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BNP could win Euro seat, warns Cruddas
Joe Murphy, Political Editor07.10.08
The far-Right BNP is exploiting the economic crisis and is close to winning seats in the European Parliament for the first time, Labour's Jon Cruddas warned today.
In his first interview since being appointed by Gordon Brown to lead Labour's campaign against the extremist fringe, he said there was a real danger of the BNP getting an MEP elected in next June's elections.
Speaking to the Evening Standard, the Dagenham MP said there was also a danger the BNP could make major gains in local elections on the back of public anxiety about the economy.
"They feed off a sense of alienation and exploit any policy vacuum," he said. "Their appeal is strongest whenever there is a sense of a scramble around limited resources. There is a real fear the credit crunch will bear down on jobs and pay, push up unemployment and intensify competition for scarce resources, and that that will create a more fertile ground for the BNP to operate in."
Mr Cruddas was so concerned about the BNP threat that he turned down a ministerial job offered to him by the Prime Minister on Saturday. His decision surprised some MPs and some have speculated that he is keeping his distance from Mr Brown in order to stand in future as a Labour leadership candidate. Asked if he could rule himself out of a leadership contest, he replied: "There was all sorts of speculation about leadership a few weeks ago but I think it has been put to bed now.
"The underlying theme after conference, and because of the economy, is unity. Any speculation is more unfounded than usual though no one can anticipate what will happen down the line."
Keeping his options firmly open, he added: "I think that speculation has gone away for quite a while."
Mr Cruddas also claimed the party was content with the reshuffle - including the return of Peter Mandelson. "I do not detect a great deal of hostility to Peter Mandelson coming in," he said. "He has a lot of experience and there's quite a lot of support for bringing back some of the old hands."
The weekend reshuffle was the second time he has turned down a frontbench job since coming third in last year's Labour deputy leadership contest.
Mr Cruddas has won the Prime Minister's backing for a campaign to fight back against the far-Right in areas such as his own where the BNP has made gains that culminated in Richard Barnbrook winning the first BNP seat on the London Assembly.
Mr Cruddas is this week meeting deputy leader Harriet Harman to discuss how Labour should react and is planning strategy talks with the trade unions. The regional list system introduced for the European elections give all smaller parties a bigger chance of winning seats, including the BNP.
Reader views (30)
lol.. I love how you say "The BNP is exploiting the economic crisis".
May I remind you that the BNP have been winning seat, after seat, after seat months before the economic crisis? Nick Griffin made a speech 6 years ago warning Labour will create an economic crisis.
And guess what.. he was right !!
Labour are liars, and anti-British.
- Tom, Rotherham
with any other party there is a chance of winning a euro seat, but with the BNP it is called a danger, exactly what is this danger?
- James Trueman, colwyn bay wales
Crudass an his like never said a dickie bird when the cartoon protests were terrorising Londons streets or Christians coming out of church after a few quotes from history from the Pope.
It seems he only cares about silencing the white working class who dont want more immigration.
He and the rest of his cronies at Wetminter dont need us and we dont need them. We've got someone to speak for us now on the London Assembly.
Europe would be the icing on the cake. I dont want to be in Europe of course but we may as well use every means available to protect our homeland
- Paul D, England UK
It just goes to show you can fool some of the people some of the time but not all of the people all of the time. Too bad Mr Cruddas that the dissidents are growing in numbers. Will you have to sell one your houses if you lose your job?
Welcome to the real world you helped create.
- Marianne E, Surrey UK
BNP could win Euro seat, warns Cruddas.
The BNP could win his seat warns me.
- Jane, Bristol
Labour have given the BNP so much to "exploit" Mr Cruddas.
Stop pretending you care about anyone who doesn't pray on a Friday.
- Mrs S, UK
The rise of the BNP is directly attributable to the lack of a Right Wing in the Conservative Party.
No one tackles immigration or the screams of an increasingly belligerent Islam for fear of the "R" word.
Cruddas is well known for his Far Left sympathies and distaste of the "white" culture.
