Dear All
The BNP have a plan, on the face of it, it may succeed; they want a seat in Holyrood.
In the European Election, they polled 3,000 votes in the City of Glasgow, to get a regional list MSP at the Holyrood elections; they would need about 5,000 votes.
Their plan is to use the Westminister election as a springboard by targeting high profile seats held by Labour Ministers.
The BNP is to stand against Gordon Brown, Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling, they won’t win but the fact they are standing will attract publicity.
In Jim Murphy seat at the last election it was effectively a three fight between Labour, Tory and Lib Dems, the SNP Candidate Osama Bhutto polled a very poor fourth.
The BNP could possibly get a handful of votes in this area.
BNP’s Scottish leader Gary Raikes is to be the BNP Candidate in East Renfrewshire, which is not an area of natural BNP support.
Raikes said;
“Jim Murphy is a very important target for us”.
The real fight for Murphy is the Tories, last election 20,815, vs 14,158; a good base to attempt to regain the seat.
The Lib Dems sit on 8,659 so they have a chance providing they have been active in the area.
Gordon Archer who is the new SNP Candidate has a mountain to climb but the SNP nationally are popular so he may benefit from that success but not to the tune of 17,000 plus.
East Renfrewshire is a mixed community; it contains almost half of Scotland’s Jewish population and large Islamic communities so
Murphy is pledging to recruit Christian, Muslim and Jewish groups to fight what he described as the “abhorrent” far-right party.
If the BNP were a threat I could see the argument for Murphy’s actions but I suspect he will play up the BNP threat to get volunteers to help his election campaign.
At present Murphy has been canvassing for volunteers in Newton Mearns, inviting residents to meetings, previously one was attended by Peter Mandelson as a guest.
In East Renfrwshire, the BNP will have no impact except for the publicity they will get from the press.
But considering that is their goal, they should attain it, but the mainstream parties have work to do, they need to challenge BNP policies head on and defeat them by logic, hard work and deeds.
Yours sincerely
The BNP have a plan, on the face of it, it may succeed; they want a seat in Holyrood.
In the European Election, they polled 3,000 votes in the City of Glasgow, to get a regional list MSP at the Holyrood elections; they would need about 5,000 votes.
Their plan is to use the Westminister election as a springboard by targeting high profile seats held by Labour Ministers.
The BNP is to stand against Gordon Brown, Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling, they won’t win but the fact they are standing will attract publicity.
In Jim Murphy seat at the last election it was effectively a three fight between Labour, Tory and Lib Dems, the SNP Candidate Osama Bhutto polled a very poor fourth.
The BNP could possibly get a handful of votes in this area.
BNP’s Scottish leader Gary Raikes is to be the BNP Candidate in East Renfrewshire, which is not an area of natural BNP support.
Raikes said;
“Jim Murphy is a very important target for us”.
The real fight for Murphy is the Tories, last election 20,815, vs 14,158; a good base to attempt to regain the seat.
The Lib Dems sit on 8,659 so they have a chance providing they have been active in the area.
Gordon Archer who is the new SNP Candidate has a mountain to climb but the SNP nationally are popular so he may benefit from that success but not to the tune of 17,000 plus.
East Renfrewshire is a mixed community; it contains almost half of Scotland’s Jewish population and large Islamic communities so
Murphy is pledging to recruit Christian, Muslim and Jewish groups to fight what he described as the “abhorrent” far-right party.
If the BNP were a threat I could see the argument for Murphy’s actions but I suspect he will play up the BNP threat to get volunteers to help his election campaign.
At present Murphy has been canvassing for volunteers in Newton Mearns, inviting residents to meetings, previously one was attended by Peter Mandelson as a guest.
In East Renfrwshire, the BNP will have no impact except for the publicity they will get from the press.
But considering that is their goal, they should attain it, but the mainstream parties have work to do, they need to challenge BNP policies head on and defeat them by logic, hard work and deeds.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
Oh well does it make a difference really? I'm sure there will be the usual discrepancies with postal votes thus ensuring a Labour win anyway. ;)
ReplyDeleteDear D'ziet Sma
ReplyDeleteI am sure Murphy will be glad the BNP is standing, gives him a drum to bang.
For some time he has been trying to recruit volunteers to help him remain MP for East Renfrewshire.
I know of one guy who was approached a few times.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University