Britain First candidate Paul Rudge last night polled 26.7% of the vote in the Rowley Ward of Sandwell council.

Paul beat the Conservatives and Green Party candidates into third and fourth place.

Paul only missed out on being elected by a few hundred votes!

This was Britain First's first ever local election campaign and rather than dissipate our strength in a large number of seats, we decided to concentrate our resources in a few areas.

The result in Sandwell - and the other contest in Hertfordshire - was a brilliant barometer of the massive potential that our movement has in electoral politics.

To come from nowhere to beat the party of government and finish second against four mainstream and well-resourced parties is incredible.

Britain First would like to congratulate and thank our candidate Paul Rudge on this brilliant campaign and hard work, along with all the street activists that made this result happen.

Britain First can now prepare for the local elections of 2020, having laid the foundations of our electoral machine during this campaign.