Election Result BNP 7% of the vote – Labour 48%, Conservative 26%, Lib Dems 18%

The Evening Chronicle reported that Scott Morrison was the BNP’s candidate for the Chester-le-Street bye election held on October 2nd 2003. But photographed and interviewed by the Chronicle is Kevin Scott – the BNP’s regional organiser. Photo: Kevin Scott

Absentee BNP candidates are nothing new. In the recent Newcastle Walker local council election BNP candidate, Jonathan Keys, rarely appeared on the doorstep. Not so Kevin Scott, Key’s political boss, who did most of the door-knocking – so much so that people reported confusion as to who they were being asked to vote for.

So, what happened to BNP support in Chester-le-Street? Vote Scott Morrison – Vote Kevin Scott – vote 7%!

After yet another election failure, Kevin Scott, who lost his job at B&Q following complaints from local people, may now be worrying about his job with the BNP. Though Scott has run candidates in every local election in the North East since May, all have failed in their bid to win seats on local councils.

The Sunday Sun – Champion of the North – summed up the pre-election situation very well,

“…this issue is too important to leave alone. The vile prejudice and downright racism peddled by these fascistic idiots will not go away.

The result in the recent by-election in Newcastle’s Walker seat where they came second to Labour – beating the Lib Dems and the Tories in the process – was a stark indication of that.

Another of their candidates will fight the town hall poll in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, next month. And so it will continue.

It is dangerously complacent to suppose that these divisive hatemongers have no hope of a seat in the North as the 17 per cent of the vote they won in Walker will attest.

They have 18 councillors across the country and we should do all we can to deny them a 19th in our region.

Which is why we will continue to campaign against them . . . and be thoroughly proud of doing so.”

Sunday Sun: Fighting hate and prejudice

Searchlight and BNP electoral fraud: Fraudsters and liars

Chronicle: Far-right party bids for first seat in North

Searchlight and Burnley Councillor Luke Smith: Red, White and Blue Festival ends up Black and Blue