U-Day approaches

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Monday, 28 April 2008, 23:55

It's almost midnight and I'm still here working towards U-day, which officially starts in less than ten minutes. Matthew Collins and Sam Tarry are still up, still ploughing through the endless emails and phone numbers we have. I guess there are others of the Searchlight team who are working as late as well.

Shouldn't really complain. we have had almost 800 people sign up and just under 200,000 leaflets have been dispatched to different parts of the capital.

It is all quite an achievement but I have to say has been a logisitcal nightmare. I'm out leafleting at 7.30am but before that I have to write an article and make one or even two deliveries.

Will try to keep in contact during the day but my apologies if that proves not to be possible.

Back in London

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 25 April 2008, 08:19

After a week touring around the north the bus finally made its way down to London, where we will be until polling day. Yesterday saw us on the set of The Bill, though unfortunately they parked us outside the local pub and bus stop rather than the police station. It was still great all the same and luckily we avoided the huge downpour that struck London in the middle of the day.

As we made our way to central London we stopped near The Oval for some fish and chips. I happened to see a local sandwich shop which boasted homemade pies. Of course, as the sub-title of this tour has now become the pie challenge how could I resist!

Our pie eating expert - otherwise known as Kevin the driver - tested out a slice of steak pie. His verdict was that the pastry was not as good as Galloways' but the filling was far more substantial.

I'm having to divide my time between the bus tour and preparing for U-Day next Tuesday. Organising almost 150 different leafleting sessions on one day and involving over 500 people is a logistical nightmare but I'm sure we'll get there in the end!

Manchester food festival

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 23 April 2008, 10:49

Yesterday saw us in Manchester's Albert Square for our food festival. It went down a treat and was all the more satisfying because on Friday we weren't even sure if it was going to happen. We didn't have any food booked in, we were struggling to get past the environmental health requirements and we didn't have any stalls.

However, 72 hours of frantic work meant that we pulled it off.

We were joined by TV chefs Dave Myers (Hairy biker) and Andrew Nutter (Ready, Steady Cook), Coronation Street chef Tom Hudson and singer Rowetta. There was also a breif appearance by top group The Kooks.

The food was absolutely fantastic, not that I had much chance to taste anything. The Chinese stall won but my own favourite was the gorgeous Lamb Biryani and dahl from the Radjoot restaurant in Albert Square. I guess that I might be biased for those of you who have followed by blog over the last few months would know that this restaurant was mine and Jon Cruddas' favourite on our curry tour of Britain, otherwise known as his deputy leadership campaign.

Our judges were brilliant. Not only were they with us for almost two hours and ate their way through food from across the world but they all gave great anti-BNP interviews.

Just like to say thank you to all those people who have emailed or rung me about our video from Hope school in Wigan. They, like us, were deeply moved with the lengths the school went to welcome us.

Anyway, must run. Today we are in Leeds but to be honest Ros and I are spending more time trying to work out what we will be doing in London as gaps are appearing all over the place.

A ray of HOPE

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Tuesday, 22 April 2008, 17:14

Apologies for getting a bit behind on my blog, it really has been a frantic few days. Anyway, I just wanted to say something about our visit to Hope School in Wigan yesterday morning. It was absolutely fantastic.

We had been expecting a warm reception but nothing preapred us for the sight as our bus turned the corner into the school gates. The entire school, children and staff, were out in the playground to meet us. They were waving home-made flags, holding homemade Hope not Hate banners and wearing Hope not hate masks and hats.

Hope School is a very special school. It is a special needs school and the ethos behind it is really in tune with our tour. "We teach our pupils acceptance and respect for all people, whatever their background, need or ability," teacher Fran McCaul told us.

It was just tremendous to see they everyone was getting involved. Even the wheels of the children's wheelchairs had been specially decorated with our Hope suc logo for the day.

The school had even produced a video of the children making the displays. We were all so moved, even to the point that our photographer, Chris, was seen with a tear in his eye. And who can blame him. I know that it will be the pictures of the celebrities that get into the Mirror but for me this was the highlight of the tour so far.

To see our visit to Hope School go to http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/bus_tour_2008/index.php?getPage=day4

The pie challange

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Monday, 21 April 2008, 07:02

It seems that my comments about the wonderful pies at Rotherham United has upset some people in the North West. I have had three messages from people from Wigan telling me to stop talking about a subject I know nothing about. (Their evidence for this is apparently because I said the Rotherham pies were the best hence I exposed my ignorance.)

One person even told me that was unravelling 100 years of pie history with my outrageous comments.

