MERSEYSIDE was still reeling last night from the BNP’s historic success in the North West European elections.
BNP leader Nick Griffin snatched the last of eight seats available in the North West, leaving the Conservatives with three, Labour with two, and the Liberal Democrats and UKIP with one apiece.
The far-right party also won a seat in Yorkshire on an evening when it had MEPs elected for the first time.
Unions and European politicians last night warned the BNP’s electoral success would damage the UK’s reputation.
Under the proportional representation system used in European elections, seats are allocated depending on the share of vote each party receives.
Labour was down across the North West from 27.25% in 2004 to 20.2%, leaving it with just two MEPs, instead of the three it had before the vote.
Although the BNP secured a seat, the number of people who voted for the party was down by 2,865 on the 2004 poll, when turn-out was higher due to an all- postal vote.
Because of European expansion, the number of North West seats available fell from nine to eight.
Nationally, Labour only polled around 15% and was beaten to second place by UKIP.
In the North West, the Conservatives received 25.4% of the poll, followed by Labour with 20.2%.
UKIP took third place with 15.75% of the vote, the Lib Dems were fourth with 14.1% and the BNP fifth with 7.95%.
The Greens narrowly failed to take the last seat, recording 7.65% of the vote. In the end, the party missed out by just 4,961 votes of 1,661,309 cast across the North West.
Chris Davies, who returned as the Lib-Dems’ sole representative for the region, said: “I am proud I have the chance to return.
“I have no doubt Nick Griffin will not play any constructive role in the European Parliament, so I do not think our paths will cross.
“I am also pleased 92% of the people in the North West rejected racism.”
Peter Cranie, who led the Greens’ efforts in the region, said: “We worked really hard to try to stop the BNP and now we are stuck with them for five years. It is absolutely gutting.”
In Liverpool, Labour had a good night, taking 31% of the vote. The Lib-Dems were second, with 17%.
Overall turnout across the North West was 31.9%, down from 42.3% the all- postal vote in 2004.
Knowsley had the lowest turnout in all areas of 21.5%, with just 23,959 bothering to cast their vote.
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OPINION: PAGE 10
