BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion

The BNP candidate filmed kicking and punching a young man on the eve of the election has been arrested on suspicion of assault. Bob Bailey, candidate for Romford, was arrested and questioned over allegations he assaulted an 18-year-old and a 19-year-old. He was bailed to return on July 12. Bailey (pictured) only just held on to his deposit in the general election, and lost his council seat in Barking.

Bob-Bailey Like every other BNP councillor in the borough, Bailey was comprehensively beaten; in 2006 he won with 1,329 votes on turnout of 41%, last week he received 1,209 votes on a 59% turnout – effectively a loss of 700 votes or 37%.

Elsewhere, today’s Guardian asks whether the dismal performance of the Fascists at the polls spells the end for Nick Griffin’s regime:

“At two minutes past six last Friday morning, Nick Griffin walked to the front of the makeshift stage at the Goresbrook leisure centre in Barking, east London, and tried to make his voice heard above a braying crowd.

“The BNP leader had just suffered a humiliating defeat, beaten into third place by Labour MP Margaret Hodge in the constituency where he had promised to create a ‘political earthquake’…

“‘Within the next five years, the indigenous people of London will be a minority,’ barked Griffin, as jubilant Labour supporters taunted him with shouts of ‘Out, out, out!’ ‘It is going to be too late for Barking, but it is not too late for Britain.’ By then, though, no one was listening.

“In the next 12 hours, Griffin’s worst fears were realised – and even exceeded. The party was thrashed in its two key parliamentary constituencies of Barking and Stoke Central. Its record number of council and parliamentary candidates failed to make a single breakthrough; and of the 28 BNP councillors standing for re-election, all but two were beaten…

“But the Barking and Dagenham council election result was the most dramatic. The BNP had plans to take control of the authority – instead, it lost every one of its councillors there. Twelve elected in 2006. Twelve thrown out in 2010. A ruthless purge, more shocking because they didn’t see it coming. Neither, for that matter, did their opponents. It was the miracle of Barking…

“What is the future for the BNP now? Griffin doesn’t know. He can point to the fact that the BNP won more than half a million votes, but his mood is changeable. Yesterday he sent another email, brimming with anger. ‘The old east London is dead,’ he wrote.

“His party is at a crossroads. A Tory-led administration may worsen social divisions, providing the far right with new opportunities. But it might also clamp down on immigration, rendering the BNP irrelevant. Even if opportunities come his way, Griffin’s party has so many problems that he may not be able to take advantage.

“The BNP is not dead, but it took a mortal blow in Barking. It will be hard-pushed to find its feet again.”

http://twitter.com/shamikdas/status/13970191597 Shamik Das

All you Fascists are bound to lose… RT @leftfootfwd: BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion: http://bit.ly/9ZIhvH
http://twitter.com/blissfulblues/status/13970195028 Angela

RT @amolrajan: who said things can't get better? RT @leftfootfwd BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion: http://bit.ly/9ZIhvH
http://twitter.com/malatrope/status/13970921634 Mal

Hehehe RT @leftfootfwd: BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion: http://bit.ly/9ZIhvH
http://twitter.com/veganpanda/status/13971146761 Vegan Panda

RT @leftfootfwd: BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion: http://bit.ly/9ZIhvH
http://twitter.com/samjay67/status/13970079307 Sam Johnstone

RT @leftfootfwd: BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion: http://bit.ly/9ZIhvH
http://twitter.com/ip_so_facto/status/13970093625 Ipso Facto

RT @leftfootfwd: BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion: http://bit.ly/9ZIhvH
http://twitter.com/unslugged/status/13970111085 unslugged

RT @leftfootfwd: BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion: http://bit.ly/9ZIhvH
http://twitter.com/geeoharee/status/13970121480 Lauren G

RT @unslugged: RT @leftfootfwd: BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion: http://bit.ly/9ZIhvH
http://twitter.com/amolrajan/status/13970128104 amol rajan

who said things can't get better? RT @leftfootfwd BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion: http://bit.ly/9ZIhvH
http://www.raincoatoptimism.wordpress.com Carl

that’s a gorgeous photo isn’t it
http://twitter.com/vegan_sarnie/status/13973609338 Sanya Preston

RT @veganpanda RT @leftfootfwd: BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion: http://bit.ly/9ZIhvH
http://twitter.com/vegan_sarnie/status/13973609338 Sanya Preston

RT @veganpanda RT @leftfootfwd: BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion: http://bit.ly/9ZIhvH
http://twitter.com/outsideleft/status/13973825114 OutsideLeft

RT @leftfootfwd: BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion http://bit.ly/9ZIhvH
Liz McShane

Hopefully they will be charged extortionate legal fees which will drain their coffers even further!
http://twitter.com/ceekay1973/status/13975378877 Chris king

RT @leftfootfwd: BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion http://bit.ly/9ZIhvH
Harry Keane

“The BNP is not dead”? True, but it is seriously brain-damaged.
http://twitter.com/omnibusologist/status/13980901026 Brian Cole

RT @leftfootfwd: BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion: http://bit.ly/9ZIhvH
Liz McShane

harry – that’s assuming they have a brain…..
http://twitter.com/col_irrelevant/status/13988102752 Col_Irrelevant

RT @leftfootfwd: BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion: http://bit.ly/9ZIhvH
http://twitter.com/june4th/status/13991910584 Noxi

BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion | Left Foot Forward http://ow.ly/1L5rL british national party nick
http://twitter.com/sspcampsie/status/13992078359 SSP Campsie

RT @June4th BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion | Left Foot Forward http://short.to/2go11 british national party n
http://twitter.com/raybeckerman/status/13992215156 RayBeckerman

RT @June4th: BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion http://ow.ly/1L5rL
Confused of Croydon

Anti facsists are actually really lucky that BNP councillors, when elected, generally turn out to be completely useless. Attached is from a far left website, so not impartial, but then you’ll never get impartial information about such a divisive organisation. http://libcom.org/news/article.php/rubbish-bnp-councillors-100406

If the Fash started nominating people who had some idea of how to do the job, then it would be much harder to oppose them properly. They won’t give us an open goal forever!
http://twitter.com/june4th/status/13991910584 Noxi

BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion | Left Foot Forward http://ow.ly/1L5rL british national party nick
http://twitter.com/philcoales/status/14029664364 phil coales

RT @leftfootfwd: BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion: http://bit.ly/9ZIhvH
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/05/bnp-supporter-in-court-over-homophobic-attack-on-tory-candidate/ BNP supporter in court over homophobic attack on Tory candidate | Left Foot Forward

[...] in court charged alleged of have committed election week assaults, and folllows the indictment of Bob Bailey, BNP parliamentary candidate for Romford, who was filmed kicking and punching a young man on the [...]
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/10/bnp-nick-griffin-bbc-panorama-investigation/ Griffin runs for the hills when confronted with fraud allegations | Left Foot Forward

[...] BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion – Shamik Das, May 14th [...]
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/10/griffins-friends-the-kkk-come-to-britain/ Griffin’s friends the KKK come to Britain | Left Foot Forward

[...] BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion – Shamik Das, May 14th [...]