Barking
2010 Results:
Conservative: 8073 (17.79%)
Labour: 24628 (54.26%)
Liberal Democrat: 3719 (8.19%)
BNP: 6620 (14.59%)
UKIP: 1300 (2.86%)
Green: 317 (0.7%)
Christian: 482 (1.06%)
Socialist Labour: 45 (0.1%)
Monster Raving Loony: 82 (0.18%)
Independent: 77 (0.17%)
Others: 45 (0.1%)
Majority: 16555 (36.47%)
Notional 2005 Results:
Labour: 18049 (48.6%)
Conservative: 6691 (18%)
BNP: 5825 (15.7%)
Liberal Democrat: 4117 (11.1%)
Other: 2460 (6.6%)
Majority: 11358 (30.6%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 4943 (17.1%)
Labour: 13826 (47.8%)
Liberal Democrat: 3211 (11.1%)
BNP: 4916 (17%)
Green: 618 (2.1%)
UKIP: 803 (2.8%)
Other: 589 (2%)
Majority: 8883 (30.7%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 5768 (23%)
Labour: 15302 (60.9%)
Liberal Democrat: 2450 (9.8%)
BNP: 1606 (6.4%)
Majority: 9534 (37.9%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 5802 (17.6%)
Labour: 21698 (65.8%)
Liberal Democrat: 3128 (9.5%)
Referendum: 1283 (3.9%)
Other: 1053 (3.2%)
Majority: 15896 (48.2%)
Boundary changes: Barking significantly increases in size under the new boundaries, gaining the wards of Alibon, Parsloes and Valence on the Becontree estate while losing only a small part of River ward.
Profile: a traditional white-working class seat that now includes much of the Becontree council estate. The south of the constituency is earmarked for major redevelopment and will see large scale housing development as part of the Thames Riverside development over coming years. Barking is the BNP`s strongest seat in the country, they managed to come third at the last election and won 12 seats on Barking and Dagenham Borough Council in the 2006 local elections. While on paper the boundary changes appear to reduce the BNP`s support in the seat, the BNP returned councillors in all three of the new wards in 2006 and they are likely to prove fertile territory for the far-right.
Current MP: Margaret Hodge(Labour) born 1944, Egypt. Educated at the LSE. Prior to her election to Parliament she was leader of Islington Council. First entered Parliament in a 1994 by-election. Prior to the 2006 local elections was criticised for giving the BNP the oxygen of publicity by claiming that up to 9 out of 10 of her white constituents would vote for them. Junior minister in the department of education 1998-2001, Minister of state 2001-2007 in the departments of education, work and trade and industry. Minister of State for Culture, Media and Sport since 2007, taking a year out between 2008 and 2009 to care for her terminally ill husband (more information at They work for you)
Simon Marcus (Conservative) Born London. Educated at Kings College London. Runs the London Boxing Academy.Margaret Hodge(Labour) born 1944, Egypt. Educated at the LSE. Prior to her election to Parliament she was leader of Islington Council. First entered Parliament in a 1994 by-election. Prior to the 2006 local elections was criticised for giving the BNP the oxygen of publicity by claiming that up to 9 out of 10 of her white constituents would vote for them. Junior minister in the department of education 1998-2001, Minister of state 2001-2007 in the departments of education, work and trade and industry. Minister of State for Culture, Media and Sport since 2007, taking a year out between 2008 and 2009 to care for her terminally ill husband (more information at They work for you)
Dominic Carman (Liberal Democrat) Son of George Carman QC. Journalist and author. Finalist in ITV`s political talent show “Vote for Me” in 2005.
Jayne Forbes (Green) Contested Hornsey and Wood Green 2001, 2005.
Frank Maloney (UKIP) born Peckham. Boxing manager and promoter, managed Lennox Lewis 1989-2001. Contested London mayoralty 2004.
