THE TELEGRAPH: The far-Right British National Party won a seat in the European Parliament for the first time in its history after receiving 120,139 votes in the Yorkshire and Humber region.
Andrew Brons won the last of six seats for the anti-immigration party, sending shockwaves through the mainstream political parties.
Health Secretary Andy Burnham said that it was "deeply uncomfortable" to see the BNP polling in such large numbers.
He said that they had been the beneficiaries of an "anti-politics mood" which had hit all the main parties in the wake of the MPs' expenses scandal.
"It is a sad moment in British politics," he said.
"The BNP is like the ultimate protest vote. It is how to deliver the establishment a two-fingered salute. I think largely it is a comment on Westminster politics."
Meanwhile, far-Right parties and extremists made gains across Europe on Sunday night as protest votes and low turnouts marked elections for the European parliament. >>> By Bruno Waterfield in Brussels | Sunday, June 07, 2009
