• London Assembly results

Reader views (39)

 Add your view

It is the SWP who are the real facists. The SWP hates free speech and I hope laws change in future to drive these -- and the Anti-Nazi League -- underground where they belong.

- Malc, Swindon

If BNP registered candidate and went through normal electoral system like other parties, then are entitle to their seat. Perhaps there is a lesson to learn for those people who don't express their political interest by voting. We should have protested against registration of BNP and their victory!

I beg all inhabitants of the UK to respect Democratic system that has sustain PEACE in this nation for century.

I would like to use this opportunity to congratulate Boris for his new office. He has indicated that he has something for all Londoners and has taken practical steps towards tackling London main problems - crime and youth, housing, transport, etc.

Please let Boris get on with his job a new Mayor.

- Daniel, Barking, London

I was shocked by John of Wappings revelation about Trevor Phillips, who I always suspected disliked, perhaps hated, people different from him. This comment proves Phillips also hates anyone who doesn't think like him, and by inference thinks animals can be hatefully treated. Yuk!

- Helen, Norwich

I voted for Boris, mainly to get red ken out, but am outraged at his behaviour,what arrogance,disregarding 130,000 Londoners that voted for mr Barnbrook, arent they entitled to representation,what a sham our democracy is,well as my curiosity was aroused, I visited the BNP website and liked what I saw, I will now be voting for them in future.

- Paul, Epsom

Not"t a Londoner and don"t belong to the BNP, but the people have a right to vote for whoever they think best for them.

- Marie Lamb, stockport England

And to top it all, according to this report in the The Herald (link: http://www.theherald.co.uk:80/news/other/display.var.1332541.0.0.php ) Trevor Phillips has now called the BNP (and presumably by association the 130,000 people who voted for it in London).. wait for it... LESS THAN HUMAN! What the hell is going on in this country? That is what the Nazi's called the Jews! He should be prosecuted immediately for a serious hate crime shouldn't he?

- John, Wapping

Winston Churchill warned us:
"Fascism will come, in the name of anti-fascism"

- Bert, somerset

I'm sorry I spent part of my childhood in Loughton, Essex when I see it's returned several BNP councillors. But then I recall my school in the seventies being completely racist and I assume those boys and girls grew up to be BNP voters. Of course, "their best friend is black", but they just don't like the "others". The BNP had to wave goodbye to its old comrades in the NF and other fringe organisations to adopt its current 'respectable' strategy though in local government, its record has been farcical. Party members have quit. Council attendance has been poor. Solid achievements zero. But Londoners will find this out soon enough. Only the idiocy of PR has allowed a few thousand votes to gain the BNP a seat.

- Tony Mcmahon, London, UK

Sorry Mr Barnbrook; Your democratic election to the Greater London Assembly appears to have upset members of a no-talent degenerate junkie pop group called `Babyshambles` leading an unwashed rabble of dole-scrounging marxist misfits.
You must therefore now do the honourable thing, and resign from the GLA with immediate effect.
As Winston Churchill warned us:
"Fascism will come, in the name of anti-fascism"

- Julian Leppert, Loughton, Essex

This cheap and tacky little demonstration just poses the question 'Who are the intolerant fascists'... I can hear the rabble saying 'Freedom of Speech for everyone, as long as you say what we agree with'... We want a Democracy where everyone is equal, only some more equal than others.
Until the BNP is made an illegal institution, and until they are not voted for by the good British people, then extreme left wingers just live with it!

- Mac, New town

I really do wish people would actually point out all these nasty policies of the BNP rather than say they are abhorrent.
Please point out the nasty policies.

