The New Statesman understands

Off-button at 7.13 this morning. I just couldn't stand any more.

It was the South African General Election this time, which isn't even until next week. John Humphrys has been sent all the way out there, at licence fee payers expense, just to report on the ANC recording a landslide victory.

John explained why the BBC is making such a fuss about it in his opening gambit: "The ANC is the party of Nelson Mandela."

Make no mistake Mandela is quite incredible. A former Black terrorist fawned over by so many White people. I expect he wakes up most mornings and thinks: "Nelson, how did you do it?".

It doesn't seem like Friday this morning with no elections to report on. Next week it is back to normal with contests for us in Redbridge, Erewash and Aberdeenshire. I'll try and get some info on how our campaigns are going over the next few days.

I expect most of you have read the article in yesterday's New Statesman. It's here if you haven't.

It is a very good understanding of what has taken place over the past five years and it acknowledges the changes that have taken place within the British National Party since 1999.

One of the key passages is:

"But even one seat in the European Parliament would provide resources and publicity that could act as a potent catalyst for a party accustomed to operating on a shoestring outside of the media spotlight."

It is key because it is correct in identifying our aspiration and the benefit of meeting it. It is also right in acknowledging how we have operated on shoestring budget, although claiming that we have been outside the media spotlight is naive. We have been hounded and persecuted in the media for the past ten years and all what we have achieved has been done inspite of this.

At the last European Elections we came close to winning three seats, and that was despite Max Clifford pulling Kilroy-Silk out of the hat for UKIP and a very poor campaign on our behalf. Our main leaflet was almost unreadable. Even our most enthusiastic supporters said it was awful and as it was our only way of reaching voters due to a virtual media black-out because of its love affair with UKIP, it was amazing that we polled so well.

This time around our campaign in 500% better, so hopefully 500% more effective, and that should be enough to secure a seat in the North West at the very least.

We had a very nice Easter Sunday, I meant to mention this before. All the family were there and as we enjoyed our aperitifs and chatted, we listened to our Colin Auty CD. My in-laws are great fans of his, and for me when listening to many of his songs, the hairs on the back of my neck still stand up.

Back in the early 1990s I wrote a series of books about the history of my football team, Workington Reds AFC. In 1977 they dropped out of the Football League and the title of the books was So Sad, So Very Sad . . which summed up the feelings of most of the supporters of this brave little club. Reds had such a proud history, two League Cup Quarter-Finals (including beating Blackburn 5-1 at Ewood Park), promotion to the old Third Division, and cup games against Liverpool (0-1), Manchester United (1-3) and Cheslea (2-2) (0-2), so it was a tragedy that they had fallen by the wayside.

When I listen to Colin's music and think of the events that led to him dropping out of politics, the title of those Workington books comes to mind.

Labour doesn't like dealing with real democracy

MORE column inches in the Northern Echo this morning as Labour politicians and trade unions leaders heap praise on the Bishop of Durham for attacking the British National Party. The story provided another opportunity for my old friend Ken Booth to score some political points.

He said: "I support what the Bishop has said to an extent, the main parties have failed the British people.
"It's the Government's failure that's created the BNP.
"The churches are failing people and the Government is failing people and they're trying to blame the BNP."

The BNP advert in the Hampstead & Highgate Express continues to create a fall out. Today, the Ham & High carries letters from 3 Labour MPs, 47 Labour councillors and trade union leaders attacking the newspaper for carrying the advert. As Corporal Jones might say, "They don't like dealing with real democracy Captain Mainwaring." Interestingly enough the only two contributions from members of the public were in support of the editor's decision.

Of course, one Margaret Dickinson (name & address supplied) who attacked the decision might claim to be just an ordinary member of the public, but the fact that her letter also appears in the Islington Express casts doubt on this.

As I write this blog my sections of my office are disappearing from around me as preparation for our move on Friday gathers momentum. I'm disappointed to be leaving Silloth, the town and the house suit me. Living in this West Cumbria seaside resort has been like taking a step back in time and I've enjoyed every minute of my 4 years here.

