Just 62 votes from victory in Ibstock

The British National Party came within 62 votes last night of winning a vital local council by-election that was seen as a crucial marginal in the battleground between Labour and the Tories for the next General Election.

In Ibstock & Heather Ward for North West Leicestershire District Council, the British National Party's candidate Ivan Hammonds came from nowhere to take second place, pushing the Tories into third.

The full result:
North West Leicestershire District Council
Ibstock and Heather Ward
Thursday 10th January 2008
Felix Fenning - Labour Party 699
Ivan Hammonds - British National Party 637
Paul Oakden - Conservative Party 515
David Wyatt - Liberal Democrat 441
BNP Percentage: 27.8%

This was quite an incredible result for the BNP defeating two of the three main parties and coming within 62 votes of victory in a by-election that was fought with the intensity of a parliamentary campaign. Following on from last week's 16% in Welwyn & Hatfield in another ward being contested by the British National Party for the first time, the BNP has started this most important year in the Party's history in a really positive fashion.

When the Ibstock and Heather ward was last contested in May 2007 when the result was:
Craig Bowley (Con) 737
Ted Blunt (Con) 731
Dai Male (Lab) 707
Penny Hopkins (Lab) 620
Mary Powell (Con) 599
Ray Merry ( Lab) 559
Adam Tilbury (UKIP) 411
Leighanna Littlejohn (Lib-Dem) 225
Ben Roberts (Lib-Dems) 222

Last night the Tories were confident of victory yet their vote was down in the face of this first time challenge from the British National Party. It also looks as though UKIP's vote went to the BNP proving what a potent force the two parties can be if working together to take on the pro-EU old gang.

And there could be more election news today as John Rowe and his team returns to the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand for an announcement from the judge on the disputed result of the Rosegrove and Lowerhouse ward for Burnley Council from last May.