I've even been led to believe that I will be proved wrong when the bus arrives in Wigan today.

So, it seems that I have issued a challenge to pie lovers across the country. Bring your favourite pie to our HOPE not hate bus and we will award a prize at the end of the tour to the pie we like best.

A Pukka day in Rotherham

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Saturday, 19 April 2008, 20:13

Just imagine the scene, two football teams battling it out at the end of the season. One, who if it hadn’t been for a ten point deduction because of going into administration would have been in with a good chance of a play-off position, the other at the opposite end of the table frantically struggling to stay in the league. Yet despite their differing positions both sets of players come out onto the pitch in similar HOPE not hate T-shirts.

This is what happened today at the Rotherham home game against Dagenham and Redbridge.

I have never seen anything like it. There was a HOPE not hate page in the match day programme. Every person who went through the turnstiles was given a HOPE not Hate leaflet. At half-time the club’s Chief Operating Officer joined HOPE not hate campaigners and young kids in the centre circle to reinforce the HOPE not hate message. After the game, the same chief executive promised to contact his equivalents in other clubs to encourage them to do the same.

Full credit to HOPE not hate Yorkshire who put this day together. They and the trade union movement have worked tirelessly over the last ten months to challenge the BNP.

This morning we parked up our bus in Rotherham town centre and despite the cold weather were entertained by Malty Miners Welfare brass band, some African drummers and street theatre. Shoppers stopped by to watch and some even joined in with the music workshops.

Local MPs Richard MacShane and John Healey spoke of the need to oppose the BNP, with MacShane putting the BNP firmly in the fascist camp.

It might not have had the glamour of our evening date with the Sugababes but it was probably far more important and left local activists buoyed up and ready for the final two weeks of campaigning.

I’d just like to make one final point about today and that is to mention the fabulous steak and kidney pie I had whilst I waited to interview a couple of the Dagenham and Redbridge players before the game. Pies at football matches have a bad name and sometimes quite understandably. But at Rotherham this is not the case. Their Pukka pies are the best, so good that Rotherham is alleged to have the best pies at football, well that is at least what the woman behind the pie counter told me. And who am I to differ, it really was a good pie.

And please don’t just take my word for it. I have just typed in ‘Rotherham United and pies’ into a search engine and sure enough the ground is famous for its pies. It was the first to sell Pukka pies “anywhere in the world”; the Internet guide to football ground recommends the “Pukka Chicken Balti Pie on sale at £1.70 each, which is made with puff pastry and is different to the other brand of Balti pie available elsewhere”; while fans from a whole host of clubs picked out the pies as one of the great memories of Rotherham’s Mill Moor ground. Finally, a visiting Cambridge journalist writing about his side’s dismal 4-1 defeat at Rotherham remarked that at least he was able to enjoy the best football pie in the country.

A brief encounter

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Saturday, 19 April 2008, 09:09

The HOPE not hate tour has already produced many funny moments, some of them intended but others by default. It is hard work but despite the many trials and tribulations that are thrown up in our way, it is enjoyable.

But there are also the occasional moments when we are reminded, in a very serious and moving way, why we do what we do. Yesterday provided one of those. Alongside footballing legends John Barnes and Howard Gayle and stars from Hollyoaks was Gee Walker, mother of murdered teenager Anthony Walker. She came to the bus and applauded out message of HOPE. She has experienced ‘hate’ in its most extreme form and yet she had not been consumed by it or fuelled by a desire for vengeance.

Her presence hung over us all. John Barnes summed it up perfectly. He said that while he had experienced awful racism as a footballer for England and Liverpool it was nothing compared to what had happened to the Walker family.

The tour got off to a flyer and we were all lifted by it. Unfortunately I had to leave Liverpool early to get over to Manchester where I joined my Searchlight colleague Matthew Collins, though not before a brief encounter with Joey Owens, former bodyguard to BNP leader Nick Griffin and a man I have named as a multiple gangland killer. Matthew had gone up to Manchester that morning and was trying to salvage our food festival which is going to be held in Albert Square next Tuesday Ros and I have our own headaches over this tour and while hers is Brixton where we are meant to be ending up, mine was Manchester. I have to admit that by 4.45pm yesterday afternoon the prognosis did not look good. But things are much rosier now and I think it is going to work just fine but there is still a lot of work to do.

