Anti racist campaigning keeps BNP vote low in Scotland
by Chris Bartter
A further key element of UNISON's Election Campaign was to
continue our anti-racist campaigning, targeting the BNP to
maximise the vote against them and to try and stop their politics
of hatred gaining a foothold here.
Traditionally the BNP have not fared well in Scotland, but
over recent elections they have been increasing their campaigning
and the need for UNISON vigilance is greater than ever.
This election they stood four candidates in every regional
list, cynically importing paper candidates from England to
make up numbers so they would qualify for a Party Political
election broadcast.
A number of papers commented on the hypocrisy of this tactic
for a campaign that was titled 'Local People First', and one
commentator pointed out that one of their candidates was simultaneously
standing as a councillor in South Gloucestershire! UNISON
produced a series of leaflets and posters urging people to
be careful with their vote and to stop the BNP.
They were primarily aimed at members, but were also used
by branches for street stalls in Ayrshire, Aberdeenshire,
Glasgow and Stirling, where BNP candidates had surfaced in
Council elections as well.
Advertisements were placed - with some difficulty - in local
and some national papers - again targeting these areas, and
direct mailshots sent to UNISON members in these wards.
The restriction of the BNP vote to less than 2% was welcome
as was their trouncing in council elections, but Dave Watson
- UNISONScotland's Head of Policy - warns that we cannot be
complacent.
"Whilst the BNP vote remains marginal it is growing. Of course
they stood in more areas this time so it is not a fair comparison
but in an election that marginalised all the minority parties
the BNP gained votes. We will not be relaxing."
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