Nick Griffin (BNP) born 1959, London. Educated at Woodbridge School and Cambridge University. Chairman of the BNP and MEP for North-West England. Former publicity officer and Parliamentary candidate for the National Front before leaving the party in 1989. Joined the BNP in 1995 and educated BNP magazines Spearhead and The Rune. In 1998 he was prosecuted for incitement to racial hatred in reation to an issue of The Rune that denied the holocaust. He was again arrested for incitement to racial hatred in 2004 in relation to a speech he made criticising Islam which was recorded by the BBC, he was subsequently found not guilty at trial. Chairman of the BNP since 1999 he has persued a strategy of giving the BNP a less overtly racist and extremist image. Contested North West Region 2004 European elections. MEP for North West England since 2009. Contested South Wales West in 2007 Welsh assembly elections. Contested Croydon North-West by-election 1981, Croydon North-West 1983 for the National Front. West Bromwich West by-election 2000, Oldham West & Royton 2001, Keighley 2005 for the BNP.
George Hargreaves (Christian) Born George Jackman in 1958. Educated at Woolverstone Hall School and Oxford University. Former songwriter, most famously penning Sinitta’s “So Macho”, now Pastor of the Hephizibah Christian Centre, Hackney. Contested Walthamstow for the Referendum Party in 1997. Contested 2004 Birmingham Hodge Hill by-election for Operation Christian Vote. Contested Scotland in 2004 European elections for Operation Christian Vote. Contested Na h-Eileanan an Lar 2005, Dunfermline and West Fife by-election 2006, Haltemprice and Howden by-election 2008, London in 2009 European elections.
Crucial Chris Dowling (Official Monster Raving Loony) Musician
Dapo Sijuwola (Restoration)
Thomas Darwood (Independent) Religious publisher. Claims to be the true Archbishop of Canterbury, Pope and heir to the throne. Contested Haltemprice and Howden 2008 by-election.2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 105316
Male: 47.6%
Female: 52.4%
Under 18: 26.3%
Over 60: 17.8%
Born outside UK: 12.9%
White: 83.1%
Black: 7.8%
Asian: 6.2%
Mixed: 2%
Other: 1%
Christian: 67.2%
Hindu: 1.2%
Muslim: 5.5%
Sikh: 1.2%
Full time students: 4.2%
Graduates 16-74: 10.8%
No Qualifications 16-74: 39.9%
Owner-Occupied: 52.3%
Social Housing: 40.6% (Council: 38.2%, Housing Ass.: 2.4%)
Privately Rented: 5.1%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 9.4%
This is a very heartening result for all democrats. As a Jew I am proud that Nick Griffin was beaten not just by a Labour Jew but also by a Tory Jew! What amazing hype there was compared to the actual result. The Standard never believed Griffin would be anywhere near & they were right.
Very pleased at this result, in a town where I lived until 2007.
I had thought, and predicted here, that the Tories would be second.
Respect to the Conservatives who clearly swalloed their pride and vote for an, albeit awful, Labour candidate, to keep out Griffin.
How did that happen to the council though?!
Bye bye to the BNP – but its not at all healthy for local government that Labour hold all 111 local councillors now in Newham and Barking and Dagenham.
The Tories/LDs need to get their act together in these areas and get some local councillors elected – everyone needs an opposition.
BNP obviously did badly here in the council elections because they tend to do well on low polls where their supporters still turn out. Obviously with this being a GE, this made the turnout in the council election a lot higher than it would otherwise be, thus swamping the small but zealous BNP voting base.
I’m not sure the result proves that the BNP cannot do well in the local elections in Barking again. I suppose they will count themselves unlucky that a GE was on the same day.
What perhaps it does prove is that the BNP will only ever do well when low turnout weakens their opponents.
Eric Forth contested this seat for the Tories in both 1974 elections. He came third in February behind the Liberals (8,012 vs 7,154) but managed to take second place in October by the tiny margin of 5,256 votes to 5,245.
Former Tory MPs Geoffrey Pattie contested the seat in 1970 and Marion Roe in 1979.
Thomas Darwood, I’d forgotten him!
There is a Council by-election in Goresbrook Ward next week. This was the BNP’s strongest ward in the Borough and their GLA member Richard Barnbrook, who lost it to Labour last month, is standing again as is the Labour candidate disqualified for being ineligible. A key test – the turnout is likely to be lower, but perhaps not that much lower. I suspect both Labour & BNP will have workers out in force.