Today we are in Rotherham for one of our main community orientated events. The HOPE not hate team in Yorkshire has worked tirelessly to pull together what appears to be an excellent day. After that there is going to be a quick [sic] dash to Preston for the Sugababes who are in concert. It’ll be my first ‘long’ journey on the bus but I have already been warned to wrap up warm because it is ‘freezing’. Fingers crossed I can just sit back and enjoy the day … we’ll that’s the plan anyway.

Just like to finish by introducing the final member of our merry team, Andy, who joins Gregg on the film crew. He is another veteran of last year’s tour. All we need now is an appearance of Mirror photographer John Ferguson and the old gang will be back together, but alas it seems that one year was enough for him.

Spinning balls with the Harlem Globe Trotters

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 18 April 2008, 11:14

Did I sleep last night? It certainly feels like I didn’t. Got to bed at half one this morning after finishing off the video of the day and then woke at half-five completely disorientated. By seven-thirty Ros and I were in the City FM radio studios plugging our tour.

Within an hour our bus was parked up in Williamson Square, where our event is taking place this lunchtime. We were joined by a couple of players from the Harlem Globe Trotters, who are in town to promote basketball. They told us about the racism experienced in their sport, with some clubs refusing to allow black players well into the 1950s. They were lovely blokes but I have to admit that I was expecting them to be a lot taller. The tricks of TV I guess!

I’m pleased that we started our tour in Liverpool. It is the Mirror heartland and has a proud history of opposing and rejecting fascism. The radio host told us that after the recent ACPO study, which revealed that newly arrived immigrants committed no more crimes than the rest of the population, they had a poll in which over 80% of listeners said that there was no link between immigrants and crime.

Anyway, must go. The drums are beginning to arrive and we need to find a power supply for the PA system.

Passing the time

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 18 April 2008, 00:35

It’s now 00.35am and I’m sitting in Gregg’s room watching Sky News as he finishes off our first video of the tour. Not much to report, as we haven’t actually started, which is slightly disconcerting given that for the next 13 days we will have hours of footage to get through each day so let’s hope that we’ll not be staying up much later every night. However Gregg and Andy, another film maker who will be joining us tomorrow, promise that they have it all in hand.

Anyway, just blogging to tell you about my interview on Radio City at 7.30am. Ros and I will be joining the infamous Harlem Globe Trotters, who, we have been led to believe, will be supporting the HOPE not hate campaign.

First day headaches

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Thursday, 17 April 2008, 18:54

So it has begun. The 2008 HOPE not hate tour is under way. Well, actually it is not quite, the proper launch is tomorrow in Liverpool but for me it is. This afternoon I met up with the bus which looks even more splendid than last year. It’s a different bus – the pride of their fleet we were told – and I can understand why. This year’s 1969 Bristol Lodekka is five years younger than last year’s model, is completely open top and … much more importantly to us, can travel at 43mph as opposed to 30mph we endured last year.

Of course, we were met with brilliant sunshine in Liverpool today so perhaps my euphoria might be tempered after experiencing some rain. According to our driver, Kevin, the open top bus means the rain pours down onto those below. Hmmm, look forward to that!

It was good to be back with the old team again. Ros from the Mirror, Gregg the film maker and Chris the Mirror’s photographer.

Ros, Gregg and I travelled up from London together and we were all in quite good spirits when we pulled out of London. Ros had brought a copy of the itinerary and all looked fine. And then the phones began to ring and the emails came in. The tour is certainly more ambitious than last year’s but as a consequence the amount of forms and paperwork we have to fill in and the number of rules we have to comply with is quite incredible. I’m sure they are all quite justified but one thing we are not is event organisers. As Ros and I struggled with the mounting problems Gregg dozed seemingly oblivious to it all.

We perked up when we saw the bus, all beautiful, bright and clean. I remember being slightly disappointed when I saw the bus last year but I have to say my heart jumped this time. I hope it was just the bus not the distraction from the mounting organisational problems we were encountering. The sun had come out and off we went for a spin, first to the Liver Building and then across the Mersey towards Wallasey. We had a slight hiccup when we were stopped by the police after being caught on CCTV filming around by the Mersey tunnel but after a quick review of the footage and an explanation of what we were doing (ie we weren’t filming for any dubious reason) we were sent on our merry way.

So, the tour has begun for me. Read tomorrow’s Daily Mirror www.mirror.co.uk ) for details of our route and a taster of just some of the celebrities who will be joining us along the way. We hope to have a daily video of our trip, which can be found on www.hopenothate.org.uk.

Until the formal launch tomorrow….

