North West local & European elections

Jon Tonge, Professor of Politics at the University of Liverpool, speaks to Elaine Willcox about the results of the European elections.

The BNP leader Nick Griffin has defended describing a man who uses a walking stick as a 'crip'.

Our cameras picked up the remark as Mr Griffin arrived in Manchester for the European Election results.

Daniel Hewitt has this exclusive report.

A BNP spokesman said: ''Mr Griffin has already declared that no-one was offended at his comments.

''We have a number of members who have disabilities who are very happy with Mr Griffin's leadership.

''People with disabilities call each all sorts of names - that's one of the ways they deal with it. We shouldn't be trying to make something out of nothing.

''People with disabilities are perfectly entitled to talk about them.

''And let's remember, Mr Griffin gets called all sorts of things all the time.''

The BNP leader Nick Griffin has defended his use of the word 'crip' to describe a party colleague who walks with a walking stick.

Granada's camera clearly picked up Mr Griffin saying 'let's wait for the crips' after being asked to wait by the BNP member as they entered Manchester Town Hall to hear the Euro election results

Our reporter Daniel Hewitt then confronted Mr Griffin and challenged him about the use of the word - to which the BNP leader said it was acceptable as the man was a friend.

Mr Griffin lost the seat on the European Parliament he won five years ago.

Shadow minister for disabled people Kate Green, who is also the MP for Stretford and Urmston, said afterwards: ''I am absolutely horrified and disgusted.

''It just reminds us of why we are so pleased and proud to have kicked Nick Griffin out of the North West this evening.

''The language he used is unacceptable, offensive, disgraceful - it's intolerable.''

British National Party leader Nick Griffin has been ousted as an MEP - but said Ukip supporters were racists who would turn back to his party when they realised Nigel Farage would not "send them all home".

The far-right party lost both its European Parliament seats in the North West, with Labour taking three, Ukip three and the Conservatives two.

Earlier: BNP leader Nick Griffin concedes Euro election defeat

After six months on taxpayer-funded severance pay, he said he intended to campaign in the region - partly by setting up food banks exclusively for "our people".

Scuffles broke out as Mr Farage arrived at Manchester Town Hall for the count.

Protesters screaming, "Nazi scum" surrounded his car and dozens of police officers struggled to keep them separated from Mr Griffin and a handful of his supporters.

Admitting his party would be described as "racist", Mr Griffin said: "Ukip want to keep in white Poles but let in huge numbers of Pakistanis and Africans. That is a huge difference."

The results of the eight North West MEPs are:

3 Labour: T.Griffin, A. Khan, J. Ward

3 UKIP: P. Nuttall, L. Bours, S. Woolfe

2 Conservative: J. Foster, S. Karim

Labour topped the ballots with 594,063 votes. UKIP followed with 481,932 votes.

Both the Liberal Democrats and the BNP have lost their only seats in the region.

The stage is being prepared in Manchester for the official declaration.

Sources from Labour and UKIP both saying they expect to have three seats each, with the Tories winning two. Lib Dems appear to have lost their only MEP.

Read more: North West MEPs to be elected tonight

BNP leader Nick Griffin appeared to have lost his European Parliament seat tonight.

Apparently conceding he would no longer be an MEP in the North West, he tweeted from his @nickgriffinmep account:

Scuffles broke out as he arrived at Manchester Town Hall for the Euro elections count.

Protesters screaming, "Nazi scum" surrounded his car and dozens of police officers struggled to keep them separated from Mr Griffin and a handful of his supporters.

Mr Griffin blamed Ukip for his defeat, claiming they were now the protest party of choice, were not anti-immigration and were "anti-working class and going nowhere".

• An Independence From Europe - 769
• British National Party - 872
• Conservative Party - 11975
• English Democrats - 685
• Green Party - 3080
• Labour Party - 17201
• Liberal Democrats - 2135
• NO2EU - 122
• Pirate Party UK - 251
• Socialist Equality Party - 101
• UK Independence Party - 14162

Total rejected ballot papers: 301

• An Independence From Europe - 349
• British National Party - 803
• Conservative Party - 2792
• English Democrats - 237
• Green Party - 834
• Labour Party - 7343
• Liberal Democrats - 3011
• NO2EU - 43
• Pirate Party UK - 93
• Socialist Equality Party - 36
• UK Independence Party - 6266

Total rejected ballot papers: 154