Griffin to quit as BNP boss

Published on Monday 24 May 2010 22:34

NICK Griffin has signalled his intention to quit as British National Party leader after the party conceded it suffered a "bloody nose" at the hands of voters this month.

The far-right MEP, who was defeated in his own bid to become an MP on a disastrous night for the party at the ballot box, said he would go by the end of 2013.

He told a post-poll strategy meeting that the timing was to allow him to complete work on the party's administrative and political machine before handing over to a younger successor with less "baggage" and concentrating on being re-elected to the European Parliament in 2014.

But the move is bound to be seen as an attempt to forestall any leadership challenge.