How can anyone vote for them?????
BNP makes gains in Stoke-on-Trent
Labour has lost seats in Stoke-on-Trent, while the British National Party (BNP) and independents made gains in the city.
The council remains under no overall control after counting finished, with independents forming the largest group.
Labour leader Mike Tappin lost his Blurton seat while the BNP increased its seats from six to nine.
Labour lost seven seats, independents won three, the British National Party (BNP) won three, and the Lib Dems one.
It means independents now hold 19 of the authority's seats, Labour 17, Conservatives nine, BNP nine and the Lib Dems six.
'Respect Stoke voters'
The independents do not operate as an organised group, however, and their success is likely to have a limited impact on the running of the council.
The city has a directly elected mayor who is responsible for policy decisions.
Its 60 councillors scrutinise the decisions made by the mayor and the chief executive.
Mr Tappin said: "We have lost some seats, strangely enough, not to the Conservatives but to the Independents and the BNP.
"I think that will be sad for the government of Stoke but that is what Stoke's voters want and we have to respect that."
Labour losses
Elsewhere in Staffordshire, the Conservatives held control of Tamworth Borough Council.
The group, which has been in control since 2004, gained one seat from Labour.
A total of 10 seats were up for election at the authority.
It means that at Tamworth the Tories hold 24 seats and Labour hold five, with one held by other parties.
Cannock Chase District Council remained having no one party in overall control for the fifth year in a row.
A third of the council's seats were up for election and the Labour group lost two seats to the Tories.
Newcastle-under-Lyme Council also remains under no overall control.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/7378939.stm
