Labour Party suffers historic defeat in European vote (Roundup)

Jun 8, 2009, 15:25 GMT

London - Britain's ruling Labour Party suffered a crushing defeat in elections to the European parliament which also saw the rise of anti-European and anti-immigration extremist parties, according to results Monday.

Labour's share of the national vote slumped to 15 per cent, down from 22 per cent in the 2004 elections, as it was beaten into third place by the openly anti-European UK Independent Party (UKIP) with 16 per cent of the vote.

The result was the worst for Labour in a nationwide poll since 1918.

The Conservatives improved their share of the vote to 29 per cent, while the Liberal Democrats, Britain's most pro-European party, gained just over 13 per cent, slightly less than in 2004.

With voter turnout at around 30 per cent, smaller fringe parties benefited from voter apathy, analysts said.

While enthusiasm for European elections is traditionally lower in Britain than in most other EU member states, the low turnout also reflected the electorate's anger over a scandal that revealed the abuse of parliamentary expenses by lawmakers from all the mainstream parties.

Low turnout was also believed to have helped the British National Party (BNP) win its first seats to the European Parliament.

The nationalist party, led by Nick Griffin, won two seats.

It is the first time ever that the BNP, which grew out of the notorious National Front (NF) movement of the 1960s and 1970s, won a parliamentary seat in a nationwide poll in Britain.

The party campaigns on an anti-Islamist, anti-immigration platform, denies the Holocaust and 'defends rights for whites.' It opposes Turkey's entry into the EU outright.

BNP leader Nick Griffin, who won a seat in Manchester, northern England, said his party's presence in the European parliament would 'transform British politics' as it would now 'grow very rapidly.'

'We are not a racist party. We do say this country is full up. They key is to shut the door,' he added, in a reference to what the party calls 'unlimited immigration' from Eastern Europe.

The BNP's success was condemned across the political spectrum, with a government minister saying it marked a 'sad day for Britain.'

Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the BNP's presence in the European parliament would be 'damaging for Britain.'

UKIP, a party which campaigns for Britain's withdrawal from the EU and advocates a limit on immigration, said its gains were a 'hell of an achievement.'

By overtaking Labour, UKIP had proved that is was no longer just a 'protest party' on the fringes of British politics.

Meanwhile, Labour's losses were likely Sunday to reignite the widespread discontent with Brown's leadership in Labour Party ranks, following last week's near-rebellion as government ministers walked out in what was seen as an attempt at a coup.

Brown is set to face a crucial meeting of Labour's parliamentary party Monday evening, amid reports that rebels would attempt to gain the support of a minimum of 70 Labour backbenchers to trigger a leadership contest.