Rector hits out at BNP campaign

Whitehaven church leader John Bannister has spoken out against the British National Party, which is fielding a candidate in a Copeland Council by-election next month. The Rector of Whitehaven, has urged the electorate of Harbour Ward to “consider carefully and responsibly’’ how they vote.

But the BNP says it has had “a fantastic response’’ in Copeland and thinks the church should “keep out of politics’’. The party unveiled its candidate this week, Bill Pugh, of Melbreak Close, Mirehouse, who was born and raised in the town and was in the Army for 20 years, serving in Northern Ireland, Germany, Hong Kong and Singapore. Since leaving the army he has worked as a driving instructor.

Mr Pugh, 44, a father-of-four with two grandchildren, says he will campaign for a return to weekly refuse collection, is against any plans for a mosque and against pensioners having to sell their homes to pay for care.

As we reported last week, the Labour candidate is Jeanette Williams, 66, of Main Street, Distington, and Brigid Whiteside, 46, of Whitehaven, will stand for the Conservatives.

The deadline for nominations closed at noon on Tuesday. The BNP invoked electoral law to call for a speedy by-election for the vacant seat.

A meeting due to be held by the BNP last night (Wed) at the Crown and Anchor pub in Mirehouse was called off at the 11th hour after pub licensee Lawrence Smith decided to cancel the use of his pub as a venue for the BNP meeting. He told The Whitehaven News: “I heard there was to be some form of protest so decided it would be wisest to cancel the meeting. I had been told it was about the Harbour ward election."

Paul Jenkins, of the South Cumbria Unite Against Fascism organisation, had been lobbying to get the meeting stopped, and if it went ahead had intended to lead protestors outside the pub carrying placards saying “Use Your Vote, Stop The BNP”. He wants to see the town set up a Whitehaven Against Fascism group, similar to those in Carlisle and Maryport.

The Rev John Bannister feels the presence of the BNP in the town “can only produce a destructive impact upon the town’s community life”. He said: “The strengths of the community of Whitehaven and West Cumbria have developed from experiences and values which are totally opposed to those of the BNP. The community of Whitehaven should be aware of the extreme and racist nature of the BNP and their policies. Also, research has shown that, once elected, BNP candidates have failed dismally to serve their electors by failing to fulfil their duties to the communities which have elected them.’’

But Clive Jefferson, BNP organiser, said yesterday: “Allegations of racism are nonsense, that is just scaremongering. I believe the church and state separated a long time ago and it should stay that way and they should keep out of politics.’’

He maintained that Mr Pugh would be an active and committed councillor for the ward.

Mr Bannister said that, while he acknowledges the legal right of the BNP to compete in any process of democratic elections, he is concerned that its campaign information “fails to make clear to the electorate the exact nature of their policies and ideologies”.

“For the sake of all that is good about our community life and for the safekeeping of the future of our young people, I urge the electors of Harbour Ward to consider carefully and responsibly their response to this attempt by the BNP to infiltrate our community with their destructive politics,’’ he said.

Mr Jefferson added: “For the vicar to come out and speak against us when there are so many horrendous things going on in the world to demand his attention...

“We have had a fantastic response in Copeland. Every single person we have seen is extremely interested and very open to the BNP because we are just telling the truth and speaking out plainly about the problems that no one else is speaking against.

“I don’t think I have ever come across a council so disliked as Copeland.’’

This is a second local campaign for Brigid Whiteside, of Foxhouses Road, Whitehaven, the wife of Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate Chris Whiteside. She stood at the last Copeland Council elections in May. The chairman of Copeland Conservatives, Coun Yvonne Clarkson, said Mrs Whiteside had a very good understanding of the problems and issues facing the area.

Meanwhile college lecturer Jeanette Williams will be hoping to retain the seat for Labour and join the other two Labour councillors who represent Harbour Ward, Henry Wormstrup and John Kane.

Ms Williams has lived in the area since 1988, moving from Liverpool. She formerly worked in a supermarket before undertaking a degree course at the Carlisle campus of the University of Northumbria in 1995, gaining a teaching qualification.

Copeland elections manager Alan Southward said: “If anyone in Harbour ward has difficulty getting to the poll we can provide a postal vote as long as they contact my office before Thursday, September 6, by telephoning 01946 598531.”

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on September 20.

Whitehaven News