One in five would back BNP - poll

12 April 2012

More than a fifth of voters would consider backing the British National Party in a future election, according to an opinion poll taken in the hours after leader Nick Griffin's appearance on BBC1's Question Time.

Some 22% of those questioned said they would "seriously consider" voting BNP in a local, European or general election - including 4% who said they would "definitely" consider backing the party, 3% who would "probably" consider it, and 15% who said they were "possible" BNP voters.

Around two-thirds of those questioned by YouGov for the Daily Telegraph said they would not vote BNP "under any circumstances", with the rest unsure.

The total figure is more than three times the 6.2% which the BNP secured in this June's European Parliament ballot - its best ever showing in a national election - and suggests that there is substantial potential for Mr Griffin to extend his party's reach. It vastly outstrips the party's 0.7% score in the 2005 general election.

When asked how they would vote in an election tomorrow, the proportion backing the BNP stood at 3%, up from 2% a month ago.

More than half of those surveyed agreed with the BNP or thought the party "had a point" in wishing to "speak up for the interests of the indigenous, white British people... which successive governments have done far too little to protect".

This included 43% who said that they had no sympathy for the BNP itself, though they shared some of its concerns.

Some 12% of those questioned said they completely agreed with the BNP, against 38% who said they disagreed totally with the party's politics.

:: YouGov questioned 1,314 adult voters across Britain online today and last night, following the Question Time broadcast.

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