The wheels are about to roll

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Thursday, 17 April 2008, 09:17

Well, it's bus time again and tomorrow our HOPE not hate tour of Britain begins. As usual there has been a last minute panic and all our best plans of being ahead of the game have not materialised.

That said, it is going to be an even better tour than last year.

I'll be updating this blog and the Hope not Hate site on a regular basis. Also look out for regular video updates of the tour.

Vote Match

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 16 April 2008, 14:52

Just done my Vote Match (www.votematch.co.uk). While I couldn't possibly say who came out first I can reveal that the BNP's Richard Barnbrook had views that were most imcompatible with mine.

Hackney Gazette refuses to take BNP ad

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 16 April 2008, 07:22

I'd just like to congratulate everyone who lobbied the Hackney Gazette against taking a BNP advert. In a statement issued yesterday the editor revealed that he was now refusing to take it. Here is what he said:

'We have concluded that it is not in the best interests of the community to publish the advertisement in the Hackney Gazette. Nor is it right to give the BNP further publicity through a prolonged public debate about the merits of the organisation and its advertising campaign. The balance of arguments in this debate has been extremely difficult but we believe that we have come to the right conclusion.'

Dozens, if not hundreds, of people have written in to Archant publishers complaining about the BNP adverts that went into their newspapers last week. The actions of the Hackney Gazette shows that, with a little bit of pressure, BNP money can be refused.

North West report

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Monday, 14 April 2008, 20:44

Just been doing a ring round the country. The general consensus is that the BNP is doing very little in most of the wards they are contesting but of course we all know that they are a threat in many areas without putting out a single leaflet.

The anti-BNP campaign is motoring forward in the North West. Over 110,000 HOPe not hate leaflets have been dispatched to local anti-BNP groups and unions across the region over the past week. This is in addition to targeted leaflets going into Burnley and Oldham.

Saturday saw a Day of Action in Burnley and the good news is that over 10,000 leaflets were distributed. The bad news is that the local anti-BNP activists are already asking what's next for them to deliver....

In search of these BNP supporting Greeks and Turks

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Monday, 14 April 2008, 20:16

I don't want to dwell on the topic but Simon Darby does talk crap. On his blog yesterday he reported back on a conversation he had with Richard Barnbrook where the London Mayoral candidate suggested that Greek and Turkish voters were flocking to the BNP in droves because ...wait for it ...they were Christians.

Of course, being the fair-minded man that I am I decided to find out for myself. With my trusted comrade Matthew we set off to furthest North London (Turkey Street to be exact) to see if the Greek and Turkish community are so accommodating to the BNP. Unsurpringsingly enough, the few we spoke to had little time for the racists.

Not one to have a wasted journey Matthew insisted we did three hours of leafleting. So now over 1000 houses and flats have anti-BNP leaflets.

Busy weekend

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Monday, 14 April 2008, 08:45

While the BNP was launching its election campaign in front of rows of empty chairs the HOPE not hate campaign was busy on the streets of London. Over the weekend we had teams out in Barking & Dagenham (twice), Ilford, Haringey, Ealing, Southall, Camden and Croydon.

Again the weather was not our friend bu it was not all doom and gloom. Four of us distributed 2,000 newspapers in Southall before retiring to the wonderful Glass House pub for a pint of Kingfisher on tap.

Out again today ...in search of these Turkish Christians who, according to BNP Mayoral candidate Richard Barnbrook, are flocking to the BNP. Perhaps poor old Richard had a drink or two too many and was sitting next to Lawrence Rustem and simply seeing double!

BNP press launch flops

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Sunday, 13 April 2008, 23:16

The BNP press conference went ahead on Saturday, not that anyone would have noticed. My spies tell me that there was just one journalist there and two photographers, hardly a good show for a party that claims to be Britain's fourth largest political party.

It seems that not even BNP press officer Simon Darby could be bothered to make the trip to London for the event.

Perhaps he too thought having a press conference on a Saturday was a damned stupid idea.

BNP launch election campaign

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Saturday, 12 April 2008, 07:50

The BNP is launching its London election campaign. Quite why they have chosen a Saturday lunchtime to do this beats me. With the exception of a Saturday evening I couldn't think of a worse time of the week to hold a press conference.

Oh well, I'm not complaining!

200 barrier is broken

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Monday, 7 April 2008, 22:07

U-Day is building.

