Derek Beackon - Beackon and The Emergence of The BNP

Beackon and The Emergence of The BNP

Although Beackon's personal result had been a disappointment in Tower Hamlets the area had slowly been growing as a centre of support for the BNP. A series of council by-elections in 1990 had seen the BNP, which at the time still lagged behind the National Front in terms of public profile (even though that movement had fallen into severe decline), gain respectable scores whilst the area had also been one of the centres of support for John Tyndall during the 1992 general election, Tyndall having stood in Bow and Poplar, which included Tower Hamlets.

Under the directorship of local organizer Eddy Butler the party had instigated a 'Rights for Whites' campaign in the area, bringing back a slogan previously employed by Martin Webster during the 1970s. Focusing on the perceived negative impact of immigration to the area of employment and housing, the campaign initially operated as if it was simply a local pressure group before gradually introducing the BNP name into Rights for Whites literature.

The initiative first produced results in the Millwall ward in October 1992 when a strong canvassing effort by local activists saw BNP candidate Barry Osborne capture 20% of the vote in a by-election. Millwall had long been a seat of unemployment associated with the declining docklands area in London. Most of the population had been descended from the 19th century workers who had built and operated the docks, but with the building of the Limehouse Link Road, a run down Council estate in Limehouse (the St. Vincent Estate) containing predominantly Bangladeshi families, were rehoused in properties in Millwall, previously marketed as 'luxury', but due to a property downturn had been unable to sell. This was presented as favourable treatment on grounds of race by the "Liberal Focus Team" seeking to capitalise on the issue. However, in a close three way contest, the BNP gained from this campaign more than its authors.

A Labour councillor resigned in the same ward soon after this, sparking yet another by-election. Beackon was chosen as the candidate this time, following the local party's policy of rotating members. Beackon's campaign effectively followed Butler's blueprint of emphasising 'Rights for Whites' through canvassing and leafleting, although he abandoned the old policy of holding a public meeting as he felt they proved too counterproductive by attracting large crowds of protesters, particularly from the Anti-Nazi League and Anti-Fascist Action. In the event Beackon won the by-election of 16 September 1993 with 1480 votes (33.9%), beating Labour by 7 votes, with an overall turnout of 44%. He thus became the first elected representative for the party.