Euro Turnout Figures: North West England = 31.9%

Finally heading off to the Town Hall to gurn at Griffin. Let's hope Hazel's nonsense of Wednesday did not hand this man a boost sufficient to see his jackboots in the corridors of Strasbourg.

The received wisdom would be that a turn out this low would favour the BNP with their allegedly committed cohorts of confused adherents. However, there was quite a range of protest and anti-EU options. And the "voter strike" and "spoilt ballot" ideas also had traction that would have carved off some of the 2004 BNP dabblers.

The overall figure is more than 10% before the Europe-wide figure of more than 43%. The particular version of PR we're using is a bit of a turn off, and also unlike STV a gift to loons of all conceivable flavours.

Here finally are those Greater Manchester figures:

The turnout in the European elections in north west England was 31.9% (40.6% in 2004)

The highest turnout was in South Lakeland in Cumbria with 49.9%
The lowest 21.56% in Knowsley, Merseyside.

Counting takes place this Sunday, with the regional result and seat allocation being declared at Manchester Town Hall, in two to three hours time.

Other turnout figures:

Bolton 30.6%
Bury 34.2%
Manchester 27.0%
Oldham 29.8%
Rochdale 28.5%
Salford 27.4%
Stockport 33.2%
Tameside 30.4%
Trafford 34.1%
Wigan 27.0%

Liverpool 24.1%

Regional turnout boosted by County Council elections in Lancashire and Cumbria.

In Lancashire County Council election, the election turnout was 38%. This was the area where, in 2004, BNP polled the highest in the region. In the 2004 Euros the BNP received 7.9% in Lancashire compared to 6.4% in the North West as a whole.