3:20am Wednesday 3rd June 2009
By Michael Black
The Bradford district goes to the polls tomorrow for the European Parliament election amid predictions that it may see “the most volatile voting patterns in living memory”.
One think-tank, the Democratic Audit, predicts that nationally the British National Party could win as many as five seats while the Greens will also make big gains.
Controversy over MPs’ expenses, combined with the recession, is driving support away from the main parties, said the report published today.
Think-tank director Stuart Wilks-Heeg said: “This promises to be one of the most unusual elections we have ever seen. The voting system, the current political climate, and regional concentrations of support could see smaller parties fare exceptionally well.
“If turnout remains at just under 40 per cent and regular voters switch support away from the main parties, rather than stay at home, we would see seats won by the Greens and BNP.”
In the Yorkshire and Humber region, four local candidates are in the running. Sitting MEP Richard Corbett, of Saltaire, lines up again for Labour. Shipley councillor Kevin Warnes is standing for the Greens, Jason Smith, of Queensbury, is standing for the UK Independence Party, and Christopher Butler, of Shipley, lines up for the Socialist Labour Party.
In total there are 69 candidates vying for six MEP seats to represent Yorkshire and Humber:
British National Party – Andrew Henry William Brons; Nick Cass; Chris Beverley; Marlene Guest; Paul Anthony Harris; Trevor David Brown.
Christian Party – Sid Cordle; Andrew David McClintock; Angela Carolyn MacDonald; John O’Brien; Samantha Clare Cauldwell; Rebecca Ann Jones.
Conservative Party – *Edward Hugh Christian McMillan-Scott; *Timothy John Robert Kirkhope; Fleur Josephine Butler; Matthew Allen Bean; Nicholas James Burrows; Glynis Joan Frew.
English Democrats Party – Michael William Cassidy; Joanne Robinson; Peter Davies; David Basil Wildgoose; Paul Henry Adrian McEnhill; Geoffrey Lawrence Crossman.
Jury Team – Barbara Hibbert; Anthony Robert Hooper; Ben Saxton.
Liberal Democrats – *Diana Paulette Wallis; Stewart David Arnold; Rebecca Elisabeth Taylor; James Monaghan; Nader Fekri; Neil Poole.
No2EU: Yes to Democracy – Keith Allan Gibson; Celia Elizabeth Foote; Jackie Grunsell; Peter Rowland March; Michael Francis Davies; Juliet Marie Boddington.
Pro Democracy: Libertas.eu – Antony John Devoy; Edward Francis Devoy; Stephen Andrew Clark; Diana MacLeod; Trevor John Bending; Kathleen Harris.
Socialist Labour Party – William Kenneth Capstick; Linda Venice Sheridan; Stephen Edward Yoxall; Holly Jo Yoxall; Terence Robinson; Christopher Robert Butler.
The Green Party – Martin Hemingway; Shan Oakes; Leslie Rowe; Lesley Hedges; Kevin Warnes; Steve Barnard.
Labour Party – *Linda McAvan; *Richard Graham Corbett; Emma Elizabeth Hoddinott; David Bowe; Melanie Onn; Mahroof Hussain.
UK Independence Party – *Godfrey William Bloom; Jonathan William Arnott; Jason Paul Smith; Tobias Horton; David Daniel; Lynette Afshar.
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