We now have 215 people signed up for our U-Day event on 29 April. To join the biggest anti-fascist leafleting session in British history visit:

http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/london/London_Campaign_diary

A quieter day

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Monday, 7 April 2008, 18:50

Today has been much quieter which is no bad thing given the hectic weekend I have had delivering anti-BNP newspapers. I seem to have spent much of the day going through council websites looking at where the BNP is standing and then reassessing our list of target wards. Most of the places the BNP is standing are as expected but there are one or two surprises. This, coupled with looking at the other candidates – or not as the case is sometimes – is making us review our campaign priorities.

My other preoccupation has been the Searchlight/Daily Mirror Hope not Hate bus tour, the start of which is now only 12 days away! Can’t believe it has come up on us so quickly. Ros (my colleague at the Mirror) had been confidently predicting that we had so much more time to organise things this year as opposed to the frantic last minute rush last time. Yeah, right. It is once again a frantic last minute rush and I feel the blood pressure rising!

The weekend was good, albeit a little tiring. Saturday was Haringey whilst Sunday was Highbury in Islington. Despite the appalling weather a small team of us braved the snow and delivered almost 2,000 newspapers.

Matthew was not impressed to read my earlier blog that he and I had promised to cover Haringey. I told him that now the promise had been made it had to be met. Obviously the onus will fall on him as I’ll be off on the bus in 12 days time. I spoke to him this morning and suggested another leafleting session today but he told me that he was off to the zoo. All I can say is that he is going to be pretty busy in the second half of April.

Last night I popped into the Hope not Hate gig in East London. By all accounts it was a successful night with 100 people there and a tidy sum raised for the campaign. I didn’t stay long as I was far too tired and had to get back to sign off a couple more leaflets before they were sent to the printers this morning. I did manage to catch up with some old friends from Essex and we arranged a Day of Action in Thurrock for Saturday 19 April. So, if there are any of you from Essex or outer East London who want to get involved then drop me a line at nick@stopthebnp.org.uk

tired

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Saturday, 5 April 2008, 18:11

Just got in after another day's campaigning. Been out in Haringey today, not many of us but we seemed to cover a lot. We managed to do about half of Seven Sisters ward which in 2004 saw only 22 people vote for the BNP out of an electorate of over 9,000.

Matthew Collins and I have set ourselves the target of ensuring the whole of Haringey is leafleted between now and the elections. It should be good territory for us, last time round the BNP only got 800 votes across the whole borough.

So, if you live or work in Haringey and would like to help drop me a line.

Hastings

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 22:57

Carlisle

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 22:56

Rossendale

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 22:54

Rossendale Borough Council, Lancs

The Rossendale Borough Council website confirms there are 4 BNP candidates in the May 2008 elections:-

Facit & Shawforth Ward Michael Crossley

Greensclough Ward Peter Salt

Irwell Ward Kevin Bryan

Whitwell Ward Matthew Perry

Colchester

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 22:53

Welsh candidates

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 22:21

May 2008: Wales Council Elections Wales BNP Candidates

Abenbury Community Council
Abenbury
Melvin Roberts

Bangor Town Council
Maesgeirchen
Linda Gripton

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council
Georgetown
Bernard Goodwin

