Our Quiet Revolution has taken EIGHT steps forward (6.30am 2nd May)

Good Morning, Good Morning!

It was a long night, but worth staying up just to see Geoff Hoon's face as he announced that the BNP had polled 'disappointingly' well in Derby and gained its first councillor in Amber Valley.

The state of play as I write this at 6.30 this morning (just three house sleep) is that we have made eight gains, with new BNP councillors in Amber Valley (2), Nuneaton & Bedworth (2), Rotherham (2), Pendle and Thurrock.

Today, watch out for results in Burnley, Stoke and Epping Forest as well as, of course, for the London Assembly where the huge turn-out might dash the BNP's hopes of a taking a seat although this will go down to the wire.

The results in Carlisle were another step forward. Brian Allan increased his vote although falling well short of victory in Currock, and overall our performance in the wards we fought was satisfactory and provides something to build on.

The BNP vote across the country last night shows that we are growing in significance within the political arena and reports of near misses in a number of seats are now filtering through.

I'm off on Freedom duty now , but you can keep up-to-date with the results as they come in today on Simon Darby's excellent blog here