Reds lost 0-1 against Burscough last night in a game serving up typical end of season fare. But it was a clear and fine night and amongst our small group on the Popular Side, the craic was good. As always there were little bits of political news floating around and more than one source took great pleasure in telling me about the Labour Party candidate at last May's elections in West Cumbria who was arrested in Workington on Saturday for being drunk and disorderly. The chap was the Times & Star's 'darling' during the weeks in the run-up to polling day with not a critical word ever being written about him. I wonder whether the newspaper will now have the courage to finally come clean about this shocking error of judgement.

Something's in the air

CONSTRUCTIVE BNP staff meeting yesterday in North Wales. I would, in fact, call it 'sharp', none of the waffle and 'more than one meeting' that have beset many of the officials' gatherings I have attended over the years.

There is definitely something in the air that you can almost feel, and everyone at the meeting yesterday sensed it. It's as if we know that there is a change in the offing and probably after May 1st things might not ever be the same again.

Now I shall hold my hand up and say that I felt the same last May. I was convinced that the British National Party would make significant gains across the country, but it didn't happen. There was a definite increase in our votes but the swing to us was not significant enough for the BNP to make the long-awaited breakthrough and win a swathe of new seats. We did make progress, but it hardly registered and was certainly not enough to attract any media attention.

But for the last 11 months Britain has experienced our Quiet Revolution in local council by-elections, and now this is beoming louder by the day. With the opportunity provided to us to make our mark in London thanks to the proportional representation voting used in the Top Up List, expectations are naturally higher than they have ever been before.

Programmes like last night's Dispatches on Channel 4 just add to this sense of expectation.

The award-winning journalist Rageh Omaar, is a true professional and doesn't carry his own personal political baggage with him when presenting programmes - he lets the people he is interviewing do the talking which is what true documentary journalism is all about.

This first of his three programmes on immigration examined the views of Britain's native White population and settled immigrants towards newcomers which include East Europeans and African migrants and found that whereas once it was considered a taboo subject, there is no longer such reticence about discussing it amongst the white middle-classes or the second or third generation immigrants.

The programme didn't touch on the threat from Islam, so I'm assuming that this will provide the subject matter for one of the three programmes in its own right. Just before the end of the 60 minute report, Rageh Omaar asked a chap from Bristol (I'm assuming he was some sort of authority) about what the outcome of such large scale immigration would be. He said something about either people would vote for the BNP, as voters did in France to send a message to the Government, or otherwise there would be unrest on the streets.

Unfortunately I didn't get the exact quote or who the person was who said it, but it could be something that might be useful in the coming weeks. If anyone can help with this I would be grateful. I have emailed Channel 4 but in case they don't want to help, I am asking readers of this blog - many thanks.

I'm pleased to report that my Rover completed the six hour round trip yesterday without any problems and weathered a blizzard over Shap at around half past five. Then in Penrith, ten minutes later, there was a thunder storm with sheet lightning and hailstones. What strange weather for April!

All roads lead to Borough Park tonight for the Cumbrian derby Workington Reds vs Barrow. With the Bluebirds pushing for promotion and on a great unbeaten run at the moment, there's plenty to play for and I'm hopeful of a 700 plus gate to ease the Reds' financial situation, even with the attraction up the road of Carlisle vs Swansea and Liverpool vs Arsenal on the box.

I have written books on the history of both Workington and Barrow. The one about Barrow AFC was called  "In the Beginning, there was the end" which was reviewed by Simon Barnes in The Times who described it as "skilfully chronicled". The book sold out and this was despite a campaign by the North West Evening Mail to deter people from buying it because it had been written by someone whose political viewpoint they didn't agree with. 

So, although I have a soft spot for the Holker Street club,  tonight there will be no divided loyalties as my red and white scarf will confirm.