BNP Kept Out of Chadwell Heath

Well at least there’s one bit of good news from last night’s by election in The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Fears of a BNP upsurge on the back of their London Assembly Member, already strong base in the council in B and D and their overtaking Labour last week in Henley were allayed. The official results are here:

Results for the Chadwell Heath Ward By-Election

• Terry Justice
  Conservative Party. Votes cast = 842. Elected
• Dorien McIlroy
  Independent. Votes cast = 11
• Margaret Mullane
  Labour Party. Votes cast = 691
• Kerry Smith
  UK Independence Party. Votes cast = 142
• James Webb
  British National Party. Votes cast = 564

Turnout was 33.15%

There was a turnout of a third at a time of record low poll ratings for Labour so it’s probable that a lot of our people stayed at home. Labour’s Margaret Mullane avoided a Henley-esque result thankfuly, polling 30% (7% behind the winning candidate) at a time of difficult national circumstances. Still however it’s a disappointment in what is normally a Labour ward.