I haven’t blogged for a while, simply because the team and I have been flat out on working on local issues and Euro elections for the last few weeks.

After the euphoria of Friday’s county council results, I had hoped to write an upbeat post on the Euro results. I am still pleased that the Conservatives came first in Richmond Borough, beating the LibDems in to second place. I give the team and other volunteers my heartfelt thanks for all the hard work they have put in.

However, the evening was ruined by the news that the BNP won two seats in to the European Parliament, giving them access to research, funding and media, as well as causing me the embarrassment of seeing my country represented, however lightly, by a fascist party abroad.

I’m not going to get hysterical about it, though - it was a small victory, on a small share of the vote, enabled by a flawed proportional representation system.

We are not going to see the Hitler Youth on the streets and my hope is that the revulsion felt by the vast majority of people will translate in to a big swing against the BNP when we next go to the polls.

Nonetheless, it is an important message to people that every vote counts. No matter what colour badge you wear, no matter how pee’d off you are with the political class, the “stay at home” vote only helps those on the extremes.

Voting is something that we have fought and died for - against the very fascists who have now gained seats. The BNP’s great irony is that they do not represent Britain or Britishness.

So yes, I am delighted with Conservative result this week, but much more disappointed with that of the BNP.