BNP success 'damaging' to Britain
The UK's international reputation has suffered "real damage" as a result of the British National Party gaining their first seats in the European Parliament, politicians, unions and race relations groups said.
Labour MEP for London Claude Moraes said that a threshold had been crossed after the far-right party won two seats.
BNP leader Nick Griffin picked up the seat in the North West of England region and Andrew Brons won a seat in the Yorkshire and Humber region.
Speaking at a Unite Against Fascism press conference in Westminster, Mr Moraes also acknowledged that the BNP had "jumped upon" Gordon Brown's slogan "British jobs for British workers" during the election.
Mr Moraes said: "There is real damage here to Britain because we have never elected fascists in a national election. Fascists in the European Parliament where I sit have long wanted members from Britain to join this transnational group so for those reasons there is deep concern that we have now crossed that threshold.
"There was a long period in which we could have said neo fascists would not be elected in Britain to represent us in an international parliament."
He said that many people would be viewing Britain as a "nastier" place than they had prior to the election.
Mr Moraes said Labour had suffered as a consequence of the expenses scandal but acknowledged the BNP had manipulated Gordon Brown's British jobs slogan.
He explained: "That phrase was jumped upon by the BNP, they are trying increasingly to look at what mainstream politicians say to embarrass the politicians as a way of getting support."
The BNP wins came as the party appeared to attract significant numbers of disaffected Labour voters.
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