Far-right candidates in the local and general elections

from antifascistnetwork.org

Regardless of the results, next week’s general and local elections are already good news for anti-fascists. The far-right has collapsed electorally and is not mounting a serious challenge in any constituency in the UK. This is a very different from 2010, when the BNP stood 338 parliamentary candidates. This time round they are standing 8. Despite an influx of former BNP members to other far-right groups, notably the English Democrats, other fascist groups have not been able to pick up the slack. Electorally, the far-right is at its lowest ebb for a generation, although this is partly because the vote won by groups like the BNP has swung toward UKIP.

We hate to kick a man when he’s down, but this represents a golden opportunity for anti-fascists to push these racist groups out of the political arena completely.

Some points of interest:

The English Democrats are standing 32 general election candidates. Of particular interest are ex-BNP national organiser Eddy Butler standing in Harlow and ex-BNP Barnsley organiser Ian Sutton standing in Barnsley central.

The BNP are again standing a respectable number of candidates in the local elections in Worcester. This is the third year on the trot they have done this when the party elsewhere has collapsed. The British Democrats are standing a handful of candidates in Leicestershire.

English Democrat local election candidates are concentrated in Barnsley and Liverpool. Most of the Liverpool candidates are names familiar from the now defunct Liverpool BNP branch.

Far-right general election candidates

British Democratic Party

Bradford East – Jim Lewthwaite

British National Party

Braintree – Paul Hooks
Boston & Skegness – Robert West
Charnwood – Cathy Duffy
Dagenham & Rainham – Tess Culnane
Hornchurch & Upminster – Paul Borg
Kingswood – Julie Lake
Old Bexley & Sidcup – Nicola Finch
Rotherham – Adam Walker

English Democrats

Barnsley Central – Ian Sutton (ex-BNP Barnsley organiser)
Barnsley East – Kevin Riddiough
Bath – Jenny Knight
Berwick-upon-Tweed – Neil Humphrey
Bexleyheath & Crayford – Maggi Young
Bradford West – Therese Hirst
Brentwood & Ongar – Robin Tilbrook
Bury South – Valerie Morris
Central Suffolk and North Ipswich – Tony Holyoak
Dagenham & Rainham – Kim Gandy
Dartford – Steve Uncles
Don Valley – Louise Dutton
Doncaster Central – Dean Walker
Doncaster North – David Allen
Erith & Thamesmead – Graham Moore
Faversham & Mid Kent – Gary Butler
Harlow – Eddy Butler (ex-BNP national organiser)
Kettering – Derek Hilling
Monmouth – Stephen Morris
Nuneaton – Steve Paxton
Penistone & Stocksbridge – Colin Porter
Rother Valley – Sharon Pilling
Rotherham – Dean Walker
Sheffield Brightside & Hillsborough – Justin Saxton
Sheffield Central – Elizabeth Breed
Sheffield Hallam – Steve Clegg
Sheffield Heeley – David Haslett
Sheffield South East – Matthew Roberts
Southend West – Jeremy Moss
Stevenage – Charles Vickers
Wentworth & Dearne – Alan England
Weston-super-Mare – Clive Lavelle

Liberty GB

Birmingham Ladywood – Timothy Burton
Lewisham West & Penge – George Whale
Luton South – Paul Weston

National Front

Aberdeen North – Chris Willett
Bridgend – Adam Lloyd
Carshalton & Wallington – Richard Edmonds
Hull East – Mike Cooper
Linlithgow & East Falkirk – Neil McIvor
North Tyneside – Rob Batten
Rochdale – Kevin Bryan

Patria

Bournemouth West – Dick Franklin
Chichester – Dr Andrew Emerson

Independents

Stoke North – Craig Pond (former BNP Stoke branch secretary)