Membership of the British National Party is highest in areas with average or above-average deprivation, according to a health consultancy.
Dr Foster Intelligence cross-referenced the party’s members list, leaked to the press last week, with social deprivation data from the Office for National Statistics.
It found that more than 22 per cent of those on the 10,000-strong list live in above average deprived areas in England and more than 20 per cent in the 20 per cent most deprived areas. Only 16 per cent of BNP members live in the least deprived areas.
The analysis also revealed that the list showed that only five per cent of the party’s members live in areas with large Asian populations and only two per cent in areas with large Afro-Caribbean communities. Eighteen per cent are from largely white working-class areas.
Most people on the list were from areas where there were mainly older workers, while seven per cent were from areas with large young blue-collar populations.
Roger Taylor, director of research at Dr Foster, said: “(The analysis shows) a very traditional pattern about who is likely to feel the most aggrieved by new arrivals and feel their livelihoods and jobs most threatened.” However, he added that more research was needed to draw concrete conclusions: “We also know BNP members have money (because they pay a subscription), but people in deprived areas are not likely to spend money on their political affiliation.”
BNP deputy leader Simon Darby told Regeneration & Renewal: ” I do not think you can draw any conclusion from (this analysis). It’s a snapshot. You may want to (try to) tag some social ailment to BNP members as a result, but you can’t.”
Regeneration & Renewal’s own analysis of the list highlighted Lancashire and West Yorkshire as hotbeds of BNP support, each with around 850 members. London – with a population of seven million – has only around 450 members, while Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Kent host around 400 each.