CST Elections Report 2012

CST has published its report into the performance of far right parties in last month's local elections, which can be downloaded in full here. A total of 287 far right candidates stood for council seats in the elections, including 137 for the British National Party, while others stood for mayor in London, Liverpool or Salford.

The elections saw the further decline of the BNP in local politics, leaving them with just three local councillors in the whole of the  UK. The BNP's troubles have left a gap on the far right which other parties are looking to fill. The National Front fielded more candidates than they have managed for many years, while large numbers of BNP members, activists and ex-councillors have defected to the English Democrats.

In a move which may prove, in the long run, to be most significant of all, shortly after the elections the English Defence League announced their entry into electoral politics via an alliance with the tiny British Freedom Party. All of these developments are analysed in the report, with full listings of every far right candidate who stood in the elections.

The report also includes a short assessment of the role played by attitudes towards London's Jewish community in the capital's mayoral campaign.