GAZETTE & HERALD: The British National Party has tightened its grip on Wiltshire after gaining an increased vote in the Calne by-election last week.

BNP candidate Robert Baggs won 85 votes in the Abberd Ward, which was almost 19 per cent of all votes cast.

His percentage went up four per cent from when he stood for election last May. He also beat Labour candidate Steve Foxcroft by two votes.

"We did well and increased our vote. We also beat Labour again," said Mr Baggs.

Conservative candidate Helen Plenty said she was interested to see that Mr Baggs' votes had increased.

"I have to admire the man for standing there with the courage of his convictions," she said.

The BNP is now preparing for the European election on June 10. Alongside Mr Baggs, candidates will be standing in Malmesbury and Swindon.

Mr Baggs is standing as one of the ten candidates in the South West region but he is unsure whether a BNP candidate will win a seat.

"I don't know. We are hoping to get them in the north of England where we are stronger but down here it is unlikely. We need to get ten to twelve percent of the vote across the South West to get an MEP."

He said he would also continue to represent the people of Calne to make it a better place for them to live. However, he said he was disappointed with last week's turnout of 22.7 per cent.

"That is the saddest part of the whole thing. I don't know what can be done to make them more interested," he said.

Conservative candidate Helen Plenty, who came second with 122 votes, agreed, she said: "The winner was apathy at the end of the day."

But the by-election sparked further controversy as the elected Liberal Democrat Simon Coy failed to show at the polling station for the count. He won with 169 votes.

When the result was announced Coun Cathy Bowyer explained that her colleague was unable to attend because he had a prior engagement as a broadcaster on a digital radio station in Swindon.