Vicar blasts far right meetings in church hall

A vicar whose church was used as a meeting point for extreme right-wingers has condemned them as 'abhorrent'.

Reverend Paul Smith was unaware the meetings had taken place at the Cross and Stable Church in Downs Barn after the church hall was allegedly booked using false names.

Members of the British National Party (BNP) and National Front (NF) were believed to be among those who congregated at the church hall on Saturday, June 17 and Wednesday, July 26. Nationalists included former NF politician Richard Edmonds who was once convicted for smashing a statue of Nelson Mandela [and] spoke at the June meeting celebrating the life of BNP founder John Tyndall.

One nationalist website says the event including speeches and the sale of nationalist merchandise. In July, Beds and Bucks BNP members met at Campbell Park sports pavilion before being directed to the Cross and Stable by skinhead stewards.

A horrified Rev Smith said: "We have discovered that on two occasions during the summer of 2006 the Cross and Stable Community Centre was allegedly used by members of an extremist organisation for meetings.

"The bookings were made by private individuals and we had no knowledge of their possible connection with the BNP. It is possible we were deceived as to their intentions in making the bookings. As a Christian priest I abhor any racist organisation. The hall is a joint community centre and church building, run by a management committee. The committee is in the process of discussing how we can tighten up our lettings policy to avoid such a situation arising again."

A spokesman for Milton Keynes Racial Equality Council said: "It is indicative that the BNP should choose to book and conduct their meetings in such a clandestine manner. This highlights that the BNP is an unrepresentative and undemocratic organisation often afraid to show its true purpose or character." Umbrella group Luton Unite, which aims to counter the activity of right wing groups in the region, also condemned the meetings.

A spokesman said: "We share Reverend Smith's concern that a place of worship for a thriving multi-cultural congregation has been desecrated by the presence of neo-Nazi hate material. For a political party that claims legitimacy, it is a strange set of affairs where they cannot hold a branch meeting without resorting to this kind of deception."

MKNews