Anti-racist activists are celebrating a rewarding campaign in Barking and Dagenham, where the BNP lost all its 12 council seats.

The Jewish Council for Racial Equality played a key role, organising backers to pound the streets delivering leaflets and encouraging non-BNP supporters to cast their votes.

Jcore director Edie Friedman hailed a "cross-community campaign with fantastic results" against the "enemies of reason".

Rabbi David Hulbert of the Bet Tikvah congregation in Redbridge was also active in mobilising the anti-BNP vote. As well as staging events against the far-right party, Rabbi Hulbert was involved in an open letter to voters from the Three Faiths Forum, promoting good relations between the Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities.

"We all thought they [the BNP] were going to take over the council but they were crushed," he said.

Dan Hodges of Hope not Hate acknowledged the role of Jews in the defeat of the BNP. A major motivating factor had been the memory of "that sinking feeling after waking up after the European elections", where the BNP took seats. "Those images of Griffin celebrating in Manchester were a driving force."