BNP leader Nick Griffin will not contest January by-election

It had seemed likely that the leader of the British National Party and MEP for the North West, Nick Griffin, would stand as his party's candidate in the upcoming January by-election in the Oldham East and Saddleworth constituency, as I had previously reported. However, today he has announced he is not standing, local candidate Derek Adams, who unsuccessfully ran for the party leadership earlier this year receiving just four votes, will be instead.

Mr Griffin has cited the snow as his reason for not contesting this election, claiming to have experienced problems in getting to the area to campaign. However, perhaps the real reason lies in the reality his party is likely to poll even less than the UK Independence Party candidate, fellow North West MEP Paul Nuttall.

Mr Griffin suffered nationwide embarrassment when he last stood for Westminster in the London seat of Barking and was comprehensively defeated, and arguably this defeat would sit even worse.