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BNP wiped out in European elections | BNP wiped out in European elections |
(about 5 hours later) | |
The British National Party has been wiped out in the European elections despite a surge of support for far-right parties across the continent. | |
Party leader Nick Griffin lost his seat representing the North West of England. | |
Mr Griffin vowed the party would "be back" and support for UKIP, which topped the polls, would "crumble" as people realised they could not deliver. | |
Ahead of the election count, anti-BNP demonstrators clashed with police outside Manchester town hall. | |
In 2009, the BNP won two seats in the European Parliament for the first time, as well as three local council seats - in Lancashire, Leicestershire and Hertfordshire respectively. | |
It had already been reduced to one European seat after Andrew Brons, who was elected as a BNP MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber in 2009, left the party and became an independent. | |
This time around, the BNP lost its deposits in each of the nine English regions and Wales where it stood after it got less than 2.5% of the vote. | |
It got fewer votes than An Independence From Europe - an anti-EU party only set up in November. | |
As he arrived at the count in Manchester, Mr Griffin had to dodge missiles, including placards, that were thrown at him from protestors chanting "Nazi scum". | As he arrived at the count in Manchester, Mr Griffin had to dodge missiles, including placards, that were thrown at him from protestors chanting "Nazi scum". |
A number of scuffles broke out between protestors and the police. | A number of scuffles broke out between protestors and the police. |
Following the announcement of the election result, newly-elected Labour MEP Theresa Griffin said: "No longer can a racist, fascist party claim to represent the interests of the people of the North West." | Following the announcement of the election result, newly-elected Labour MEP Theresa Griffin said: "No longer can a racist, fascist party claim to represent the interests of the people of the North West." |
Mr Griffin blamed UKIP for his electoral defeat telling Sky News they were now the protest party of choice. | Mr Griffin blamed UKIP for his electoral defeat telling Sky News they were now the protest party of choice. |
"We're out tonight but we'll be back. We set the agenda, we're the ones who broke the taboo about immigration - we've allowed UKIP to do what they've done but when people see they don't deliver their votes will crumble," he said. | "We're out tonight but we'll be back. We set the agenda, we're the ones who broke the taboo about immigration - we've allowed UKIP to do what they've done but when people see they don't deliver their votes will crumble," he said. |
His defeat comes amid a surge of support for far right, anti-immigration and Eurosceptic political parties elsewhere in Europe. | His defeat comes amid a surge of support for far right, anti-immigration and Eurosceptic political parties elsewhere in Europe. |
In France, the National Front led by Marine Le Pen has caused what the country's prime minister Manuel Valls has called a "political earthquake" topping the poll with 26% of the popular vote. | In France, the National Front led by Marine Le Pen has caused what the country's prime minister Manuel Valls has called a "political earthquake" topping the poll with 26% of the popular vote. |
French president Francois Hollande has called an emergency meeting of his ministers on Monday following the election result. | French president Francois Hollande has called an emergency meeting of his ministers on Monday following the election result. |
In the Netherlands, the anti-Islam, Eurosceptic Dutch Freedom Party of Geert Wilders' - which plans to forge an alliance with Le Pen's National Front - finished joint second in terms of European Parliament seats behind a pro-European centrist opposition party. | In the Netherlands, the anti-Islam, Eurosceptic Dutch Freedom Party of Geert Wilders' - which plans to forge an alliance with Le Pen's National Front - finished joint second in terms of European Parliament seats behind a pro-European centrist opposition party. |
And Denmark's anti-immigration far right People's Party looked on course to top the poll with an estimated 23% and the extreme-right Jobbik, widely accused of racism and anti-Semitism, was running second in Hungary with 15%. | And Denmark's anti-immigration far right People's Party looked on course to top the poll with an estimated 23% and the extreme-right Jobbik, widely accused of racism and anti-Semitism, was running second in Hungary with 15%. |