A depressing day for British politics.

[yodasarmpit]

As the title states, a depressing day in British politics.

The BNP have gained a seat in the Euro elections.

The British National Party has won its first seat in the European Parliament after gaining more than 120,000 votes in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Labour could be on course to dip below 20% of the vote in what Harriet Harman has called a "very dismal" night.

After the first two English regions to declare, Labour was fourth on 14.4% of the vote behind the Lib Dems on 14.8%, UKIP on 18.4% and the Tories on 28.1%.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8088133.stm

I understand many are feeling disillusioned with the state of politics and MP's at the moment, but there is very little excuse for voting this lot in.

[anthonyvop]

As the title states, a depressing day in British politics.

The BNP have gained a seat in the Euro elections.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8088133.stm

I understand many are feeling disillusioned with the state of politics and MP's at the moment, but there is very little excuse for voting this lot in.

Now you know how I felt when Obama got elected.

[Fred Basset]

A sad day indeed for the UK but you can blame Blair and Brown and the Labour party for it and its going to get worse as time goes on..

[steve_spackman]

Everyone knew this would happen. Truth be told, none of them did anything about it!!!

[Fred Basset]

From what i read its the BNP have 2 seats in Europe now

[Tazio]

I guess we have nothing over you in the "White Supremacy" department
I feel your pain!

[Hondo]

I'd love to see one of the outgoing politicians stop at the microphone on the way out and say "yeah, you think you got us on these silly expenses and a few unpaid taxes but wait and see how we're going to use global warming to break it off in you!" And they will.

[Dave B]

There's a tiny part of me which thinks that there could be a silver lining in all this.

For years the BNP have been considered a fringe party of unelectable nutcases and for that reason mostly harmless - good for a protest vote because there was no danger of them actually achieving power.

Now that they have two seats and will actually be required to do some work, hopefully it won't be long before their constituents realise that they don't have any policies beyond racism, and no clue how to go about the business of politics beyond posturing and playing the victim.

Once this realisation dawns, I'm hopeful the BNP will have set their cause back by several decades.

[christophulus]

Now that they have two seats and will actually be required to do some work, hopefully it won't be long before their constituents realise that they don't have any policies beyond racism, and no clue how to go about the business of politics beyond posturing and playing the victim.

That's certainly my hope. Hopefully it'll act as a wake-up call to everyone who stayed at home and didn't vote, this is what happens. The problem now is they have funding and some credibility, and along with a slick leader who can play a crowd we should be worried.

Although as a friend pointed out, their ability to actually do any harm as an MEP will be somewhat minimised by the rather bloated and useless European parliament, so we are at least safe on that front!

[Hondo]

There's a tiny part of me which thinks that there could be a silver lining in all this.

For years the BNP have been considered a fringe party of unelectable nutcases and for that reason mostly harmless - good for a protest vote because there was no danger of them actually achieving power.

Now that they have two seats and will actually be required to do some work, hopefully it won't be long before their constituents realise that they don't have any policies beyond racism, and no clue how to go about the business of politics beyond posturing and playing the victim.

Once this realisation dawns, I'm hopeful the BNP will have set their cause back by several decades.

On the flip side, they may turn out to be quite capable, becoming popular beyond their current level of support. People can say a lot of things to appear proper and politically correct but sometimes that secret ballot reveals an underlying reality.