or may even result in Ken losing) but they should raise the turnout, which will make it harder for the BNP to get the 5% (not often I say anything positive about the respects).
However, you are right that there is complacency about the BNP. It appears that the recent organisional troubles have not affected London. London is also being targeted nationally.
"forgot to mention about the West Midlands Region......"
Yes, anon, the BNP are a threat whether they stand. The news is good from Yorkshire, were I understand the BNP has imploded into warring factions. Such a shame.
If the BNP have imploded why are you so paranoid about them...?
Anon – the BNP in parts of the country have imploded due to allegations of theft, burglary, bullying, phone tapping, abuse, violence etc by full time BNP officers (check out http://grayee.blogspot.com/2007/12/bnp-fight-night-in-leeds.html).
But in London, so far, they appear to be somewhat organised.
Actually, I am convinced that if we get our act together, we will stop the Nazi and none of them will be elected!
We must challenge the BNP where ever they surface and not give them any credibility.
At the Scottish elections last year UNISON mobilised many ordinary branch activists who had never taken part in election work before to challenge the BNP.
It may be a good idea to make approaches to these people to do anti-fascist telephone canvassing as it would criminal to allow the BNP to get a seat in the London Assembly through inaction / complacency / not uniting as a country
Good idea Anon – we re hoping to get phones installed into our CLP office to be used as a phone bank for the GLA elections.
You seem very worried? Is it because your own policies are such a failure? Or that the public are so disillussioned with Labours record? If you had a decent record and some semii coherent policies you would have nothing to worry about...what does this tell you?
Hi Anon
No, we are not that worried but there will be a tough fight and I think we have an excellent record, particularly in London, to campaign upon.
Ps in politics you should always be worried! If you are not - then you seriously should be!
That's good..because with labour's abysimal record I would be worried to! One teenager a week being murdered in London at the moment.
Hi anon
...and I suppose the answer to crime in London is to cut the number of Police Officers, get rid of ward based Safer Neighbourhood teams, slash the London living wage, stop building social housing....hmmm?
labour policy is killing so many young blacks why attack the bnp
Hi Anon – because its not Labour Policy that’s killing people – it’s poverty; its poor education; its bad housing its unemployment; its lack of aspirations; family breakdown; its discrimination....violent crime and the murder rate is coming down, too slowly, but these modern day giants that we must conquer will take time.
Ignorance also plays its part – dare I say have you looked in a mirror recently?
BNP rude boy who tried to leave a comment at 20.29 – I’ve deleted your comment. You know why. I only hope you did not waste too much time typing out your (mostly) obscene rant. Please Get a life.
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