BNP fundraising dinner fiasco

Until a few days ago, the British National Party's Yorkshire region was expecting at least 100 and potentially up to 150 fools to attend a secretive fundraising dinner and put their hands in their pockets in an attempt to replenish the party's empty coffers.

But at the last count only about 40 diners had signed up for tonight's fancy three-course Italian meal with wine at the Sorrento Italian restaurant in Low Moor near Bradford.

Those organising the event include Nick Cass, recently sacked from his national position as Party Manager, and Ian Dawson, who has just resigned as the BNP's Head of Group Support. Others involved are Peter Hollings, who runs a fireplace business, Ged Munns, the BNP's Yorkshire region fund-holder, who runs the Super Cut men's hairdresser in Leeds, and the BNP's Leeds councillor Chris Beverley.

Mr Hart, who runs the restaurant, appears to have put the chance of making some money over any principles in allowing the right-wing extremists in. He might come to regret his decision if the restaurant's public link with the BNP drives away other customers.

Ordinary BNP street thugs were not welcome at the dinner. With tickets priced at £45 a head for members and £50 for non-members, the organisers were looking to attract a more upmarket type of customer – those with the means to rescue the BNP from its deep financial crisis.

The BNP's accounts for 2005 – the last set submitted to the Electoral Commission – revealed a party on the verge of bankruptcy. Since then the party has claimed that its finances have returned to a state of good health.

Yet the BNP has declared only four donations of £5,000 upwards in the past two years, a total of £28,263, all from a Mr Charles Wentworth. And three months after the deadline the BNP has not yet submitted its 2006 accounts, incurring a fine of up to £1,000.

Full-time staff including party leader Nick Griffin himself are on half pay and waiting weeks for their expenses. Most are struggling to pay their mortgages or rent.

The BNP must have breathed a sigh of relief when Gordon Brown decided not to hold a general election next month. BNP local units had been told to fight as many general election seats as possible but were going to have to fund the full cost themselves, with the exception of Richard Barnbrook in Barking, who merited special favours. BNP head office was desperately trying to raise £15,000 to pay for the party's election broadcast.

As if the party's financial woes were not enough, the BNP is also in internal chaos. Cass and Dawson are not the only leading lights in the BNP who have resigned their positions or left the party altogether recently. Others include Andrew Spence, who achieved the BNP's best ever poll result in July in the by-election in Tony Blair's former Sedgefield seat.

Even "Doc Phil Edwards", one of the party's best known public faces, has stepped down as press officer, claiming he wanted to concentrate more fully on his business interests.

Many officers, including Cllr Beverley, one of Griffin's most loyal supporters, are moaning about the way Griffin has surrounded himself with a coterie of men who are mostly not party members and sometimes not even British. It is this clique that now decides BNP policy. Party stalwarts who want to attend the AGM must first receive ideological training from a former sergeant in the feared South African Security Police under the apartheid regime.

Griffin will be the keynote speaker at the dinner, the advertised purpose of which is to raise money for the 2009 European elections. He will have his job cut out persuading the BNP's wealthier local supporters, who include two or three millionaires, that the party is not about to collapse.

They may be unwilling to dig deep into their pockets to pay fines for the late submission of the party accounts, for which many senior members are blaming the incompetence of the party's national treasurer and deputy treasurer.

Donors will also worry about the threat to their previous anonymity from the dozens of senior party members who are publicly voicing their dissatisfaction with the way the 8,400-strong party with just 48 councillors nationwide is being driven to a political standstill through what most see as Griffin's managerial ineptitude.

It is that dissatisfaction that led to the tip-off to us about tonight's dinner, probably from one of those still waiting for the party to pay their wages.

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