Mavericks profit from low turn-out in mayoral elections

Stoke-on-Trent, where Labour's vote was once weighed rather than counted, woke yesterday to a bizarre mayoral election result in which the big winners were a flamboyant gay rights campaigner and the British National Party.

Stoke-on-Trent, where Labour's vote was once weighed rather than counted, woke yesterday to a bizarre mayoral election result in which the big winners were a flamboyant gay rights campaigner and the British National Party.

Mike Wolfe's election as first citizen of the Staffordshire city was among three victories for independent mayoral candidates across England. They will intensify disquiet in Labour ranks over Tony Blair's enthusiasm for creating powerful US-style mayors.

The low turn-out in the elections in Stoke, Mansfield, Bedford and Hackney was a further blow to the credibility of the policy. Mr Wolfe, 51, former chief executive of the Stoke Citizen's Advice Bureau, standing under the label of the Mayor4Stoke Party, emerged as a narrow victor over George Stevenson, one of the city's three Labour MPs.

In a further shock, the British National Party candidate Steve Batkin finished third on an anti-immigration platform, with nearly 20 per cent of the initial vote.

Mr Wolfe, who is openly gay, came from second place in the first round to win after second preference votes for other candidates were redistributed. After the count he said he had been elected as the "people's mayor", adding: "I am going to say to all the people in the city: 'Give us a hand'. My vision has been built on the streets of Stoke-on-Trent and it will continue to grow."

The BNP won more votes than the combined total for the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Mr Batkin claimed he would have won had the election not been "corrupted" by his manifesto being sent out late. But Mr Stevenson said: "Stoke-on-Trent is not a racist city. This city welcomes all people and we must build on its strength of multi-culturalism."

In Mansfield, Tony Egginton, a newsagent, narrowly defeated Labour's Lorna Carter, and Frank Branston, a newspaper publisher, beat the Conservative favourite to be chosen as Mayor of Bedford.

In Hackney, east London, Labour's Jules Pipe comfortably beat the Tories into second place. The campaigning journalist Paul Foot came third. Turn-out ranged from 18 per cent in Mansfield to 25 per cent in Hackney, where a postal ballot was conducted.

After the elections of Ken Livingstone in London in 2000, fthe ootball club mascot H'Angus the Monkey in Hartlepool and Ray "Robocop" Mallon in Middlesbrough this year, six English councils have independent mayors. The results – particularly the strong support for the BNP in Stoke after its capture of three Burnley council seats in May – could encourage Labour calls for a policy rethink. John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, is among senior party figures who have always been lukewarm about the concept of directly elected mayors.

Labour trumpeted the policy of choosing a charismatic local champion would help to reconnect apathetic voters with town halls. The mayors are able to set budgets, which can usually be overturned only by two-thirds of the council.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said Tony Blair remained committed to the policy as "an important part of devolving power". He added: "There's no point having mayoral elections then expressing disappointment if candidate X or candidate Y wins. It is a democracy and people are perfectly entitled to vote for and choose the candidate who is standing."

Nick Raynsford, the Local Government minister, admitted he was worried by the BNP's strong showing in Stoke. "This particular party can, in certain circumstances, stir up hatred against particular sections of our community and make a limited impact on the electorate, and that is a cause for concern," he said. "We've got to take it seriously."

Don Foster, the Liberal Democrat local government spokesman, said: "When will Labour learn that the only way to re-engage people with local politics is to liberate councils from central government control?"

THE NIGHT OF THE INDEPENDENTS

Bedford

On past form, the mayoralty should have been a two-way battle between the Tories and Labour. Instead, Frank Branston, above, a newspaper publisher standing for the Better Bedford Independent Party, won after a run-off with a Liberal Democrat, Christine McHugh. Mr Branston campaigned on a platform of tackling graffiti and litter and criticised council officers for not living in the area. In the first round he won 9,557 votes – almost as much as the Tory and Labour candidates combined.

(Second round) Frank Branston (BBIP) 12,079; Christine McHugh (LD) 6,964. Turn out: 25 per cent

Stoke-On-Trent

Stoke has the unique record of having returned three Labour MPs to Parliament in every election since the Second World War. But this year Labour lost overall control of the borough council amid disillusionment with its record. Mike Wolfe, above, an independent candidate who led the campaign for Stoke to have its own mayor, secured a narrow victory in the second round. But the strong showing of the British National Party was perhaps the clearest hint of the turbulent political landscape in the Potteries.

(Second round) Mike Wolfe (Mayor4) 12,693; George Stevenson (Lab) 12,379. Turn-out: 24 per cent

Hackney

Jules Pipe's victory in the east London borough of Hackney was the one bright spot for Labour. The contest went to a second round, with a run-off between Mr Pipe and Andrew Boff, a Tory. Mr Pipe, above, the leader of Hackney Council, said his priorities were to build schools and bring the tube to the borough. Labour lost power in 1996 amid bitter internecine strife. It regained overall control last year and strengthened its hold in May's council elections.

(Second round) Jules Pipe (Lab) 16,234; Andrew Boff (Con) 5,629. Turn-out: 25 per cent

Mansfield

Tony Eggington, above, won the mayoralty of Mansfield, traditionally a left-wing stronghold, by 588 votes in a run-off with Labour's Lorna Carter, the deputy leader of the town council. A newsagent and surveyor, Mr Egginton was a member of the group of businessmen who collected a petition to hold a referendum on having a mayor. Mr Egginton said: "I am totally overwhelmed but it is lovely to be first and I want to do a successful job."

(Second round) Tony Egginton (Ind) 5,951; Lorna Carter (Lab) 5,363. Turn-out: 18 per cent