BNP take Labour seat in Yorkshire

The BNP's first MEP, Andrew Brons, attacks Gordon Brown and the EU

BNP candidate Andrew Brons has become the party's first MEP after he won a seat in Yorkshire and Humber with 10% of the vote.

Mr Brons, a former Harrogate College lecturer, polled 120,139 votes and took the seat from the Labour Party.

BNP leader Nick Griffin has also been elected for the North West region.

In other results from the region, the Conservative Party won two seats, and Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the UK Independence Party won one each.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Brons said: "Despite the lies, despite the money, despite the misrepresentation we've managed to win through."

He added: "I regard this as the first step towards the United Kingdom, the British people, getting freedom from the European Union dictatorship."

'Profoundly sad'

Labour and the Tories expressed their dismay at the result, saying it was a "sad moment" for British politics.

Shahid Malik, Labour MP for Dewsbury, said: "It's a profoundly sad day for British politics and for our great democracy.

"In this region in particular, Yorkshire is renowned for fair play and decency. I hope many Yorkshire voters will examine their consciences when they wake up in the morning."

Andrew Brons was formerly a lecturer at Harrogate College

Mr Malik went on to say: "It's also significant that there has been a sharp decline in the turn-out and many people didn't bother to come out and vote."

Despite the victories in the North West and Yorkshire, the BNP had a lower share of the national vote than the Green Party who had 8.8% to the BNP's 6.6%.

The Tories gained 299,802 Yorkshire votes, Labour 230,009, UKIP 213,750, the Liberal Democrats 161,552 and the BNP 120,139. Turnout was 32.3%.

Also elected were Conservatives Edward McMillan-Scott and Timothy Kirkhope, Linda McAvan for Labour, Liberal Democrat Diana Wallis and UKIP's Godfrey Bloom.