 Because of the heightened tension, the Returning Officer took the decision not to allow any candidates to make speeches after the declaration of the results.This led to Griffin and fellow BNP candidate Michael Treacy, who ran in the neighbouring constituency of Oldham East and Saddleworth, symbolically gagging themselves on the platform wearing T-shirts bearing the slogan "Gagged for Telling the Truth".At the 2005 election, the BNP's share of the vote declined, and Labour's Michael Meacher won comfortably.