Derek Beackon

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Derek William Beackon was an unemployed British lorry driver who achieved nationwide notoriety after winning a Millwall council seat for the far-right British National Party (BNP) on September 17, 1993.

Millwall had long been a seat of ethnic tension and unemployment associated with the declining docklands area in London. Beackon campaigning under the 'Rights for Whites' slogan won the ward on a 44% turnout (the BNP received 33.9% of the vote) beating Labour by a mere seven votes. He thus became the first elected representative for the party.

After the election a photograph came to light of Beackon performing the sieg heil salute with fellow BNP members at a party demonstration.[1] He was quoted in the Daily Mirror after being asked about refuse collection that "The Asians are rubbish and that is what we are going to clear from the streets". [2]

Labour criticised the Liberal Democrats for distributing a leaflet entitled How Labour Spends your Money, detailing how Labour allegedly spent £30,000 and £175,000 respectively on Bangladeshi flood relief and youth movements, then asking Has it helped you recently?, causing anger in the local community.

The victory was shortlived however and (although Beackon's own vote increased) he was defeated in a Labour landslide in May 1994. He was the only successful BNP candidate during John Tyndall's tenure as party leader. The BNP did not win any more council seats until winning three seats in Burnley in 2002.