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date: 8 June 2009

embargo: For immediate release

TUC expresses shock at BNP victory

Commenting on the news that two BNP candidates have been elected to the European Parliament, TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O'Grady said: 'It's shocking to discover that the BNP has been able to secure enough votes in two parts of the UK to send two MEPs to Brussels.

'This is not because of some seismic political shift to the right, but has more to do with the frustration that people feel about the expenses fiasco and their desire to teach the mainstream political parties a lesson.

'Unions have long been campaigning hard against the far right in workplaces and communities across the UK. They will continue to do so and will increase their efforts to show disaffected voters that voting for a party that is racist to its core makes no sense and that its vile messages of hate must never succeed.'

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Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
Elly Brenchley T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: ebrenchley@tuc.org.uk

Press release (300 words) issued 8 Jun 2009