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The election results in Barnsley represent a significant step forwards for the BNP. Four results were over 20% - Darton West (27%), Central (25.8%), Dearne South (22.6%, and Dearne North (21.6%). This compares with last year when only Darton West was in this category with 24%. Also last year we only managed 3rd and 4th places but this year we have 3 second places in Darton West, Central, and Dearne North.
The Darton West ward was most hard fought in this election. It was clear from last years result when we took 701 votes as compared to Labour’s 933, that this was going to be our main target ward. The BNP started canvassing and leafleting this ward soon after the 2006 election, and this continued right through to the 2007 election. We know that Labour were genuinely worried that they were going to lose to the BNP in Darton West and they pulled out all the stops in their bid to beat us. Many of their Councillors were out on the doorstep in the ward and they distributed 4 different campaign leaflets and one mail shot to postal voters and new voters. In the event their greater manpower and resources plus their longer established position overwhelmed the BNP effort but they had to drag out all their voters to secure their victory. We still increased our vote from 701 to 894 and moved up from third to second position so although we didn’t win we are still well pleased with the result.
The greatest increase in our vote came in the Central ward where we jumped from 15% in 2006 to 25.8% this year. This shows the effect of standing a first class candidate and spending money on a professional full colour glossy leaflet. The same can be said for Dearne South where our vote jumped from 17.6% to 22.6%.
Overall we took 7822 votes in the 18 wards we stood in which is an average of 16.08% of the vote in each. Last year we took 4067 votes from 11 wards which is an average of 15.62% per ward. This may not seem much of an increase but as can be seen from the above comments it’s the target wards that count. We averaged 17.13% of the vote in those wards where we stood a candidate in 2006 which is a fairer reflection of our progress. Some of the wards where we did no work, not even putting out a single B+W leaflet, did see a drop in our vote from 2006, but in these wards our supporters would not have even known that there was a candidate for them to vote for, so they would not have made the effort to go to the polling station.
When we compare our results with the other parties we see another trend emerging. We are firmly ahead of the Tories beating them in 15 out of 18 contests. The Lib Dems did not do much better against us losing to us in 5 out of 8 contests. Also we are starting to encroach upon the Barnsley Independent Group (BIG) territory beating them in 4 out of 14 contests. Labour did beat us in all 18 wards we stood in although in Old Town this lead narrowed to only 205 votes. The old cliché of the left wingers that ‘the BNP is not wanted in Barnsley’ is looking very jaded indeed.
One surprising result was our taking of second place in Dearne North on our first time standing in the ward. We received 466 votes which represents 46% of the winning Labour candidates vote, a not insurmountable lead. Also in several wards our third place was only a few votes from second place – 6 votes in Wombwell, 18 votes in Darton East, and 38 votes in St. Helen’s. However there is still a lot of work required in these wards to catch up with the winners, but if people can see us taking second place it will encourage them to vote for us.
This year has seen a magnificent effort from the candidates, activists, and supporters of the BNP. Many wards were seeing groups of 5, 6, or 7 leafleters and canvassers working long hours in promoting the Party to the voters. The spirit of comradeship and unity in fighting for a righteous cause has been heart warming.
No doubt our best results will not have escaped the attention of that anti-British group of cowards, anarchists, and traitors calling themselves Unite Against Fascism (UAF). But with their number of activists struggling to get into double figures they were hard pressed to match the BNP effort. This year’s election campaign has been at least 3 times bigger than last years. There have been more wards fought, higher calibre candidates, more activists, more leaflets put out, and an even more welcoming reception from the public. At this rate of progress we will soon begin to see the stranglehold of the Established parties begin to slip in Barnsley.
The Darton West ward was most hard fought in this election. It was clear from last years result when we took 701 votes as compared to Labour’s 933, that this was going to be our main target ward. The BNP started canvassing and leafleting this ward soon after the 2006 election, and this continued right through to the 2007 election. We know that Labour were genuinely worried that they were going to lose to the BNP in Darton West and they pulled out all the stops in their bid to beat us. Many of their Councillors were out on the doorstep in the ward and they distributed 4 different campaign leaflets and one mail shot to postal voters and new voters. In the event their greater manpower and resources plus their longer established position overwhelmed the BNP effort but they had to drag out all their voters to secure their victory. We still increased our vote from 701 to 894 and moved up from third to second position so although we didn’t win we are still well pleased with the result.
The greatest increase in our vote came in the Central ward where we jumped from 15% in 2006 to 25.8% this year. This shows the effect of standing a first class candidate and spending money on a professional full colour glossy leaflet. The same can be said for Dearne South where our vote jumped from 17.6% to 22.6%.
Overall we took 7822 votes in the 18 wards we stood in which is an average of 16.08% of the vote in each. Last year we took 4067 votes from 11 wards which is an average of 15.62% per ward. This may not seem much of an increase but as can be seen from the above comments it’s the target wards that count. We averaged 17.13% of the vote in those wards where we stood a candidate in 2006 which is a fairer reflection of our progress. Some of the wards where we did no work, not even putting out a single B+W leaflet, did see a drop in our vote from 2006, but in these wards our supporters would not have even known that there was a candidate for them to vote for, so they would not have made the effort to go to the polling station.
When we compare our results with the other parties we see another trend emerging. We are firmly ahead of the Tories beating them in 15 out of 18 contests. The Lib Dems did not do much better against us losing to us in 5 out of 8 contests. Also we are starting to encroach upon the Barnsley Independent Group (BIG) territory beating them in 4 out of 14 contests. Labour did beat us in all 18 wards we stood in although in Old Town this lead narrowed to only 205 votes. The old cliché of the left wingers that ‘the BNP is not wanted in Barnsley’ is looking very jaded indeed.
One surprising result was our taking of second place in Dearne North on our first time standing in the ward. We received 466 votes which represents 46% of the winning Labour candidates vote, a not insurmountable lead. Also in several wards our third place was only a few votes from second place – 6 votes in Wombwell, 18 votes in Darton East, and 38 votes in St. Helen’s. However there is still a lot of work required in these wards to catch up with the winners, but if people can see us taking second place it will encourage them to vote for us.
This year has seen a magnificent effort from the candidates, activists, and supporters of the BNP. Many wards were seeing groups of 5, 6, or 7 leafleters and canvassers working long hours in promoting the Party to the voters. The spirit of comradeship and unity in fighting for a righteous cause has been heart warming.
No doubt our best results will not have escaped the attention of that anti-British group of cowards, anarchists, and traitors calling themselves Unite Against Fascism (UAF). But with their number of activists struggling to get into double figures they were hard pressed to match the BNP effort. This year’s election campaign has been at least 3 times bigger than last years. There have been more wards fought, higher calibre candidates, more activists, more leaflets put out, and an even more welcoming reception from the public. At this rate of progress we will soon begin to see the stranglehold of the Established parties begin to slip in Barnsley.
