BNP leader flees after being pelted with eggs

BNP leader Nick Griffin had to abandon a press conference outside the Houses of Parliament today after protesters barracked him and threw eggs.

Shouting "off our streets Nazi scum", the demonstrators chased him down the street to his car.

Mr Griffin, who was yesterday elected an MEP for the North West of England, was guided to his vehicle by his bodyguards and quickly drove off.

Mr Griffin arrived for the press conference on College Green in front of Parliament with fellow newly-elected BNP MEP Andrew Brons just after 2.30pm.

Mr Griffin started by attacking articles from today's newspapers that criticised him and his party.

He had only been speaking for a few minutes when the protesters appeared, chanting and waving banners reading: "Stop the fascist BNP."

Eggs were thrown at Mr Griffin and his tough-looking bodyguards bundled him away through the crowd.

The demonstrators kicked and hit his car with their placards before cheering as he drove off.

Protest organiser Weyman Bennett, national secretary of Unite Against Fascism, said he believed it was important to stand up to the BNP.

He said: "The majority of people did not vote for the BNP, they did not vote at all.

"The BNP was able to dupe them into saying that they had an answer to people's problems.

"They presented themselves as a mainstream party.

"The reality was because the turnout was so low, they actually got elected."