Andy JS:
A further Barking connection is Mike Weatherley, who fought the seat for the Tories in 2001, contested Brighton Pavilion in 2005 before wisely decamping to, and winning (rather narrowly) Hove in 2010.
“Former Tory MPs Geoffrey Pattie contested the seat in 1970 and Marion Roe in 1979.”
And Theresa May was the candidate in the 1994 by election when Hodge was first elected
Allthough I am no great admirer of Margaret Hodge this was the best result of election night 2010. I am also glad that the Tory candidate polled higher than the BNP. Even though I dislike the Tories with a passion they are a legitimate political party. Common sense clearly prevailed in Barking!!
I wasn’t quite right about the by-election, it will in fact take place early next month.
“this was the best result of election night 2010.”
The result in neighbouring East Ham was considerably better. West Ham and of course Bethnal Green & Bow also saw more substantial swings to Labour.
“The result in neighbouring East Ham was considerably better. West Ham and of course Bethnal Green & Bow also saw more substantial swings to Labour.”
I think he just meant it was the best result to see for him (presumably because he was happy BNP didn’t do well) even if he doesn’t like Hodge so much
I didn’t know that Theresa May stood here in the 1994 by-election, that’s interesting. She came third behind the LDs, while the Tories held second place in Dagenham on the same day.
I remember it.
She was being quizzed rather hard about why the Tories only had 1,800 votes in a seat which had almost been marginal in 1983-92.
However, it was the political situation at the time.
Perhaps being a bit battered is good experience for new politicians.
One of the rather irritating things about these two awful by-elections, is I remember Margaret Hodge and Judith Church together after the declarations with a slightly sanctimonious air, like Lib Dems,
with Malcolm Wicks guarding them and introducing them to the press.
“with a slightly sanctimonious air, like Lib Dems”
or like New Labour
Actually Judith Church was more spade a spade,
but Hodge and Wicks were sanctimonious.
One can understand people want to avoid the press in many situations, but they had won, and had no reason to hide,
and he was treating us all as though we should be very grateful to hear some self important “celeb”.
A big sigh of relief in Labour ranks as BNP Assembly member Richard Barnbrook failed by a couple of hundred votes to retake Goresbrook Ward from Labour. Bearing in mind the low turnout of 25% there could have even been a very slight swing to Labour. The BNP poured resources into this by-election and will be upset that they did not get closer to beating Labour; I must say I expected the result to be rather closer than it was.
Barnaby,
I echo your big sigh of relief. A good result all round.
Actually I’m not quite correct. Both the Labour & BNP shares of the vote were up, but the BNP went up 6.7% (almost entirely at the expense of the Conservatives, who were 4th) whereas Labour went up 3%.Nevertheless, it wasn’t actually close and it will still be a relief.
What’s suddenly happened to the BNP in Barking?
They can’t blame a general election turn out for failing to win back their best ward on a 25% turnout in a by-election.
An awful result for them.
I suspect that one of the reasons is quite simple; BNP members tend (with a few exceptions) not be very intelligent and, when elected, therefore tend to be ineffective, incompetent & clueless councillors. They posture to Kingdom come but achieve little or nothing, and thus lose support they previously had. Also I suspect that even some voters who may have some sympathy for some of the BNP’s policies have come to realise that the party has brought the area, rightly or wrongly, to some extent into disrepute. But I’m pretty sure the main reason is that they’ve not been good councillors, and thus have been booted out.
Totally agree Barnaby – Sandwell and Burnley are two other councils where BNP have been in decline in recent years
It has been suggested that the BNP could have won control of Barking in 2006 if they put up enough candidates.
If that was likely, then we could have had the (unique?) case of a party controlling a council getting completely wiped out at the next election.
There were some astonishing turnarounds in control, like in 1995 in Castle Point,
but I can’t think of any case where this happened
apart from
Basildon 1992 v 1994
(although it is a council which comes up in thirds).
Perhaps the reason the BNP did not do as well as expected ,was because the very people who would vote for them, are the ones most likely to have had enough of the multi- cultural East London and they have moved to areas more to thier likeing thus taking thier vote with them.