- Bert, somerset

I have to concur with 'A Former Boris Johnson Voter, London'. I also voted for Boris but I seriously question his commitment to Londoners as he completely disregards the 130,000+ people who's views he finds abhorrent. Wake up Boris, this petty and childing behaviour is unbecoming and in your first few days of office is unprofessional. Richard Barnbrook was legally and democratically elected by many Londoners who believe the main political parties (of which YOU are a member of one of them!) no longer represent them. You are in danger of alienating many more Londoners with your extremely childish behaviour. I have in only a few days changed my opinion of Boris and now wish I hadn't voted for him. Ken Livingstone and Brian Paddick are no better either but at least they're not in power to do anything (thank God!). Do not disregard the wishes of 130,000 Londoners or you'll find that 130,000 swelled to many times that number. Mr Barnbrook has a place in the London Assembly because a huge number of people wanted him in there. The people protesting about a legally elected member are an example of mob rule and should be severely discouraged or they may find that they swell the number of people who's sympathies lie with the BNP.

- Paul Wilson, London, UK

The main political parties seem to be trying to give the impression the the election of a BNP member was an aberration. If my memory is correct, the BNP received between 4% and 5% of the vote at the previous election for the Assembly.
This would suggest that the BNP has a core following, and as such should be treated with the same respect as the other parties.

If the other parties perceive the BNP to be a threat, then to ignore them is definitely ostrich-like behaviour.After this display of arrogance by the major parties, I would think the number of voters turning to the BNP will increase.

A threat ignored is a threat realised.

- Tony Atkins, Australia

What a joke. This party was voted for in a "democratic" society. So their views should be heard.

I cannot believe the comments etc being made by the other parties into how they are going to ignore/not listen to the BNP.

- Beverley, London

I voted for Boris Johnson in the Mayoral Election.

I would not have voted for the BNP in a thousand years until Boris Johnson, Ken Livingston & Brian Paddick walked off the stage before BNP Barnbrook's speech.

It was tacky and petulant to say the least.

The following day I looked at the BNP website and its manifesto.

I discovered that I agreed with many of the things that they proposed in their manifesto:

1) A reduced, simplified and flat rate tax system.
2) Raise tax free allowance to £15,000
3) Withdrawal from the European Union
4) Renationalisation of Gas, Water, Electricity and British Rail - as it stands the customers are being ripped off.
5) Protection for British farming and manufacturing.

I already regret that I voted for Boris Johnson. From now on I will be voting for and supporting the BNP.

Many thanks to Messrs Livingston, Johnson & Paddick and the people who represent Unite Against fascism for giving me cause to seek out and examine the BNP website - if you hadn't been so nasty about the BNP I wouldn't have been so curious and looked at their website. Thank You.

- A Former Boris Johnson Voter, London

Oh dear, Londoners have spoken and they did not say what they were supposed to. I know many people who are now supporting the BNP after years of feeling neglected by the major parties. The BNP are here to stay, they were democratically elected. Live with it London!

- Liz, Chiswick, London

A sad day for democracy loving people everywhere. The fact that a democratically elected assembly member is being shunned by his peers in the assembly is disgusting - if the population (of London) didn't want him there they wouldn't have voted for him, he has the same mandate for being there as any other member. Then these closet communists decide that people are no longer entitled to be represented by who they choose, but must listen to the advice of Babyshambles (a group of drug addicts).

But actually it does quite good in showing up the undemocratic nature of the liblabcon pact and the liberal left. We need the BNP to stay the storm and show that intimidation and childish behaviour have no place in our democracy.

- Alex, Woking, Great Britain

I would ask the question. Reading this report, who do you think are the real fascists here? Mr.Barnbrook, duly elected member of the London Assembly, or the baying mob wanting him to be forced from office, or even the other Assembly members and Mayor who say they will not work with him? Words like racist, fascist etc. have been so misused that they now have no meaning. I would suggest to these people, if the BNP or Mr. Barnbrook are racist or fascist, then produce the evidence or shut up, and stop being so childish.

- B. Wright, Littlehampton, Sussex.

Ben and what exactly is it you hate about the BNP? Come on give us some policies you disagree with, Would it be the policies to pull all our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan ?
Or possibly you don't like the policies on law and order, perhaps making the less dangerous prisoners work on infrastructure projects.
Come on tell us what policies you don't like.
It's easy to name call and insult and tell lies about someone that's not given a chance to respond.

