# The BNP & The South West



## BlackArab (Jun 8, 2009)

SW            British National Party 60,889 3.9 (+0.9) 0 0 

We appear to have the lowest percentage of BNP voters in the Euros which is the only silver lining for me today. Why is this do you think? 

Anti-BNP activism? Stronger regional economy? More integration/tolerance?

Personally I think all of the above but am I too optimistic?

Your thoughts...


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## Isambard (Jun 8, 2009)

Patterns of (im)migration, demographics, socio-economic structue, different political traditions.

It's not that people in the South West are any "better".


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## Geri (Jun 8, 2009)

Isambard said:


> Patterns of (im)migration, demographics, socio-economic structue, different political traditions.
> 
> It's not that people in the South West are any "better".



Yes it is!


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## Isambard (Jun 8, 2009)

So sorry.


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## BlackArab (Jun 8, 2009)

Isambard said:


> Patterns of (im)migration, demographics, socio-economic structue, different political traditions.
> 
> It's not that people in the South West are any "better".



Can you expand on that. I mean there has been an a noticeable increase in immigration in Bristol over the last decade or so. I have friends from Chard who say the same thing. 

Also I was in Plymuff a couple of years ago with an ex who grew up there and she was amazed at all the non-English people she saw there having been one of a very small handful of non-whites as a child there.

Not sure what you mean by the rest of your points.


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## BlackArab (Jun 8, 2009)

Geri said:


> Yes it is!



True but not scientific.


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## Isambard (Jun 8, 2009)

Briefest reply before I go sleepy-byes.

Despite increased immigration, the numbers and proportion of the non-indigenous remain small in % and absolute terms and are thus less of a "threat".

There's an inward flow of relatively wealthy (indigenous) migrants in the higher age brackets and a tradition of migration from the low employment areas of the region to find regular work elsewhere rather than staying put.

The readily identifiable working class areas are small and spread out.

There is outside of Bristol and perhaps the odd other area, no modern Labour Party tradition that has subsequently let the indginous working class down.

There are weaknesses in the economy, but not the de industrialisatiion deprivation you see elsewhere.


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## BlackArab (Jun 8, 2009)

True. But up to about twenty years ago when the non-white/British population was much smaller, Bristol from my experiences and memory had much more right wing presence. I certainly wouldn't have considered walking around certain areas like Fishponds and Kingswood for example on my own.

Agreed on the rest of the points though and I guess the music and culture of this area is probably a strong factor in integrating different ethnicities but I'm not sure how big an influence this is.


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## Geri (Jun 9, 2009)

There are still some areas where you wouldn't necessarily want to hang around if you aren't white - it's no surprise that the BNP stood in Hillfields, because going back probably about a year ago there were some nasty incidents involving mainly Somalian women I think.


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## King Biscuit Time (Jun 9, 2009)

The South West is not just Bristol and Plymouth.

Being a small town Devon bay myself - I'm surprised the BNP vote isn't higher. Although I guess the fact that there's no traditional Labour support at all outside the big cities means that people's preferences for more moderate (than the BNP at least) right wing parties are deeper ingrained. There's certainly not the mass of disenfranchised ex-Labour voters we've got in the North of England.


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## BlackArab (Jun 11, 2009)

King Biscuit Time said:


> The South West is not just Bristol and Plymouth.
> 
> Being a small town Devon bay myself - I'm surprised the BNP vote isn't higher. Although I guess the fact that there's no traditional Labour support at all outside the big cities means that people's preferences for more moderate (than the BNP at least) right wing parties are deeper ingrained. There's certainly not the mass of disenfranchised ex-Labour voters we've got in the North of England.



But are there any issues with immigration/ethnicity? The BNP are pretty much seen as a single issue party like the Greens, so the lack of 'threat' as Isambard mentioned might be the factor there.


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## butchersapron (Jun 11, 2009)

King Biscuit Time said:


> The South West is not just Bristol and Plymouth.
> 
> Being a small town Devon *bay* myself - I'm surprised the BNP vote isn't higher. Although I guess the fact that there's no traditional Labour support at all outside the big cities means that people's preferences for more moderate (than the BNP at least) right wing parties are deeper ingrained. There's certainly not the mass of disenfranchised ex-Labour voters we've got in the North of England.