Bridgend County Borough Council
Cefn Glas
Adam Lloyd

Broughton Community Council
Brynteg
Sam Whitby

Brymbo Community Council
Minera
Garan Dempsey

Carmarthenshire County Council
Penygroes
Kevin Edwards

Carmarthenshire County Council
Tycroes
Mike Green

Cefn Community Council
Plas Madoc
Ennys Hughes

Cefn Community Council
Acrefair / Penybryn
Carl Jackson

Coedpoeth Community Council
Coedpoeth South
Lewis Dempsey

Coedpoeth Community Council
Coedpoeth North
Mike Whitby

Colwyn Bay Town Council
Llandrillo-yn-Rhos
Paul Harley

Colwyn Bay Town Council
Eirias
Sue Harley

Colwyn Bay Town Council
Llandrillo-yn-Rhos
John Oddy

Colwyn Bay Town Council
Rhiw
Joyce Hannon

Colwyn Bay Town Council
Glyn
Derek Stenson

Colwyn Bay Town Council
Glyn
James Trueman

Conwy County Borough Council
Bryn
Chris Robinson

Conwy County Borough Council
Penrhyn
Paul Harley

Conwy County Borough Council
Eirias
Sue Harley

Conwy County Borough Council
Llandrillo-yn-Rhos
John Oddy

Conwy County Borough Council
Rhiw
Joyce Hannon

Conwy County Borough Council
Glyn
James Trueman

Conwy County Borough Council
Llysfaen
Andrew Yates

Conwy County Borough Council
Towyn
Neilson Hughes

Conwy County Borough Council
Kinmel Bay
Lloyd Thomas Morgan

Cwmbran Central Council
St. Dials
Tony King

Denbighshire County Borough Council
Rhyl South West
Ian Si'Ree

Esclusham Community Council
Rhostyllen
Sue Whitby

Flintshire County Borough Council
Mancot
John Walker

Flintshire County Borough Council
Gronant
Mark Deacon

Gwynedd County Borough Council
Maesgeirchen
Linda Gripton

Hawarden Community Council
Mancot
John Walker

Kinmel Bay & Towyn Town Council
Kinmel Bay
Neilson Hughes

Kinmel Bay & Towyn Town Council
Towyn
Lloyd Thomas Morgan

Llanasa Community Council
Gronant
Mark Deacon

Llanedi Community Council
Tycroes
Mike Green

Llanfairfechan Community Council
Bryn
Crenith Cox

Llanfairfechan Community Council
Lafan
Chris Robinson

Llysfaen Community Council
Llysfaen
Andrew Yates

Mostyn Community Council
Rhewl
Mike Howard

Nolton & Roch Community Council
Roch
Watcyn Richards

Prestatyn Community Council
Prestatyn South West
Ian Si'Ree

Swansea City Council
Llansamlet
Clive Bennett

Swansea City Council
Landore
Susan Harwood

Swansea City Council
Morriston
Alan Bateman

Swansea City Council
Bonymaen
Sion Owens

Torfaen County Borough Council
Llanyrafon North
Tony King

Wrexham County Borough Council
Marchwiel
Chris Harrill

Wrexham County Borough Council
Minera
Garan Dempsey

Wrexham County Borough Council
Rhostyllen
Sue Whitby

Wrexham County Borough Council
Brynteg
Sam Whitby

Wrexham County Borough Council
Coedpoeth
Mike Whitby

Wrexham County Borough Council
Plas Madoc
Ennys Hughes

Wrexham County Borough Council
Holt
Melvin Roberts

Taking a break

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 18:11

Losing the will to live ...been sitting at this computer far too long. Going to have a break and enjoy the sunny evening for a bit. Will be back in two or three hours.

Thanks to everyone who has sent in information, please keep sending it in. I will update our list later this evening

Candidates so far... 18.07

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 18:08

The BNP has just announced that it is standing 625 candidates across the country, though this appears to include all levels of councils.

The list our list so far:

Liverpool 11

Salford 6

Oldham 2 (plus 2 EFP)

Bury 8

Sefton 6

Wirral 2

Knowsley 2

St Helens 10

Manchester 3

Yorkshire

Bradford 8 (plus 9 Democratic Nationalists)

Kirklees 20

Barnsley 20

Rotherham 5

Leeds 33

North East

Newcastle 12

Northumberland 1

Sunderland 25

South Tyneside 13

North Tyneside 4

Wear Valley 6

Durham City 7

West Midlands

Stoke-on-Trent 10

Sandwell 12

Birmingham 40

Tamworth 1

Nuneaton & Bedworth 12

Wolverhampton 2

Dudley 10

Amber Valley 7

Derby 2

Eastern

Broxbourne 12 (full slate)

Thurrock 18 (full slate - includes one by-election)

Southend 17 (full slate)

Basildon 14 (full slate)

Castle Point 3

South East

Crawley 6

Bridgend 1

Swansea 4

Carmarthenshire 2

Wrexham 9

We are aware of many others but these have not been confirmed yet

Durham City Council

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 17:53

Wear Valley

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 17:52

BNP no show in Exeter

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 17:49

Big mouths or perhaps a lesson for journalists not to take BNP boasts seriously.

Here is the opening from the local paper down there:

The British National Party has failed to find any representatives to contest the Exeter City Council elections next month.

The far-right party told the Echo earlier this year that it would have members standing for election for some of the 14 seats in the vote on Thursday, May 1.But no BNP representatives are included in the list of candidates announced today.

Wales

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 17:42

Bridgend - 1 candidate

Swansea - 4 candidates

Carmarthenshire – 2 candidates

Wrexham - 9 candidates

The BNP is claiming 30 across Wales

Dudley

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 17:39

North East candidates

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 17:12

Newcastle 12

Northumberland 1

Sunderland 25

South Tyneside 13

North Tyneside 4

Candidates so far...

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 16:58

The BNP has just announced that it is standing 625 candidates across the country, though this appears to include all levels of councils.

