MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

British far right party gains first seat (former Labour) in EU parliament

British Primer Minister Gordon Brown's hopes of political survival have been dealt another blow as the far right British National Party achieved a major electoral breakthrough gaining their first seat in the European Parliament.

BNP candidate Andrew Brons took the last of the six seats in Yorkshire and the Humber sending shockwaves through the mainstream political parties.

There will be dismay among Labour MPs that the party's vote has fallen so sharply that it has opened the door for the far right and it will intensify the pressure for a leadership challenge.

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 took the seat from Labour which saw its share of the vote in the region drop by 8% on the last European elections in 2004.

BNP leader Nick Griffin said the party's presence in the European Parliament would “transform” British politics. He told Sky News: “We're going to be major contenders in a number of places in the next general election and the next wave of council elections - we're going to do very well indeed.”

He said it was a “bad moment” for mainstream parties and a “great moment for democracy”.

Earlier, BNP leader Nick Griffin was briefly prevented from attending the Euro election count in Manchester by protesters.

Placard waving anti-BNP demonstrators surrounded a number of cars - one of which was thought to be carrying Mr Griffin - when they arrived at Manchester Town Hall. The cars drove away without anyone getting out.