Indymedia York

After the votes were counted, the BNP were left to lick their wounds after a performance that failed to give them a seat, nor any particular sense of victory. However, this doesn't mean we've seen the last of them, as stated in their announcement to the local newspaper that they now have a better idea of where to focus next time. In Acomb, where their leader of sorts, Ian Dawson, stood, they made it to 520 votes, just over 3% of those cast. A vote for Dawson appeared on around 1 in 20 of the ballots cast.

There had been worries about Hull Road, but these came to nothing, or more precisely 259 in a ward with a 6705 electorate. They completely flopped in Fishergate (111), confirming the previous sense that this was a stupid choice of seat to stand. Clifton brough 251 votes, also a pathetic showing.

The key areas where they picked up votes were West of the Railway and North of the Ringroad, two dividing lines that cut people off from the bulk of the city. West of the Railway lies the area of York which still bares the socio-economic scars of the carriage-works closure, and which has the most facilities for surviving alone. The key wards to watch in this area were Acomb, Westfield and Holgate.

Haxby and Wiggington, while having affluent streets, also have significant problem areas. The BNP had been working hard in both wards since as early as last August. The final ward where they polled more than 500 votes was Heworth, which takes in a large part of Tang Hall.

The message appears to be that the people of York largely rejected the BNP's message of hate, but that the BNP themselves will take a lot more work to get rid of. Where some had suggested that they would boycott the count completely, they still showed up, though they showed their true strength; all of 15 supporters were visible at one point. However, this is a wound that must not be left to fester, or a bigger price will be paid next time. Someone must offer these parts of York an alternative quickly, or run the risk of having their role taken by those who propose an alternative based solely on hatred and vacuous promises.