BNP backs Griffin with ‘huge’ 995 votes
By politics.co.uk staff
Nick Griffin has easily escaped facing a vote for the leadership of the British National party (BNP) after none of his challenges attracted the support of 20% of members.
Only those who have been members of the BNP for over two years were allowed to vote in the nominations stage of the process.
But only 29% of the far-right party’s longstanding members voted, 995 of whom backed the current leader.
A statement released yesterday evening on the party website hailed the “huge vote of confidence” Mr Griffin had received.
“The official nomination paper count was conducted today at noon under the auspices of well-respected BNP member of the European Parliament Andrew Brons,” it said.
“Mr Brons oversaw a tidy and clean count where all nominations were first verified and then counted, all under the watchful gaze of the leadership candidates.”
Election strategist Eddy Butler was the closest challenger, taking 214 votes. He required nearly four times as many votes to force a leadership election.
