411 REFERENCE · Wikipedia
1999 British National Party leadership election
Reference material by Wikipedia contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
August 2019
March 2016
1999 British National Party leadership election presidential no 2011 British National Party leadership election 2011 1999 10 yes 110px Nick Griffin 00008B 1,082 72.5% John Tyndall 00008B 411 27.5% Leader John Tyndall Nick Griffin
The British National Party (BNP) leadership election of 1999 occurred on 28 September, and was intended to select a new leader for the BNP. It was triggered when Nick Griffin stood against John Tyndall for leadership of the party, after Tyndall had served for 17 years as leader of the party. Griffin won the election with 72.5% of the vote. The election returned a new leader of the BNP, and marked a shift in the party towards a more modern organisation, and with the intent of gaining broader appeal and legitimacy.Copsey N Contemporary British Fascism: The British National Party and the Quest for Legitimacy Feb 2, 2016 Springer https://books.google.com/books?id=ZyaFCwAAQBAJ 1 April 2016 9780230509160
Candidates
Nick Griffin, editor of two magazines owned by Tyndall, Spearhead and The Rune.
John Tyndall, Chairman of the BNP, former Chairman of the National Front.
Results
British National Party leadership election, 1999Quinn Thomas Electing and Ejecting Party Leaders in Britain Basingstoke and New York Palgrave Macmillan 2012 201CandidateVotes%Nick Griffin1,08272.5John Tyndall41127.5
The election saw roughly 80% turnout from members eligible to vote.
History
In October 1999 Nick Griffin, supported by Tony Lecomber, stood against Tyndall for leadership of the BNP. John Tyndall received just 411 votes (27.5% of the total), while Griffin received 1,082 (72.5%). After Griffin won, he began modernising the party's image, though the crucial policy change from compulsory to voluntary repatriation which had already been suggested under Tyndall's leadership. A new monthly newspaper, The Voice of Freedom, was initiated, as well as a journal, Identity.
In his 1999 leadership campaign Griffin embarked on a strategy to make the party electable by taking it away from Tyndall's extremist image. He was helped by Tyndall's lack of familiarity with the mainstream media, and in the party's September election he defeated Tyndall to become head of the BNP.
References
British National Party leadership election
1999
British National Party leadership election