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| BNP secures two European seats | BNP secures two European seats |
| (8 minutes later) | |
| BNP leader Nick Griffin has been elected to the European Parliament as the party won its first two seats. | BNP leader Nick Griffin has been elected to the European Parliament as the party won its first two seats. |
| Mr Griffin was elected for the North West region while Andrew Brons picked up another BNP seat in Yorkshire and Humber, where it won 10% of the vote. | Mr Griffin was elected for the North West region while Andrew Brons picked up another BNP seat in Yorkshire and Humber, where it won 10% of the vote. |
| Mr Griffin said the BNP was not racist, but gained votes from other parties because it "spoke openly about the problem of immigration." | Mr Griffin said the BNP was not racist, but gained votes from other parties because it "spoke openly about the problem of immigration." |
| Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman described the BNP result as "terrible". | Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman described the BNP result as "terrible". |
| 'Great victory' | 'Great victory' |
| Mr Griffin was elected to Brussels even though the BNP polled fewer votes in the region than it had in 2004 - but the slump in Labour support meant its share of the vote increased. | Mr Griffin was elected to Brussels even though the BNP polled fewer votes in the region than it had in 2004 - but the slump in Labour support meant its share of the vote increased. |
| This meant that although the BNP came fifth in the popular vote in the region the party won a seat through the system of proportional representation used in the European elections. | This meant that although the BNP came fifth in the popular vote in the region the party won a seat through the system of proportional representation used in the European elections. |
| BNP leader Nick Griffin says his party has claimed a "great victory" | BNP leader Nick Griffin says his party has claimed a "great victory" |
| Mr Griffin told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme: "There's a huge amount of racism in this country, overwhelmingly it is directed towards the indigenous British majority, which is one reason we've done so well in these elections." | Mr Griffin told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme: "There's a huge amount of racism in this country, overwhelmingly it is directed towards the indigenous British majority, which is one reason we've done so well in these elections." |
| He said "the indigenous majority [were] the second-class citizens in every possible sphere, not as a consequence of the immigrants themselves, but because our ruling elite has made them second-class citizens." | He said "the indigenous majority [were] the second-class citizens in every possible sphere, not as a consequence of the immigrants themselves, but because our ruling elite has made them second-class citizens." |
| "The Labour Party, the Lib Dems and the Tories, by leaving the door to Britain open, has forced people to turn to a party which speaks openly about the problem of immigration and says that while there might be a few good things about it there's also a lot of bad things." | "The Labour Party, the Lib Dems and the Tories, by leaving the door to Britain open, has forced people to turn to a party which speaks openly about the problem of immigration and says that while there might be a few good things about it there's also a lot of bad things." |
| 'People's fears' | 'People's fears' |
| With Labour suffering its worst post-war election result across the regions, Ms Harman said: "I think it's a terrible thing that we've now got representing Britain in the European parliament a party that is a racist party, a party that doesn't believe black people should even be allowed to join this party. | With Labour suffering its worst post-war election result across the regions, Ms Harman said: "I think it's a terrible thing that we've now got representing Britain in the European parliament a party that is a racist party, a party that doesn't believe black people should even be allowed to join this party. |
| "What extremist, far right, racist parties like the British National Party do is that they exploit people's fears and if people are worried about their future they turn inwards. | "What extremist, far right, racist parties like the British National Party do is that they exploit people's fears and if people are worried about their future they turn inwards. |
| "The British National Party have played on people's fears ...and we'll have to work to tackle the fear that lead to people to vote BNP." | "The British National Party have played on people's fears ...and we'll have to work to tackle the fear that lead to people to vote BNP." |
| Despite the headlines, money and misrepresentation, we have managed to win through Andrew Brons, BNP | Despite the headlines, money and misrepresentation, we have managed to win through Andrew Brons, BNP |
| The BNP won more than 120,139 votes in the Yorkshire region, slightly less than in 2004, but enough to take one of the six seats on offer in the region. | The BNP won more than 120,139 votes in the Yorkshire region, slightly less than in 2004, but enough to take one of the six seats on offer in the region. |
| Successful candidate Andrew Brons acknowledged that his victory would not be "universally popular". | Successful candidate Andrew Brons acknowledged that his victory would not be "universally popular". |
| He said the party, which is accused by its opponents of stirring racial hatred, something it denies, had survived an "onslaught" by the media and the political classes during the campaign. | He said the party, which is accused by its opponents of stirring racial hatred, something it denies, had survived an "onslaught" by the media and the political classes during the campaign. |
| "Despite the headlines, money and misrepresentation, we have managed to win through," he said. | "Despite the headlines, money and misrepresentation, we have managed to win through," he said. |
| The election was the "first step" towards the UK removing itself from the "EU dictatorship", he added. | The election was the "first step" towards the UK removing itself from the "EU dictatorship", he added. |
| Car attacked | Car attacked |
| The Conservatives said the BNP victories were a "terribly sad moment" and that mainstream parties needed to "rethink" how they countered the BNP's arguments. | The Conservatives said the BNP victories were a "terribly sad moment" and that mainstream parties needed to "rethink" how they countered the BNP's arguments. |
| Nick Griffin is now an MEP even though he won fewer votes than he did five years ago Nick RobinsonBBC political editor Read Nick's blog in full | |
| "All politicians should be asking themselves 'how did we allow this to happen?'," said the party's defence secretary Liam Fox. | "All politicians should be asking themselves 'how did we allow this to happen?'," said the party's defence secretary Liam Fox. |
| The BNP targeted the North West during the campaign, having had earlier success in local council elections. | The BNP targeted the North West during the campaign, having had earlier success in local council elections. |
| It won one of its three English county council seats in Burnley in Thursday's elections. | It won one of its three English county council seats in Burnley in Thursday's elections. |
| As Mr Griffin arrived at the North West count - held in Manchester's town hall - on Sunday, his car was surrounded by noisy protesters, who broke one of its windows. | As Mr Griffin arrived at the North West count - held in Manchester's town hall - on Sunday, his car was surrounded by noisy protesters, who broke one of its windows. |
| Mr Griffin was forced to return later and enter the building by the back entrance, accompanied by several minders. | Mr Griffin was forced to return later and enter the building by the back entrance, accompanied by several minders. |
| Police said one man was arrested in scuffles when Mr Griffin tried to get into the building. | Police said one man was arrested in scuffles when Mr Griffin tried to get into the building. |