The list our list so far:

Liverpool 11

Salford 6

Oldham 2 (plus 2 EFP)

Bury 8

Sefton 6

Wirral 2

Knowsley 2

St Helens 10

Bradford 8 (plus 9 Democratic Nationalists)

Kirklees 20

Barnsley 20

Rotherham 5

Stoke-on-Trent 10

Sandwell 12

Birmingham 40

Tamworth 1

Nuneaton & Bedworth 12

Wolverhampton 2

Amber Valley 7

Broxbourne 12 (full slate)

Thurrock 18 (full slate - includes one by-election)

Southend 17 (full slate)

Basildon 14 (full slate)

Crawley 6

We are aware of many others but these have not been confirmed yet

More Yorkshire

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 16:42

There are 20 candidates out of a possible 21 in Barnsley. The only ward where the BNP is not standing is Worsborough, where the Independents are very strong.

There are also 20 candidates standing for the BNP in Kirklees out of a possible 23 - a slip on previous years where they have regularly stood a full slate.

Rotherham

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 15:59

Wolverhampton

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 15:57

South West Wales

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 15:53

Amber Valley

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 15:50

Seven BNP in Amber Valley

Nuneaton & Bedworth

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 15:49

Stoke-on-Trent

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 15:36

As expected the BNP is standing 10 in Stoke-on-Trent.

Only surprise is that they are not contesting Blurton. Former BNP councillor Mark Leat is standing as an Independent in Longton North but is facing a challenge from Labour and the BNP.

Bury & Manchester

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 15:28

Bury 8

Manchester 3

Oldham

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 15:28

Seems like only 2 BNP, 2 EFP and one Independent (ex-BNP).

BNP are standing in Shaw and Chadderton Central

EFP are standing in St James and Chadderton South

Anita Corbett (former BNP organiser) is standing as an Independent in Royton North

Salford

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 15:08

North West candidates

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 15:03

Here's the North West tally so far:

Liverpool 11

St Helens 10

Sefton 6

Wirral 2

Knowsley 2

We were expecting more in Liverpool but St Helens has taken us by surprise. None in Ellesmere Port

Ruffling the feathers

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 14:48

It seems that my last posting ruffled a few feathers in Bradford. Within minutes of my posting I received an email from someone describing themselves as a 'true nationalist' pointing out that I had unreported the number of Democrtic Nationalist candidates. According to this person there are in fact nine DN candidates and only eight BNP candidates.

Happy to be proved wrong from time to time!

Yorkshire shortfall?

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 14:29

It appears that one of my questions is getting answered, namely that the internal divisions within the BNP has last the Yorkshire region struggling for candidates in some of its traditional strongholds.

A case in point is Bradford. I have just had a phonecall from someone who used to be in the BNP who claims that they only have six candidates there. We knew they were struggling but that is pretty awful. What is worse, he added, amusingly, the Democratic Nationalists (led by former BNP councillor Jim Lewthwaite) is not far behind with five. It appears that many are in the same wards as well.

Obviously all this needs to be confirmed but all I can say is 'Oh dear....'

Broxbourne

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 13:20

It seems that the BNP is standing 12 in Broxbourne which by my reckoning is a full slate.

This would confirm news from inside the BNP that we are likely to see a big increase in candidates in the Eastern region.

If you have any information about BNP candidates please contact me via this blog or at nick@stopthebnp.org.uk

The phones are buzzing

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 12:51

Lots of people are ring me, but most want information. Strange that because so do I!

Anyway, here are a few more:

Harrogate 6 (well down on last year)

Tamworth 1

Liverpool 11 (fewer than expected)

Castle Point 3

If you have any information about BNP candidates please contact me via this blog or at

BNP candidates: Derby

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 12:35

Rumours coming in: West Midlands

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 12:30

The first rumours are starting to come in. Searchlight sources predict 40 BNP candidates in Birmingham and 12 in Sandwell.

More to follow soon

If you have any information about BNP candidates please contact me via this blog or at nick@stopthebnp.org.uk

Nominations have closed

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 12:13

Nominations have now closed. I'll soon be releasing the first news of BNP candidates but in the meantime, here are a few interesting developments that I shall be watching out for:

1. What impact will the internal BNP row have on BNP candidates in Yorkshire?

2. Will the EFP stand more candidates than the BNP in Oldham and Blackburn?

3. Which party, if any, will Mark Leat stand for in Longton North in Stoke-on-Trent?

4. Will the BNP and UKIP stand against one another in Dudley?

5. Will the BNP stand their projected 50 in Wales?

Find out all this and more over the few hours on this blog.

