AT the local council elections on May 4, British National Party (BNP) candidate Julian Leppert won more votes than any other candidate in Hainault ward.

He will, along with two Conservative councillors, represent the people of Hainault in the Redbridge Council chamber for the next four years, the first BNP councillor ever to do so.

The Guardian visited Hainault to find out from its residents why they were tempted to vote for Cllr Leppert.

Ivy Britton said: "People are so fed up with what the other parties do not do.

"The people who voted BNP this time will do so again and I think even more could next time.

"I think people believe that the immigrants get everything and the English, who have been here for a long time, suffer.

"It's not all of them. The Chinese work hard but many do not. Having a BNP councillor is not a good thing but people have had enough here."

One man said his gate had been smashed in many times and said nothing had been done about it by other parties. He felt the BNP could offer him more. He also blamed free travel for young people.

He said: "Everybody is fed-up with Labour and this is what people want when I talk to them."

The controversy of the subject meant many people did not want to be named, although many were happy to speak.

One woman, who did not want to be named, said: "Everybody hates the amount of crime here but this is very dangerous.

"The problem is people do not know what to vote. We are going nowhere with Labour and went nowhere with the Conservatives."

Another said it was "purely a protest vote". He added: "It will not happen again. People voted BNP because of the immigrants. It is not that we are against them but it is about what they get in terms of housing and benefits. Immigration has got worse under Labour."

But Mohammed Ali, of Hainault Dry Cleaners in New North Road, said eventually people would get used to immigration.

He said: "I was born in Britain and am first generation. I moved here from Walthamstow four years ago.

"What I hear is that once this was a predominantly white area.

"Now people with different skin colours are moving in. I don't think people are scared of immigrants but people are afraid of change.

"It happened in Walthamstow but now everybody mixes there and I think that is what will happen here.

"I do not think the people of Hainault are racist. Most of my customers are white and we get on very well. I have never had any trouble."

Why do you think people voted BNP? If you would like to tell us your views send them by post or email cstong@london.newsquest.co.uk.