BNP: We'll be back
4:02am Friday 2nd May 2008
The British National Party has vowed to come back bigger and better in Sussex and warned rivals they will not go away.
The party won almost 500 votes across four wards in yesterday's elections, including 16% of the vote in Hollington and 15% in Tressell.
Leader of the Hastings BNP Nick Prince received 147 votes in the Tressell ward, which was retained by Labour member Peter Chowney, who secured 372 votes.
Mr Chowney said: "I would like to thank the voters of the ward who resolutely rejected the BNP.
"I am very pleased to see that the BNP failed to make any headway. Perhaps now they will see that they are not wanted in Hastings and will give up and go away."
But Mr Prince vowed that would not be the case.
He said: "The people have spoken. Tonight we have won 472 votes, that's 472 people who want to see us across four wards.
"Our vote has increased. We have fielded four candidates which is a record for us and we will be fielding more next year and we will be fielding in the county council elections.
"We are here to stay and we will not be going anywhere."
The BNP had candidates standing in four wards in Hastings - Castle, Swaine, Hollington and Tressell.
For all our coverage of this year's elections, click here.