If you have any information about BNP candidates please contact me via this blog or at nick@stopthebnp.org.uk

BNP candidates - coming soon

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 April 2008, 11:15

Rumours are flying around about how many BNP candidates are standing hear or there. Obviously, I'm not one for gossip but from early afternoon I'll be updating my blog with rumours, facts and tales from the campaign trail.

So, if you are particularly bored or perhaps even want to find out who is standing where, visit my blog.

If you have any information about BNP candidates in your area you can also contact me, either via my blog or at nick@stopthebnp.org.uk

BNP backtrack but no apology

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Thursday, 3 April 2008, 23:39

The BNP might have been forced into a humiliating climbdown by removing Nick Eriksen from their London list but they continue to support him. There is no apology to voters, they still claim that his comments were taken out of context and there is no talk of expelling him from the party or even removing him as London organiser.

This inaction speaks volumes about the BNP and the people it attracts!

BNP's history of anti-women policies

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 2 April 2008, 07:38

A colleague of mine was obviously feeling particularly bored last night so he went through the 2005 BNP General election manifesto and came up this this gem:

"

“Divorce and family laws and maintenance arrangements discriminate against men, and innocent men who are falsely accused of rape have their lives ruined while their lying accusers cannot even be named.”

As this was written before Eriksen had actually joined the party it is clear that the BNP's anti-women stance is deeply embedded in their politics.

Church leader withdraws support for the BNP

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 2 April 2008, 00:50

It really has been a bad day for the BNP. Hot on the heals of the Eriksen debacle and the continued support he has received from the party's deputy leader Simon's Darby, it now emerges that a local organiser has left the party.

Yesterday the Rochford Echo revealed that local church leader and one-time Liberal Democrat chairman Rev John Stanton was the local BNP organiser.

Today the same paper has announced that he is quitting the BNP.

"I have ended my involvement with the BNP after finding out more about them at the weekend,” he said.

"It was very stupid of me, but I only read what they said about themselves, which I agreed with.

"Friends have contacted me to say: Those people are nasty.' My daughter rang me sobbing and said: What have you done?'"

He went on: "I had no idea party leader Nick Griffin has been convicted of inciting racial hatred. I also discovered the party was anti-Semitic and homophobic.

"I was misled by what they said about themselves. The impression I got when they joined was that it was just a very British, Christian organisation. Now, I don't really trust anything that they say.”

Nazis fall out over barmy Eriksen

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Tuesday, 1 April 2008, 23:12

It seems that the nazis are all falling out with themselves over Eriksen's outrageous comments. Stormfront, the nazi bulletin board, is buzzing with claims and counter claims. Coming in for a lot of flack is BNP press officer (and deputy leader) Simon Darby who continues to stand by Nick Ericksen.

One particularly amusing posting has been made by PaganwarriorUK when he/she wrote: "Uuumm wonder what else they [Searchlight] have up their sleeve over the next few weeks. Have to be something Juicy or maybe this is it ????"

While I wouldn't like to spoil the surprise, all I can say is that there is plenty more scandal in the cupboard just waiting to be released at the appropriate time!

BNP defend rape shame candidate

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Tuesday, 1 April 2008, 17:50

Wow, it's been an eventful day. The Evening Standard followed up Searchlight's investigation by running a full page article exposing the awful views of London BNP candidate Nick Eriksen. In his John Bull blog, Eriksen said: "Rape is simply sex. women like sex so rape cannot be such a terrible physical ordeal."

He also said: "some women are like gongs - they need to be struck regularly."

The BNP responded by defending Eriksen. Simon Darby, the party's press officer, said his remarks were simply "satirical and provocative." Hmm... interesting.

He goes on to dismiss the notion that the BNP is somehow soft on sex crimes. Sorry, Simon, am I missing something? Is this the same party that refused to apologise to voters for inflicting a gang rapist on voters in Oldham? Or a party where no action was taken against two BNP councillors who were convicted of assaulting their wives whilst in office?

Sorry, but Eriksen's views sit comfortably within the BNP. That's why the party hasn't publicly condemned him.

In the meantime, some of my Searchlight colleagues were busy distributing 250,000 'Rape Shame' leaflets around London. I, however, was otherwise engaged, addressing the Unite (Amicus section) East Midlands Regional Council in Quorn.

To read the Searchlight article, click here

To read the Evening Standard article, visit:(http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-mayor/article-23470426-details/Women+more+troubled+by+bag+theft+than+rape%2C+BNP+candidate+claims/article.do)