BNP defeated in by-elections

The far right British National Party is licking its wounds after two disappointing local election results.

School governor Heath Clegg had been hoping to join two other colleagues on Calderdale Council in West Yorkshire following a by-election in the Mixenden Ward in Halifax last night.

But Mr Clegg, 32, was defeated by Liberal Democrat candidate Jennifer Pearson whose husband Stephen, died in August sparking the by-election.

Mrs Pearson polled 1,210 while Mr Clegg trailed in with 801 votes.

Following her victory Mrs Pearson said: "I'm absolutely thrilled. This is confirmation of what happened in May and I'm absolutely delighted. I think the BNP has reached their limits, we ran a very strong campaign and the Labour Party simply faded away. It shows we are the party to stop the BNP."

The BNP was dealt a further blow in a mill town where it has previously enjoyed its strongest support.

The party's candidate John Cave was beaten into third place in the Lanehead Ward of Burnley Borough Council, the first seat it has lost in the town since coming to prominence there 18 months ago.

Liberal Democrat candidate Martin Smith won the poll with 1,070 votes against Julie Cooper, for the Labour Party, with 464 votes and Mr Cave's 357 votes.

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