The Left hate anyone they cannot bully and intimidate and Nationalists are traditionally hard to fool into thinking that the theft of their ancient rights and homeland is somehow a positive and enriching experience.
The fact Crudass lives around the corner (one of his homes)from David Cameron in a nice unenriched area courtesy of the taxpayer tells me all I need to know about both of them.
Two sides of the same coin.
- David Alexander, Edinburgh UK
SJ London: White trash youths? Isn't that term racist / has racial undertones? And what if I said had that the White communities have better work ethic, family values and commit less crime than people of colour, what you you and the rest of the brainwashed left say? Many people in the UK are tired of this one way street approach and that's why they have turned to the BNP as it is the only party listening and representing them. By stating you are white does not give you the right to use racial undertones and shame on you for thinking otherwise.
- Brandon Thomas, London UK
It beggars belief the arrogance of Nu Labour and Nu Nu Improved Nu Labour led by David Cameron joining with the Lib Dems to "smash the BNP".
Thats the chosen party of thousands of citizens they are talking about.
The mess the country is in, is not down to the BNP.
Who created the state we are in but the Old Gang of Labour/Conservative/Liberal?
The BNP can do no worse than any of them have already done.
It may have had a shady embryology but it has morphed into a credible attractive alternative to the Old Gang currently so scared of losing the stranglehold they have on Britain they are ganging up against them instead of the real and present dangers living in our midst.
- Felicity K, London
One of the main exploiters of the debt fantasy world created by Labour (and to no lesser extent by the 18 years of Conservative rule) has been Jon Cruddas. How many houses is it Jon? Three? Still claiming the expenses and you within a short commute to Westminster.
You can hardly accuse the BNP of "exploiting" a situation they have been warning against for years!
So long as nobody *****ed their bubble Labour couldn't care less what was really happening to our economy, industry and infrastructure. Well it is well and truly burst now!
- Frank Mcgill, Oxford
Economic downturn was one of the causes of the rise of the Nazis. It looks as if it'll happen all over again, this time in England. I'm sick of hearing racism spouting from the mouths of stupid inadequates. Most of it, in my street, from white trash youths who can't be bothered to work and find it easier to blame black people for not getting a job. The ethnic minorities in this country have more work ethic, family values and religious belief than the whites. If we need to get rid of a few people, why don't we ship some of this white scum to another country? (I'm white). I hope that everyone bleating about how much they hate this country on this messageboard will be the first to go. They clearly aren't going to contribute to making us Great.
- Sj, london
The BNP can be expected to go from strength to strength thanks to 10 years of uncontrolled immigration and consequent destruction of the UK as we knew it. I do not necessarily approve of the BNP but New Labour has only itself to blame if people are thoroughly fed up with the 3 main parties now.
- Jon Kent, Hertford. UK
Food for thought - Never in the last 30 years have the majority of the working class wanted uncontrolled third world immigration as they are first to feel any negative effects. How could importing cheap labour help their situation. So why if NuLabour are supposedly representing working class democratic interests have they and the trade unions ignored them completely and allowed millions to move here and support rampant PC causes? The fact is they have used these voters to carry out THEIR agenda and care about one thing only and that is POWER. If your working class you and a labour voter, you have been a Turkey voting for Christmas and if your a Trade Union member who has not opted out of the political levy you have been paying for the privellage.
- Jon, UK
i feel there is a huge groundswell of popular opinion for BNP. Whilst some of their policies may appear distasteful, some are really hitting home, and one look at their website may underline what i mean - they are really pro-UK - and when compared to the liberal, foreign is best policies of the current main parties - this makes for great reading!
- Gary, wycombe
So what's so bad about the BNP? They put the British first instead of selling out to every Tom, Dick and Mohammed who foist themselves on this country and demand housing, healthcare and other benefits. Roll on the next election, that's what I say.
- Carl, Norwich, England
I agree with the previous posters. Lax immigration policy and well-meant but misguided political correctness have contributed to the current financial crisis. The majority of voters want a more right-wing approach in this context.