.I’m not too comfortable with people going to the area ,who don’t live there, as its smacks of the’ bully boy’ flying pickets from the 1970′s ,and its surely patronising to think the people can’t make thier own minds up, without your insights into the matter …..
The National Front pretty much faded away as a political force after Labour lost in 1979. Whether the same thing will happen to the BNP or not remains to be seen.
That’s an interesting point. The note of caution I’d raise is that in 1979 Margaret Thatcher, rightly or wrongly, was perceived by many bigoted voters as having successfully stolen many of the NF’s clothes. (I must stress that I do draw a very clear distinction personally between Thatcherism and Fascism, of course, which I’m sure regular visitors to this site already realise.) Today however I doubt whether many, indeed any, such voters think of David Cameron in this way. Naturally I rejoice in any difficulties the racist far right experiences.
“I’m not too comfortable with people going to the area ,who don’t live there”
Sounds like you’d fit right in!
I suppose ideally you’re right, but since I’m sure we all agree that one of the most effective tools for defeating the BNP is to have a vibrant and competitive local democracy rather than a one-party state, those of us who campaign for other parties (Lib Dem, Conservative, Green) need to build up our strength in these areas to be able to challenge Labour and provide an alternative opposition to the BNP.
In reality, even where there are already local activists, help from outside will be needed at least to kickstart that campaigning. I went down to Barking for the Goresbrook by-election on polling day and it was an overwhelmingly positive experience and helped motivate our local group that they were getting support from outside in a totally no-win by-election.
What I don’t like are groups like UAF or the Anti-Nazi League parading round causing trouble making the campaign all about the BNP – they are not only usually Communist loons but totally counterproductive. There is no opportunity to write “Oh Noez, not teh Bee-Enn-Pee!” on your ballot and have it count for anything.
Picking up on Barnaby’s point, the BNP, or National Front as I think it might have been, were delighted when the mild mannered John Major took over from Margaret Thatcher and saw it as a real opportunity to make their mark on Britsh politocs
As we know thankfully they’ve mostly failed but thanks to the PR voting system adopted for our European elections they have two seats in the European parliament, which whilst not much, does give them some sort of a springboard on which to fight on
From Channel 4′s website:
‘The Battle for Barking’ – More4, Tues 30 Nov, 10PM
“Laura Fairrie’s film records the battle between Labour’s Margaret Hodge and BNP leader Nick Griffin in the London borough of Barking during this year’s election”
Apparently Nick Griffin has announced his plans to resign the BNP leadership within 3 years! That’s a bit grandiose, even Blair didn’t go that far. I wonder if the discontented party members will get rid of him quicker than that.
They tried and failed. Most of the discontented party members are no longer party members.
You’re right Pete – it’s fortunate for the rest of us that Fascists hate each other almost as much as they hate the likes of me and those who are opposed to their policies. Sometimes they make us in the Labour Party look like amateurs when it comes to arguing.
Nick Griffin is notorious for repressing free speech in his own party. He said after the result to a journalist that it was the end for the party and they would become a pressure group, luckily for everyone else they have been silent since then.
Tonight’s Panorama on BBC1 shed more light on the BNP’s rise and subsequent decline.
It looks like a very large amount can be explained by their financial position.
… there was also an odd mention at the end of the programme of somebody who had been providing off-the-record information for the programme, but who has died within the last 8 days. Does anyone have more info?
Checking back and a bit of digging tells me it was former BNP treasurer David Hannam who died, apparently from a heart attack.
The BNP seem to suggest that being investigated by the BBC might have driven him to his grave age 30, but another explanation might be that the BNP were putting pressure on him to not reveal all to the BBC. Given that David Hannam’s family were willing for him to be named by the BBC as the source of much of their information, I suspect the family didn’t blame the BBC.
I have a feeling the BNP will be back in 2014 to fight in the local elections. Their success will depend on how the Labour council do in the coming years.
On the subject of the BNP I am preparing to see them stand in local elections next year in Thurrock as well exploiting the ‘swapped by immigrants’ vote while playing on the inefficiencies of the present Labour council.