Mosque protester wins back seat (From Dudley News)

Mosque protester wins back seat

11:51am Friday 2nd May 2008

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UKIP candidate Malcolm Davis, made a surprise return to Dudley Council last night after losing his seat in St James's ward in last years elections.

Malcolm was the only UKIP candidate to scoop a place in the council chambers, after the party had candidates standing in most wards.

He won back his seat after ousting Liberal Democrat Serena Craigie who has served in the ward since 2003.

His re-election was met with a mixed reaction of boos and cheers from those gathered at the Dudley Concert Hall count.

Councillor Davis, who headed the Mosque protests in 2007, won with 994 votes and a 218 majority. He also defeated Geoffrey Edge (Lab) with 776 votes, Serena scored 631 votes, Ian Jones (Cons) with 625 votes, Heather Inman (BNP) with 311 and Gurwinder Singh (Ind) with 142 votes.

Speaking about his return, Davis said: "This just shows we are on our way up. We have the quality of people needed to get this country out of the mess this lot have got us into."

However Dudley Council leader David Caunt said he was not worried about Davis' return.

He said: "He is a one issue member, which is an issue we have got in hand.

"As far as we are concerned about the mosque, it is in the hands of our planning inspectorate and in the hands of the council and at the end of this year we will be able to claim back the land."

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