Stronghold, what stronghold ?

Any residents of Frizington who look at political websites, particularly if they are part of more than 72% of voters in the division who voted for someone other than the British National Party, may be slightly surprised to find themselves described as living in the "BNP Stronghold of Frizington" on the local BNP blog.

What?

Most parties use the expression "stronghold" to describe somewhere we win.

The election in that county division last year was affected by tragic circumstances: the Conservative candidate, who had planned to campaign, was unexpectedly taken seriously ill just after the close of nominations. He spent most of the campaign in the West Cumberland Hospital and sadly died later last year.

He still came within four votes of keeping the BNP in third and last place. Labour won that division with a majority of 343 votes.

Overall in the divisions wholly within the Copeland Constituency the results were

CONSERVATIVE, 8,979 votes (39.2%)
LABOUR 7,900 votes (34.5%)
BNP 3,250 votes (14.2%)
LIB/DEM 1,558 votes ( 6.8%)
GREEN 559 votes ( 2.4%)
INDEPENDENT 477 votes ( 2.1%)
UKIP 180 votes ( 0.8%)

This slightly understates the Conservative position, overstating those of Labour and the BNP, because it does not include two Conservative wards which we really can describe as strongholds but which are part of county divisions which are split between Copeland and Workington constituencies. Nobody can be quite certain how the Cockermouth East and Cockermouth West divisions, both easily won by the Conservatives, split between the two parliamentary seats. Pete Whitehead estimated here on the "Vote UK Discussion Forum" thread about Cumbria County Council elections that the votes cast in the Copeland parliamentary constituency as a whole in the county elections were:

CONSERVATIVE 9,787 votes, (40.5%)
LABOUR 8,103 votes, (33.5%)
BNP 3,250 votes, (13.4%)
LD 1,691 votes, ( 7.0%)
GREEN 682 votes, ( 2.8%)
INDEPENDENT 477 votes, ( 2.0%)
UKIP 180 votes, ( 0.7%).



All the mainstream parties need to address, in a non-inflammatory, constructive and non-racist way, the issues which have made 14% of electors in Copeland cast a vote for the British National Party. And there is no room for complacency. But when the BNP are reduced to claiming Frizington as a stronghold and "the highest ever result for the party in Cumbria here least (sic) June" it is worth remembering that they are talking about 501 votes cast and a vote share of 27.2%.

Ironically the BNP blog shows some of their activists posing by "The Griffin" PH in Frizington. I wonder if they knew that until recently this pub gloried in the entertaining if self-contradictory name of "The Old New Griffin." Says it all, really, doesn't it?

Comments

Anonymous said…
A significant number of people in Copeland and Nationally are not voting for the BNP because they are racist it is simply because they are disillusioned with the major parties, you all make the right noises but invariably do nothing. If having a few more BNP councillors or even MP’s elected makes for a more pro-active, more accountable democracy then this can only be a good thing.
Chris Whiteside said…
I agree that many of the people who vote BNP do so, not because they are racist, but because they want to give the other parties a kick in the backside.

I don't, however, agree that voting BNP is likely to lead to a more pro-active or accountable democracy.
Anonymous said…
We know Chris you won't be more more pro-active or accountable you will just drift - that's the whole point. It doesn't matter who people vote for the political 'class' will still win, the public are always of secondary concern.
Chris Whiteside said…
Absolutely untrue.

I've lived in four different parts of the country: in all four there were some services that were good and others that were awful, and exactly which services was different in each of the four cases.

Part of the reason for that is that the councils had different priorities, and councillors can and do make a difference in setting those priorities.

I have to say that making a difference in Copeland appears to be harder than almost anywhere else that I've been involved, but regardless of the result of the coming election, I have no intention of giving up.
Stephen said…
I'm rather at a loss to see how more BNP Councillors or some BNP MPs would bring more accountability, coming only a couple of weeks after their MEPs (Griffin and Brons) failed to publish their European Parliamentary expenses in sufficient detail, after claiming nearly £1/2 million in under a year.

Griffin stood on a platform which exploited the understandable anger at the few who so sullied the reputation of the mainstream parties. The BNP, Griffin&Brons in particular, are cynical manipulators, who clearly can't be trusted.

Voters in Copeland should see Griffin for what he is: an over-indulged, greedy manipulator who can't even come close to changing anything for the better.
Jane said…
Stephen I second your opinion. I am very concerned that Nick Griffin has failed to publish his expense accounts as an MEP.

The BNP promote themselves as an alternative, but are cynically manipulating people let down by our current system, predominantly Labour voters. However, they are prepared to get on the gravy train and show no evidence of transparency over what they are costing the EU. Even more scary is their underlying racism. They are the party of hate.

They also exaggerate the amount of support they have on their blog site 'Cumbrian Patriots.' Someone got his arithmetic wrong when averaging out the percentage of votes gained in the County elections.

There are people in the mainstream parties who have behaved badly. David Cameron has come down hard on MPs who have taken advantage of the flawed system and measures will be taken to tighten procedures if the Conservatives form the next Government.

Labour have been in power too long. This is evidenced in the ease with which the likes of Patricia Hewitt abuse the system. The mandate to govern will be withdrawn. The Country is crying out for a Conservative Government to tackle the economy and be firm on issues which alienate the people Labour have abandoned.
Anonymous said…
"over-indulged, greedy manipulator who can't even come close to changing anything for the better" - and those the qualities of the vast majority of our MPs and Councillors.
Chris Whiteside said…
I don't accept that "the vast majority" are like that.

Unfortunately there are some who are - in all parties - and they have given politics a bad name.

There is a responsibility on the rest of us to come down much harder on the people who have brought politics into disrepute.

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