Win sparks BNP fear

The British National Party has won its first council seat in London for more than decade.

The far-Right party's candidate, Daniel Kelly, seized the Gravesbrook ward of Barking and Dagenham council from Labour by 470 votes.

It is the first BNP council victory in London since Derek Beackon won a seat in Millwall in 1993. The win prompted warnings of a BNP resurgence in BNP in the capital.

London Assembly member John Biggs, who represents Labour in the area, said: "That the BNP can win a council seat is a disaster for decent people in Barking and Dagenham. It will give people outside a negative impression, damaging the reputation of the area and its people.

"I do not believe that the 73 per cent who did not vote want to be represented by extremists."

But the result suggests the party's fortunes were not damaged by a television exposé ·hich showed activists boasting of racehatecrimes. Labour could face another by-election loss in the same borough next month when the BNP contests Village ward.

Last night's poll saw the BNP win 1,072 votes, leaving Labour with 602, UKIP 137 and the Tories 111.

But Labour retains a majority of more than 40 on the council. The Tories and Liberal Democrats have just three seats apiece. The

BNP also won a council seat in Keighley, Yorkshire, last night. Its UK tally includes three seats in Epping, four in Bradford.

BNP spokesman Phil Edwards described the Barking and Dagenham result as "brilliant", and claimed: "People are now beginning to see through the lies and misinformation that have been told about us."

The party, he said, was starting to capitalise on concerns about immigration. "In some schools in London half the pupils are not white, and that cannot be a good thing."

A spokesman for Operation Black Vote said the result was dreadful.

"The BNP is always ready to exploit deprived areas, sowing fear and terror throughout multi-cultural communities," he added. "Anti-racist groups and other good people must now redouble their efforts."