Daily Roundup by Matt Wardman

It's a fascinating document. Row after row of names, addresses, telephone numbers, emails. Column upon column of personal, professional and biographical detail - career, education, family, hobbies. Here are 12,801 of our fellow citizens, their lives laid bare in this remarkable respect: we now know that they are, were once, or have at some time expressed an interest in becoming members of the organisation that calls itself "the foremost patriotic political party in Great Britain".

When I say "we", of course, I mean anyone with an internet connection and some time to spare. Nearly 13,000 individual records - 11,211 of them in England and Wales, the remainder in Scotland or abroad, from Alicante to California - is a lot of information. But it comes in a spreadsheet, which means it's searchable and (sort of) analysable.

And what emerges from a few hours spent with the membership list of the British National party that was posted on the net this week is a picture as alarming as it is, strangely, reassuring. It is a picture of a certain kind of England. At times, it's depressing. At others, it's frankly hilarious.

"Member describes himself as witch: potential embarrassment if active," reads a worried note appended to the record of one Wiltshire supporter. "Will not be renewing," laments another: "Objects to being told he shouldn't wear a bomber jacket." I'm also fond of: "Hobbies: letter-writing to local/national papers," "Retired shoe-shop manager: model figure collector (mostly medieval)", and "Retired local government officer. Static caravan on east coast".

Your first instinct, naturally, is to check if you know anyone. I didn't, as far as I could see: no one in the small Middlesex village where I grew up (though four in Pinner, where I was born), and only three in the district of west London where I now live. Colleagues have pored in amazement over the records for their home towns. "I would never have thought it," said one friend, from Ripon in North Yorkshire. "It's a prosperous middle-class market town, and there are are nine BNP voters there. Look! Two there; I know that street." A university friend said she had discovered to her not-altgether-immense surprise that her parents' nextdoor neighbours in Windsor were members. "Crusty," she said. "And very cheap sherry at Christmas."

The geographical stats are interesting, up to a point. Lancashire is our proud nation's farthest-right county by a bootlace, with 861 names on the list. West Yorkshire comes a close second, with 858. Yorkshire as a whole has more than 1,600 BNP supporters, including 263 in Leeds, 164 in Kirklees, 190 in Bradford and more than 100 each in Barnsley, Sheffield and Wakefield. Essex is up there with 670-odd members, including 73 in Barking and Dagenham, and the West Midlands has more than 580, including 187 in Birmingham.

But there are some surprises. Six members in Maidenhead? Fifteen in Bognor Regis? Thirty-eight in Bournemouth, 13 in that haven of lefty London-fleers, Brighton? There are six in High Wycombe, 22 in Cambridge, five in Oxford, three in Chelsea, eight in Cheltenham, 11 in Chichester, two in Henley-on-Thames, seven in Hemel Hempstead and, weirdly, 192 in Surrey.

Is this scary? Well, it looks as if it's a myth that the BNP fares best in areas of high immigration: according to one report that cross-matched the list with data from the Office for National Statistics, only 5% of BNP members live in areas classified as having high Asian populations, and 2% in areas with big Afro-Caribbean communities. Some 18% of the party's support comes from traditionally working-class white areas. Twenty-two percent of BNP members may live in deprived parts of England and Wales, but 16% live in the wealthiest.

Professor Roger Eatwell of the University of Bath, who has written extensively on the BNP, sounds a cautionary note: from his first look at the list, he says, "many BNP activists don't actually appear to be members". And in any case, "members and activists are not the same as voters". That's obviously true, and the list is clearly an incomplete picture of BNP support. But in its fabulous welter of detail, you can almost see some of those who feature on it.

In Surrey, for instance, is a "retired accountant. Fellow of Inst of Chartered Accountants/ Management Accountants. MA (Oxon). Hobbies: military history, ethnology/anthropology, carpentry/cabinet-making. Ex-serviceman & TA Capt. Former district councillor. Letter writer". Somewhere in Middlesex is a "chartered mechanical engineer. MD of high-pressure water pump firm. Hobbies: flying, fullsize & model aircraft. Restoration of 'O' & 'I' gauge trains. Caravanning, walking". Can't you just picture them? Or how about, in Sussex, a "retired antique dealer. Owner: tourist attraction abroad. Former racing driver. Hobbies: competition shooting, sword collector. Author." Or in Gloucestershire: "Business owner (antiquities). Public speaker. Has two suits of 14th- & 15th-century armour and can joust for rallies."

There are some common strands. One is the retired (or semi-retired, or nearly-retired) middle-to-upper-middle businessman who would probably never recognise himself (or his wife, who is often a member too) as racist, but who obviously believes, as they say, that the country's going to the dogs. Very often, their hobbies include "collecting WW2 memorabilia (British)" or "restoring classic vehicles (owns WW2 jeep)".

