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sUMMER200924EuropEanElEctionsTheEuropeanParliamentelectiontakesplaceonJune4.Theright-wingBritishNationalPartyBNPaimstogainseatsintheNorthWestWestMidlandsandtheYorkshireandHumberregions.Inthe2004EuropeanelectiontheBNPwasjust1.5percentshortogettingelectedintheNorthWestand1.6percentshortintheWestMidlands.Theygained808202votesequatingto4.7percentoallvotesacrossBritain.ThisrepresentedthebiggestelectoralvoteoraascistgroupinBritishhistory.AtthetimeUKIPpolledthethirdlargestshareothevotewith2660768votes15.6percent.SincethepartyimplodedmanyareconcernedthatthereisarealdangerthattheBNPcouldgetelecteditheypickupevenasmallproportionoUKIPx19svotes.ThereisaurtherworrythattheriseotheBNPisgraduallybecomingacceptable.TheelectionoasingleBNPcouncillorinMillwallin1993sparkednationalconcernandoutrage.FiteenyearslatertheelectionoaBNPmembertotheLondonAssemblyand54localBNPcouncillorshasnotwarrantedthealarmthatonecouncillordidonlyadecadeandahalago.Theriseoovertracisminsocietyhascompoundedthisacceptance.TheonlywaytodeeattheBNPistovigorouslyopposeandchallengeracism.Thesuccessulanti-asciststrugglesinMillwallandOldhamonlyaewyearsagoprovideimportantlessons.ThefrstisthatitisimpossibletodeeattheBNPbymakingconcessionstotheracismonwhichtheyeed.Racismmustbeconrontedheadon.Thesecondisthatinadditiontothelet-wingestablishmentsandthetradeunionsthealliancetodeeattheBNPmustalsoincludetheBlackandAsiancommunitiesthatarethetargetsotheBNPx19sracistattacks.TheTradeUnionCongressTUCrespondedtotheelectionoBNPcouncillorDerekBeackoninMillwallin1993bylaunchingtheUniteAgainstRacismcampaigninclosealliancewiththelocalBangladeshicommunity.AlthoughMillwallisapredominantlywhitewardcampaignersadoptedaneectivestrategy.Thisinvolvedmobilisingeverysingleanti-ascistvoterinthearea.TheBangladeshicommunityplayedavitalroleinthat.Inthesubsequentcouncilelectionsin1994theBNPcandidateDerekBeackonx19svoteincreasedbyathirdto2041.Buthewasstilldeeatedbecausetheturnoutincreasedby22.4percentto66.4percent-arhigherthananywhereelseinLondon.In2001JohnMonksthengeneralsecretaryotheTUChelpedestablishasimilarallianceinOldhambetweenthenationaltradeunionmovementandthelocalPakistaniandBangladeshicommunities.TheybecameknownastheOldhamCoalitionAgainstRacism.ThisbroadallianceoughtaerociouspoliticalbattleagainsttheBNPbycounteringanddeeatingracistmyths.Thecampaigndrewsupportromthelocalnewspaperandlocalcouncilleaders.AsaresulttheBNPwasnotabletomakethebreakthroughtheyhadhoped.TheLondonelectionsalsoshowthatturnoutisimportant.Inthe2008LondonAssemblyelectiontheturnoutincreasedby8.3percentrom2004to45.3percent.HoweveranotherourpercentwasneededtostoptheBNPromgainingaseat.ThiseventhighlightswhyahighturnoutiscrucialtostoppingtheBNPrommakingabreakthroughinEurope.SabbyDhaluisJointSecretaryofUniteAgainstFascismTheriseoffascismineuropeEex1aeyexeex1aghebggegebyhefx18-ghx1aehe1930.IntheFrenchpresidentialelectionof2002theleaderofthefar-rightpartyFrontNationalnishedadistantsecondtoJacquesChiracinarunoffelection.Iix18yhenx18x18ax18x1aex18dhenhelex18geweebhx1adedsvx18Bex1ax18x18x18x1aefghx18dfx18-ghx18efhe1994Geex18Eex1a.Thereareonly10outof732blackandminorityethnicMEPsintheEuropeanParliament.FiveofthemarefromBritain.sTopThefar-riGhTlwvex1adeheBnpheEex18px18x18mewx18sx18bbyDhx18