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News BNP REJECTED BY VOTERS - ANTI-FASCIST CAMPAIGNS A MASSIVE SUCCESS! LMHR TO CONTINUE WINNING FORMULA... The BNP failed to make the breakthrough they were expecting in the European and local elections. See below for Unite Against Fascism's analysis of the election results. Love Music Hate Racism - from the big high-profile events in Sunderland, Liverpool, Enfield and at the London Astoria to all the smaller events across the country - has helped alert thousands to the danger of the BNP and helped encourage a positive feeling of unity against the Nazis. Even the process of building for and publicising the sadly postponed London carnival got many new people involved in campaigning and helped get people out to vote. Thanks and congratulations are due to all the bands, DJs, MCs, and above all activists who helped make such a difference. We now aim to keep the momentum going and keep the racists on the backfoot. With a possible general elections, plus more local council elections due next year, LMHR is going to start NOW with planning a massive London outdoor carnival. This event is planned for Sunday 1st May 2005. Watch this space very soon for the proposed venue. Over the next few months, with many artists pledged to support the campaign, there'll be a series of high-profile fundraising gigs across the UK, as well as the many many smaller events people everywhere are starting to organise - the level of interest in putting on LMHR gigs is massive! All funds raised will be put into staging next year's festivals, so they can be kept free to enter. As well as the London event, there are plans for a big carnival in Yorkshire, there is a LMHR carnival in Stoke-on-Trent on September 11, and there'll be many others next spring and summer in other areas. We urge everyone to get involved in whatever way you can in the coming months - we'll keep showing we Love Music and Hate Racism until every BNP councillor is dumped out of office!
“Electorate rejects Britain’s fascists - BNP down for the count!” UNITE AGAINST FASCISM - and a host of national and local organizations and individuals around Britain - have thwarted the fascist British National Party (BNP) in its attempt to breakthrough into mainstream politics. Although the BNP polled high votes in some areas, it fell way short of its ambition for representation in the London, Euro and local elections last Thursday 10th June. Unite Against Fascism will now go on the offensive against the BNP, making sure that it is further marginalised from national and local politics and our communities. The day before the vote BNP leader Nick Griffin went on the record with the statement: “The British National Party is on target to take between 14 and 16% of the Euro vote in our key regions, winning a record number of council seats, positions on the Greater London Assembly, and breaking through with three or four MEPs”. · N Griffin, “A day to make history”, BNP website, 9 June 2004 In all three electoral arenas the BNP failed to reach its own targets. When French fascist Jean-Marie Le Pen entered Britain at the invitation of Nick Griffin earlier this year, it was widely touted that the BNP were poised to join the European group of fascists in the European parliament. It hasn’t happened. That is down to a lot of hard work from our supporters, the trade unions and community and faith organisations. “Unite against Fascism has played a key role in the defeat of the fascists. We produced five million leaflets, 200,000 posters and organised thousands of people in activities across Britain” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 June 2004 Anti-BNP vote mobilised to defeat BNP in 2004 Euro and London elections The BNP’s strongest chance of winning a seat to the European Parliament was in the North West where BNP leader Nick Griffin stood as a candidate. Although the BNP received 134,958 votes (6.4%) in the North West this was not enough to gain a seat. This was due to the huge increase in turnout which more than doubled from last time at 40.9% - the turnout was 19.4% in 1999 at the last Euro elections - indicating a strong mobilisation of the anti-BNP vote to stop Nick Griffin from becoming an MEP. In London the BNP gained 90,365 votes - 4.71% of the votes cast. The BNP were 5,720 short of the 5% barrier needed to gain a seat on the London Assembly. Their vote almost doubled from the 47,670 - 2.83% - they received last time. Therefore the critical factor in stopping the BNP was the increased turnout of 37% - up from 32% last time. There were not all postal vote ballots in London indicating a strong mobilisation of the anti-BNP vote in London. In the local elections the gained 14 seats, 5 of their sitting councillors lost their seats and the BNP now have 21 councillors across Britain. Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary said: Iqbal Sacranie, Muslim Council of Britain Secretary General elect said: Arlene McCarthy MEP said: Diane Abbott MP said: Sabby Dhalu Unite Against Fascism Joint Secretary (National assembly Against Racism) said: Weyman Bennett, Unite against Fascism Joint Secretary (Anti Nazi League) said: Unite Against Fascism will continue to campaign against the BNP in light of the high votes that the BNP poled nationally and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who supported Unite Against Fascism and helped campaign against the BNP. Unite Against Fascism
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