Sunderland BNP organiser resigns due to 'differences of opinions'

Ian Leadbitter, (former) Sunderland BNP organiser, has used the letters column of his local newspaper to resign from his post and also as a candidate for the BNP in local elections, citing 'differences of opinions' as his reason.

Leadbitter, regular readers will recall, achieved some small and unwelcome fame last year as the taxi driver for autistic schoolchildren who lost his school runs licence after teachers at Columbia School, Washington, accused him of playing the radio too loud and verbally abusing staff. At the time, teachers told Leadbitter's wife Sharon, who escorts the youngsters to and from the car, that one of the children was coming to school 'distressed' after listening to the radio 'blasting' on the way to school.

Despite ignoring three warnings, Leadbitter claimed to be 'stunned' when he was given the elbow.

Leadbitter appears to have stood as a candidate for the BNP on numerous occasions, losing repeatedly, and was carted off by the police outside an election count when he was standing in Redhill ward, having been arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after punching and kicking peaceful demonstrators.

Nice guy - glad he's gone!