- Rachel, Glamorgan
Cruddas already knows that at the next election, neighbouring Barking is already lost to the BNP under the new constituency boundaries. On the basis of vote share obtained in the last Barking & Dagenham Borough Council elections, and reinforced by vote share in the Mayoral and GLA elections this year, the BNP is at least level pegging with Labour. As voters see they are the main challenger in that constituency it is the BNP who will benefit from the anti-Labour swing. A bigger swing would be required in Dagenham, but there also the BNP is likely to be seen as the main challenger. The GLA elections also showed Havering as a BNP hotspot. Elsewhere in the country, one or more of the formerly 'safe Labour' Stoke on Trent seats are likely to be vulnerable.
In accepting his new role as Labour 'Chief BNP Basher' Cruddas believes his efforts will pay dividends in saving his own seat!
- David Moon, Seaford, UK
It's ok for well off MP's to sound off but in the real world there is a lot of discontent over what's happening.
So it shouldn't be too surprising if people protest vote.
- David, East London
What does this idiotic government expect after the damage they have done....they've given way to immigration and now are allowing hate to flourish...
- Sarah, London
is this a first for a member of parliament especially Cruddas in speaking the truth
the BNP will win seats in any election because this parliament have deserted the British people for their foreign friends
Read the BNP policies on their web site every one designed to enhance the British people and their future
- John Beatson, Sheffield England
They only have to look at the Austrian elections. Their version of the BNP got 29% of the votes. Surely they should learn from that and do something!
- Charlie, London
It's not rocket science! The state this country is in - I was expecting an uprising for a long time. The BNP will win more seats and have more of a presence in general in the UK. It scares me a lot (I have bad memories of the skinheads / riots in West London in the 70s) but at the same time I almost understand why people would turn to the BNP during these uncertain times. Unfortunately, some people like myself - who have been working since leaving School / Education and never claimed one day of benefit - will leave the UK (probably under pressure) to newer / safter pastures leaving behind the scroungers.
- Sanjay, Hounslow, UK
And ???
This is still a Democracy.
Anyway, they cant be any worse than the Labour Traitors on the gravy train looking after their own interests instead of those of their Country
- Chris, London
Uncontrolled immigration is the pre-emminent problem of the day. Nothing else really matters until this is sorted by stopping and reversing it. Lab won't do it, Cons won't do it and Libs won't do it. So if that's what you want you have no alternative but to vote BNP.
- Frank, England.
So the government is unhappy with the prospect of voters electing a person of their choice.
Yet the government had just imposed an unelected Peter Mandelson on us as a senior minister.
- Peter Jones, London
NuLabour are the enemy of democracy, common sense and free speech. And here we have the proof, as if it was needed.
- Jimbob, Kensington
it is political correctness and the human rights act and this governments open door policy on immigration/asylum to blame.john glasgow
- John Mckim, glasgow.uk
So the Horrible Little Commie Cruddas together with the rest of his Despotic Ilk are out to overturn democracy, they have already spent hundreds of thousands of members money in a vain attempt to finish off a Legitimate Political Party. I urge all the Media that is not in the pockets of this Moronic bunch of Miscreants to report the TRUTH concerning the financial backing that this operation is going to require ie. Union Subscription Money that belongs to its members have they been consulted as to its use in a word "NO" the Labour Party are Millions in the Red and should be like any legitimate business, "Wound Up Immediately" for illegal trading. Cruddas and his cohorts are the Do as we say Not as we do brigade. Democracy has only one side to them the Extreme Left that has crept in through the back door and both ruined our Great Capital and reduced this Once Great Nation to a Universal Laughing Stock. Remember its your vote its your mind not that of a Commie Creep that has no credibility with the Truth as you know it?
- Phil Shortland, Burton-Latimer England
"They feed off a sense of alienation and exploit any policy vacuum"
Well he should know! through it's reckless policies of unfettered immigration and boom and bust Cruddas's party have created the ideal environment for extremists to flourish...
- Zady, London
Of course they will unless this Government does something drastic about the rise of Islam and immigration in this country! THAT is what people are sick of! I am even tempted to vote for them.
- Charlie, London