Sidmouth?

The BNP have been really trying into the rural vote down in the sw - they've been trying to jump on economic issues like lack of housing and work, there's been some proper regular public activity in and around Exeter for the first time in years, and there have been small meetings in lots of villages. I think the geographical spread of population means that they're never going to gain the sort of public profile that they would for the same level of activity in city or large town. For the same reason it's hard to tell if they've actually sunk any roots or if it's just the same old faces upping their work rate as result fo the national successes. That said, there does seem to be a lot of new faces and names that i don't recognise, esp in Cornwall - not a good sign.

Moving up towards Bristol, there's been a real growth in membership and activity in Somerset, on a level that i never thought i'd see. Lots of old faces coming out of the woodwork now that it seems they've got the ear of part of the public - lot of family memberships as well. Wiltshire seems to be developing too - playing on military themes over there.

Bristol is slightly on the backburner whilst they're getting such good responses elsewhere, but i think they realise that there's a lot of potential - they're just concentrating on laying the structure for later activity right now, but they've got good funding and are getting ready to spread their shit put from Fishponds across to lockleaze, filton taple hill, St george. Kingswood Knowle - they'll be targeting areas like that first. Though judging from the membership list a lot of their members aren't too used to being in areas like that 

Historically, there have always been fascists in Bristol - scene of many battles with the the BUF, including one very famous one at the top of park street also a regular trouble whenever the BUG held meetings at Colston hall. They used to have mass meeting on the downs with thousands of people attending. Weston used has pitched battles on the sea-front on sundays, decades before the mods and rockers. They've never really gained more than toehold during the 30s though. 

Today, i think they're set to grow - local votes have show this - even getting a good return when going head to head with Jerry Hicks - that ward is going to be very interesting for the next few


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## BlackArab (Jun 11, 2009)

butchersapron said:


> Historically, there have always been fascists in Bristol - scene of many battles with the the BUF, including one very famous one at the top of park street also a regular trouble whenever the BUG held meetings at Colston hall. They used to have mass meeting on the downs with thousands of people attending. Weston used has pitched battles on the sea-front on sundays, decades before the mods and rockers. They've never really gained more than toehold during the 30s though.



I've not read about this before, do you have any links/references?


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## danny la rouge (Jun 11, 2009)

BlackArab said:


> SW            British National Party 60,889 3.9 (+0.9) 0 0
> 
> We appear to have the lowest percentage of BNP voters in the Euros which is the only silver lining for me today.


Scotland's is lower: 2.5%.  Don't know if that's the lowest, but it's lower than 3.9%.


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## butchersapron (Jun 11, 2009)

BlackArab said:


> I've not read about this before, do you have any links/references?




Sure, i'll dig something up in a bit.

edit: i'll try and get onot tthis later - apols


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## BlackArab (Jun 12, 2009)

danny la rouge said:


> Scotland's is lower: 2.5%.  Don't know if that's the lowest, but it's lower than 3.9%.



Have to admit I only looked at England and Wales but fair play to the Scots


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## butchersapron (Jun 13, 2009)

Vote in bristol came in at 5.75%. Highest vites in SW were Plymouth with 6.02%, Swindon with 5,95%, Gloucs with 6.58%.


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## Isambard (Jun 15, 2009)

Exactly where in the region it would be expected.
I suspect if there was seperate data for Plymouth, that would also show a relatively high BNP vote. Nothing to do with badness or goodness.


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## butchersapron (Jun 15, 2009)

i thought they might do well in exeter, just did the 3.5% though.


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## Isambard (Jun 15, 2009)

Despite the issues facing that part of Devon (work / housing) it doesn't have the "bloc" that can be built elsewhere. It's a difference between the SW and much of the rest of England, imvho.


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## Meltingpot (Jun 16, 2009)

I think UKIP get the "reactionary" votes down here that the BNP get in other parts of the country.


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## Danny Rose (Jul 2, 2009)

butchersapron said:


> Sure, i'll dig something up in a bit.
> 
> edit: i'll try and get onot tthis later - apols


 
We're still waiting


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