ON behalf of York British National Party, I would like to thank all the people who voted for one of our nine excellent local candidates on May 3.

We polled more than 3,500 votes across the nine wards that we contested, in many cases beating candidates from the established parties. All of the BNP candidates were tremendous and to put up such a courageous fight in the face of open hostility from all quarters was admirable. We have been victimised, bullied, insulted, and threatened - though we will all be back next time round for more and you can be sure that we'll do even better next time round, especially considering the fact that we will be standing in every ward.

To stand alongside such fine patriots is an honour and I think that we surprised a good few people with our strong showing.

As the great American writer Mark Twain pointed out: "In the beginning of a change the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot".

Ian Dawson, BNP Group Support, York.