Then there's the ex-servicemen, of whom there are more than 100, former policemen, and Territorial Army. These may be self-employed, perhaps in building, or security. How about: "HM Forces (3 tours NI). Rhodesian Security Forces. Freelance security: Africa/South America/Europe. Hobbies: military history"?

Several proclaim Christian faith: "Retired labourer. Committed evangelical Christian, attends Bible studies/prayer meetings". Elsewhere is "retired chiropodist. Devout Christian lay preacher (non-conformist churches: Baptist, United Reformed, Presbyterian etc). Scottish country dancing", and "HND Chemistry. Hobbies: gym training, martial arts. Member of the Assemblies of God Pentecostal Church".

There are only three listed taxi drivers, but there plenty of builders and plasterers, IT workers - many eager to help: in Buckinghamshire is a "Classics BA (Hons). IT & PC skills (may be able to donate 2nd-hand PCs)" - and 38 HGV licence-holders. In Scotland, there's a driving instructor - "(discount for BNP members)". There is, generally, an obsession with further educational qualifications. Some, you feel, may have lost their way somewhere: "Mental health professional, specialism in mental health law, also retired university lecturer (plant sciences). BSc. Phd". Others are myth-seekers: "Window cleaner. Former pig farmer. Pagan prison chaplain. Hobbies: growing mistletoe, rune-making (wood)"; "Active Odinist/member of pagan organisations." A student is "willing to give talks on medieval/dark age subects" and "interested in ... setting up a British pagan group".

And there are, of course, the serious headbangers: BNP leader Nick Griffin may boast that this list proves his members are not "skinhead oiks", but there are still martial arts fanatics, people suspended for "inappropriate tattoos" and at least seven email addresses incorporating the number 88, which is neo-Nazi code for HH, or Heil Hitler. Other email addresses are lordhawhaw, saxondelight, darkenedangel and napalmdeath. Someone gives his pastime as "World War II reenactment".

Eatwell recognises these almost comforting stereotypes as "pretty much spot-on. Among BNP activists, there is certainly an older group. There are also a lot of ex-military people, and former National Front types of a more thuggish, even Nazi persuasion. A recent poll showed fully a third of BNP support to be middle-class, although the really big concentration is C2 - solid, respectable working-class."

But there's a worrying new element that doesn't show up on the list at all, Eatwell warns. "Young people are coming in who had no political commitment before. They don't see themselves as racist, and they're not thuggish. They're there for what they see as moral reasons: maybe because their grandad was let down by the NHS. And remember, by far the biggest issue among BNP voters, besides immigration, is simply pessimism. Pessimism's rocketing right now. They're the ones to watch."

The chancellor, Alistair Darling, is preparing to admit that tax will need to rise after the next election as borrowing projections emerged showing the public finances in a worse state than previous estimates had shown. Darling will say that "adjustments" will have to be made, though it is unclear whether these will be slated for 2010 or 2011.

Yesterday the Treasury refused to deny reports that its officials were putting borrowing in the region of £120bn - much more than the £90bn many thought Darling would announce in his pre budget report on Monday.

Treasury officials are reported to have described the effect the £120bn would have on the economy as a "mammoth shock" as tax revenues continue to plummet and the costs of increased unemployment are borne by the state.

On Monday, Darling will have to show the government has a strategy for controlling annual borrowing to soothe international markets and remove conditions that might otherwise see the Bank of England feel the need to raise interest rates.

Last night it emerged that the chancellor was preparing to admit the government would raise taxes in order to bring the public finances under control. It is still thought the government will announce the heavily trailed fiscal stimulus package of tax cuts and increased public spending.

The admission by the chancellor on Monday may also serve to claim for the government some of the intellectual territory the Conservative leader staked this week when he ended a year-old commitment to match Labour party's spending plans for the year 2010-2011. Explaining his position on Tuesday, David Cameron said he believed the British people would be suspicious of tax cuts and public spending programmes without obvious funding.

It is not clear what form the tax rises might take but a Treasury aide described as "rubbish" a suggestion that VAT might rise from 17.5% to 22.5%.

This week the prime minister's efforts in tackling the economic downturn were reflected in improved polling figures, leading to speculation that No 10 was gearing up to call an election.

Speaking on Jeremy Vine's Radio 2 programme yesterday, Gordon Brown refused to be drawn on his improved standing and batted away talk of a election, saying that all speculation could be "discounted".

Downing Street has been quick to nip the rumour in the bud, with ministerial special advisers briefed this week by senior No 10 aides that an election was not "remotely on our minds".

They are keen to prevent a rerun of last summer which saw Brown's political standing damaged by his decision not to call an election after weeks of speculation.

Pressure was piled on the Treasury team drawing up Monday's plan by confirmation yesterday of poor October public sector net borrowing figures. Public sector net borrowing increased in the last month by £1.4bn. Borrowing was £3.1bn higher this year than in October 2007.

