Reaction to BNP membership court order

Yesterday the Equality and Human Rights Commission announced that it has issued county court proceedings against BNP party leader, Nick Griffin, and two other officials today over the BNP’s membership rules. The BNP face allegations that its membership criteria breach human rights law, specifically section 25 of the Race Relations Act.

The BNP have yet to offer a full official reaction, but instead have referred to their written response to the CEHR where they claim that the legal proceedings are just a political ploy. They also claim that the BNP is “exempt from the provisions of section 25 of the Race Relations Act by virtue of the provisions of section 26 of that act. The British National Party is an ethnic specific association, and it does not cease to be so because we choose to denote our ethnic group in a way which is unique to ourselves.”

The response to the EHRCs legal action has been widely positive across the print and online media, however,  some commentators believe that it brings unnecessary publicity to the BNP and may serve to backfire on the EHRC. Nothing British believes that this view is out of date. The BNP have all the publicity they need online, and as we covered yesterday, are getting creative using popular social network sites such. To combat the party, they must be dragged into open debates that will shed light on their systems and beliefs. We commend the EHRC for doing just that.

Mainstream parties unite against BNP in Redbridge

The Ilford Recorder reports:

THE British National Party is hoping to sweep into Redbridge Town Hall at next year’s elections.

London organiser Bob Bailey and sole Redbridge councillor Julian Leppert are banking on the electorate’s disillusionment with the mainstream parties.

Mr Bailey said 20 candidates would fight for votes in a bid to replicate their strength in Barking and Dagenham, where they have 12 members.

The far right party hopes to capitalise on the rift in the Tory group that saw a number of members quit.

He said: “The average Redbridge person will not vote. The expenses scandal and the ineffectiveness of the Tories and Labour will work in our favour for those wanting to protest.”

Hainault Cllr Julian Leppert said: “It is all to play for.”

But the borough’s political establishment is united against them.

Tory and Labour leaders say they are determined not to lose seats to the BNP.

Labour leader Cllr Elaine Norman said: “I am always worried about them; I think they have a very negative influence.

“We will be fighting hard to keep them out.”

Tory boss Cllr Keith Prince said: “No one could have done less for the borough than the current member.

“Voters should realise the BNP has nothing to offer them – a party that does nothing and says nothing.”

Labour MP for Ilford South, Mike Gapes, said: “I hope the people of Redbridge have far more sense and will unite to reject the BNP’s poisonous lies.”

His Ilford North counterpart Lee Scott said: “We are determined to make sure they will not do well – in fact in 12 months’ time they could even have lost their one Redbridge representative.”

The BNP also has an eye on the Parliamentary seat soon to be vacated by Leyton and Wanstead MP Harry Cohen.

But Gerry Gable of anti-fascism magazine Searchlight said: “Julian Leppert has not performed well, I don’t see them as a major threat for Redbridge.”

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Two people have been charged with breaching the Data Protection Act after a British National Party membership list was leaked on the internet.

Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP, lodged a complaint with Dyfed-Powys, his local force, on the grounds that publishing the list breached human rights and data protection laws, and could put those named at risk.

The pair will appear before magistrates in Nottingham on 1 September.

“Two charged over BNP members leak” – BBC News

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