- Bert, Chard Somerset

Perfectly shows the danger to democracy that these nasty left wing types represent!

- John, Reading

They've been democratically elected. This rabble have no right to trample on democracy even if they dislike the candidates that won.

- Huw Morgan, London, UK

As a former member of the Tory party and having read the BNP manifesto I find it very like the Conservative aims of a few years ago. I am sure that most reasonable people would be able to support the majority of their aims, particularly on the countryside and animal welfare.
I wish Boris every success but I hope that he will stop ignoring any democratically elected representative from whatever party.

- Mark Allen, Brightlingsea Essex

How does this mob of 400 (estimated) drug addicts, anarchists, ex-communists, immigrants and general misfits intend to "force out" a democratically elected MLA, chosen by 130,000 Londoners to represent them?

By the same violent methods they used against the BNP at Oxford? And against the leader of the French 'Front National' when he paid a visit to England? Shouting, swearing, spitting, kicking, throwing missiles, hitting people with sticks and other weapons ?

No hope of Labour or the Tories condemning such viciously undemocratic behaviour, because their own conduct makes it clear that, like the communists and fascists, they believe 'free speech' is restricted to those who agree with them.

Good luck to Mr Barnbrook, and I hope he is joined by more patriotic BNP representatives in 2012.

- E R Glass, London, England

As a 'far right meat head' may I remind Stephen Slatter that the British National Party candidate was voted in democratically. It is the fascist UAF (bunch of Commies) who wish to 'force him out' by undemocratic means.

What I find abhorrent and rather childish is the refusal of Boris ( I am proud of my Muslim roots) Johnson to speak to a fellow GLA member. He will find Richard Barnbrook a fearsome opponent.

- Michael Warden, London - Great Britain

The biggest problem with this type of thing is that it actually increases support for the BNP. It's worth remembering that at the Mayor elections, two thirds of the electorate did NOT vote for one of the two main parties, in spite of the slight increase (8%) in turnout). In all the hype it is easy to forget that the main parties are simply not very popular (and some people actively loathe them)...so when they all round on a small party, a tiny but crucial part of the electorate is galvanised into saying: "If these people I cannot bear hate that party so much, it is worth hearing what they have to say. I'll vote for them". The endless attacks on the BNP during the campaign won them their seat - they focused the minds of those likely to consider voting for them, making them feel it would not be a wasted vote. Had they been ignored, they would not have received 5.3% of the vote. When I was trying to defend my own seat at the London Assembly, I did whatever I could to get everyone else to attack us...grasping that we would have more chance of winning if they gave us that oxygen...

- Damian Hockney, London, UK

The BNP is a legally constructed political party and subject to the same restrictions and regulations that govern all legal political parties, and to dismiss the BNP as being somehow illegitimate or fraudulently constructed is to betray a terrible disregard of due political process. It is clear that those who seek to illegitimise the BNP are entitled to their prejudices but it is fatally flawed to suggest that the BNP must be driven from City Hall as it took in excess of 130,000 Londoners to place Richard Barnbrook there following a legal election campaign where every protocol was carefully complied with and due process observed.

It is quite unacceptable for Mr Barnbrook's fellow London Assembly members to state they would have no dealings with him, as they are required and mandated to deal with and liaise with all their colleagues regardless of their political affiliations and their own personal political prejudices.

When government Minister Margaret Hodge said last year that indigenous Londoners could not access social housing in her constituency, she was attacked as being quasi-BNP in her statement. When Trevor Phillips, the black chief of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights, also defended indigenous Britishers, he was accused by the former Mayor (whose name escapes me) of being a member of the BNP.

It seems that in Orwellian Britain in 2008 the ultimate insult is to call someone a member of the BNP, and this drags politics from the gutter to the sewer.