The figure for public sector net debt rose to £640.9bn or 42.9% of GDP largely down to the government's takeover of Bradford & Bingley at the end of September. Net borrowing has reached £37bn already - nearly as much as the £43bn forecast by the Treasury for the whole of the year. Government spending was higher than in the same month a year ago.

The prime minister and chancellor have said in the last few weeks that they favour a fiscal stimulus package to help galvanise the British economy. If as expected it is announced on Monday, this could increase public sector net borrowing by £15bn-£30bn.

More than 30,000 retail jobs were at risk last night as Woolworths fought to avoid collapse and the fashion discount chain MK One crashed into administration for the second time in a year.

Woolworths' future was hanging in the balance after its bankers objected to a management rescue plan to sell the loss-making 800-store chain to Hilco, which specialises in restructuring distressed companies.

The 99-year old retailer, which is a mainstay of town and city centres across the country, is now in last-ditch talks with its lenders in an attempt to avoid bankruptcy. But a source close to the negotiations said the talks had reached "an impasse" and "are not looking good".

Some 25,000 staff work in Woolworths stores and another 5,000 for two other businesses in the Woolworths group: EUK and 2entertain. The group also has 10,000 pensioners and pension fund members.

EUK distributes DVDs, CDs and books to major supermarkets including Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons and if the distributor is forced into administration alongside the Woolworths stores it could threaten the supermarkets' supplies in the vital Christmas shopping weeks.

2entertain is a joint venture with the BBC which produces and distributes BBC programmes on DVD and has had big successes with shows such as Little Britain and Top Gear.

MK One, which operates 125 stores aimed at young women and teenagers, has 1,400 staff jobs at risk.

The latest potential job losses come amid vast cutbacks in the retail industry, which is slashing staff costs by reducing workers' hours. Argos, for instance, has cut workers' hours by 20%. The specialist magazine Retail Week yesterday reported that across the high street such cutbacks now equal 100,000 full time jobs vanishing in the last year. The retail sector employs 10% of the UK workforce.

The stock market fell sharply again yesterday as investors worried about the effects of a recession on the corporate sector. Leading UK shares suffered their third worst week on record with the FTSE 100 slipping to 3,780, its lowest level since April 2003.

Woolworths has been battered by other retailers for years, but in recent weeks it has also been squeezed by the economic downturn and the impact of credit insurers - who protect suppliers from non-payment of invoices in the event of a retailer going bust - withdrawing cover to Woolworths' suppliers. That has left the chain having to pay suppliers on delivery - or have empty shelves.

Woolworths bosses have tried to sell the chain for a year in order to protect the other two businesses, but without success. A possible offer from Iceland supermarket boss Malcolm Walker in the summer fell apart when Baugur, the Icelandic investor backing his approach, ran into its own, credit crunch-related, problems.

Earlier this week Woolworths confirmed it might sell the stores, which are all leasehold, to Hilco. The US-owned group would have also taken on £265m of Woolworths' £380m of debts. Woolworths wanted the other £115m of debt to be transferred to EUK and 2entertain, which last year made profits of more than £40m before interest and tax.

In normal banking circumstances, such an arrangement would be commonplace, but a source familiar with the situation said: "The banks just won't let it happen. They seem to want to put the whole lot into administration to get all their money back immediately. The banks have the whip hand here."

Woolworths has a range of lenders, and many have been hit hard by the credit crunch. Its lead lenders are GMAC, of the US which is applying to the American bank bail-out fund for support, and Burdale, part of the deeply troubled Bank of Ireland, which yesterday said it had received a takeover approach.

Woolworths' other lenders include Barclays, which is raising £7bn from Middle East investors, the American bank Wachovia, which has just been taken over, and GE, which has had two profits warnings this year.

A spokesman for Burdale, one of the lead lenders, refused to comment on the discussions with Woolworths.

The crisis at Woolworths and MK One will increase fears that other ailing retail chains could collapse in the coming weeks. Casualties - and a fresh round of job losses - had been expected in the new year, when the Christmas winners and losers emerge. But lenders and suppliers had been thought unlikely to force stores into bankruptcy in the run-up to Christmas, when they should be raking in cash. Woolworths, for instance, normally makes 90% of its profits in the six weeks before Christmas. However, in the first six months of this year it crashed £100m in the red.

Woolworths shares closed last night at just 1.43p, down 32%, valuing the entire business at just £25m - equal to about three days' sales.

Job cuts this week

Monday
Citigroup, London 2,400
Avis, Hayes, Middlesex 100
Hoover, Merthyr Tydfil 337

Tuesday
Wolseley, nationwide 2,000
National Express, East Anglia 200
PSL Energy Services, Aberdeen 50

Wednesday
SIG, nationwide 900
Fidelity International, London 300
Deutsche Bank, London 450

Thursday
Rolls-Royce, Derby 140
AstraZeneca, Macclesfield 250
BAE Systems, nationwide 200
Daily Mail and General Trust 400
Tughans, Northern Ireland 20

Total 7,747