- Damon Silk, London, England

The aggressive idealism of both the far right and left has caused untold suffering and death this century. In statistical terms the left wins hands down in terms of volume of victims.

Somewhat ironic then that no one protested when a rampant Trotskyite actually ran London yet these clowns take to the streets when one rightist gets his grubby mitts on one insignificant seat.

- Tom, London, UK

I suggest that all 130,000 of Richards supporters (in London alone) march on the GLA too and show our support!

Make that 1.3 million if the rest of the Countrywide BNP Supporters join in.

- Andrew James, London

Stephen Slatter, your use of the term 'Meatheads' would be universally relevant for most politicians nowadays and most probably the majority of the British.

- John Grant, Armagh, N. Ire

I hate everything the BNP stand for, and I'm disgusted that the BNP have narrowly won a seat on the London Assembly. But doesn't the fact that they did win "1" seat show that the British government has been going to the politically correct let for too long.

- Ben S, London

As a former member of the SWP in London(whose front organisation the UAF is), all I can say is that I've never encountered a more intolerant, anti-democratic and sinister bunch of people than the SWP. They are ones who should be be banned rather than a legally registered political party that has stood in a democratic election and convinced a large number of Londoners to vote for it.

- Peter, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Who are these opinionated, self righteous, protesters? They might be many things, democratic they are not. What gives them the right to say only they can choose politicians, whatever else anyone else might have voted, and to make a great big boring noise about it? Very similar to Mugabe's approach in Zimbabwe, just that so far they don't have guns. Personally, I think the BNP has made many strong points and I do recommend that people take the time to find out more about the party, rather than follow current fashionable opinion just like lemmings.

- Helen, Norwich

So over 130,000 honest British voters were wrong?
Get a grip.
They are the ones that preach hate & racism not the BNP.

- Katie, Perth

This campaign is pointless. Much as I would love to see Richard Barnbrook out of the London Assembly, he would only be replaced by Robert Bailey, and thereafter by successive candidates on the BNP's London Assembly list. The only way the BNP can be thrown out of the Assembly is at the next elections in 2012.

What we need to do now is make sure that the BNP does not get any MEPs elected in next year's European elections, whether in London or the rest of the country. MEPs would bring the BNP much more influence and a lot of EU funding.

- Dolores, London

Whilst it is abhorrent that the BNP have gained any vestige of power in our capital city, the reason for it is simple - the constant and unequivocal failings by the incumbent government and the outgoing mayor to the people in the areas that have seen BNP support rise.

Perhaps if their needs were met and their voices heard then they wouldn't feel the need to support these far right meat heads.

- Stephen Slatter, SW12 London

Whether people like it or not we live in a democracy and the BNP has a legal and democratic right to stand in all democratic elections,if people do like this then I suggest that those people move to China, North Korea, Cuba, Zimbabwe or any other country that denies its citizens the right to form political parties or open discuss political opinions that are contra to the states ideology.

I have more to fear from 'unite against fascists' than I do the BNP,'unite against fascists' by acting like fascists?

- Bill, London

Few support the BNP's obviously racist policies but seems to me those objecting to the will of the people are the real fascists.

- Piker, London

Excellent news - more free publicity for the BNP courtesy of the anti-democratic red fascists from Labour/uaf - please keep up the good work.

Richard Barnbrook will NOT be "forced from office"; he was ELECTED to that position by the democratic will of the people of London - and considering that there were over 400,000 so-called "spoilt" ballot papers, I would hazard a guess that he most probably received a darn sight more votes than the 130,000+ actually attributed to him. Welcome to Zimbabwean Britain: "It's not who votes that count - it's who counts the votes"!

- Hugo Syn, London

Typical left wing hysteria. Well over 130,000 Londoners voted for Richard Barnbrook in the belief at least one politician would put real Londoners first for a change. Of course Silly Boris and the other traitors 'shun' him, they are ALL afraid of the truth and that is most certainly what Councillor Barnbrook will uncover and report.

- Keith Moore, Hackney, London

Add your comment