December 23, 2007

Reader article: The BNP's Quiet Revolution...gets quieter

This article was submitted by one of our readers, Iliacus. We welcome any contributions (as long as those contributions conform to the law and are in reasonably good taste) from our supporters. Please send your articles to us at lancaster.uaf@zen.co.uk

Martin Wingfield and others have taken to proclaiming the advent of The Quiet Revolution, by which they mean the BNP's ability to field candidates in more seats, in more areas, and to gain a decent level of support in traditionally unpromising areas.

This has to be a worry. It would be very troubling if a party of the nature of the BNP could begin to poll 15-20% of the vote across significant areas of the country, and with this government's cack-handed introduction of a different form of semi-p.r. for various bodies (notably the European Parliament, but also the London Assembly) support at this level could translate to elected members. The consequences, in publicity and finances, could be disastrous.

However, the evidence in the past couple of weeks is that Wingfield's Quiet Revolution is "turning down the volume".

December 13th saw no fewer than nine local authority by-elections (plus at least one parish election). The BNP fielded only one candidate, who polled just 2.6% of the vote in an election won by a Conservative Moslem of Asian origin. Even UKIP managed to field candidates in three of the contests - picking up 2.2, 5.5 and 10.1%. Hardly brilliant, but denting the BNP's claim to be the "fourth party of English politics". Curiously not a single seat changed hands, the Conservatives retaining four, Lib Dems three, with one each for the Greens (perhaps they, rather than UKIP, are the real fourth party then?) and Independents. The Parish Council seat was retained by a Lib Dem.

On December 20th there were just two by-elections (plus one in a town - i.e. parish - council). The Conservatives retained a seat in Hackney in a six(!)-cornered fight, but no BNP candidate. Even the Communists fielded a candidate!

In Benfleet two seats were vacant in the same ward, both Conservative defences. They held one; the other was gained by Labour. The BNP fielded two candidates. They polled around 20% in coming 5th and 6th - or last, to put it another way. In supposedly "white flight" Essex this was hardly a sparkling display, particularly in the absence of any other choice apart from Labour and Conservative.

There was also a Town Council by-election in Shepshed, Leicestershire. Now the other parties really don't make a big issue of town council by-elections, but the BNP - clutching at electoral straws - like to pretend they are hugely significant. (Unlike the other parties, for example, they include parish and town representatives in their totals of elected councillors.) The BNP seem to have made a serious effort, including tellers at the polling stations all day. Their reward was to come 5th and 6th out of seven candidates as Labour took both seats from the Tories. Again, the vote share was around 20%, though with only one Conservative candidate there may have been some very odd vote-splitting. Oh, and the turnout was a truly miserable 14.5%, which means that one registered elector in around 33 took the trouble to vote BNP. A quiet revolution indeed!

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wonder how Rhiannon's Birthday tea went today? Last years sounded quite nice. Fortunately, this year Griffin is the prize turkey and, now all we need is for him to get stuffed :)



"YULETIDE MENU




Rhiannon's Birthday Tea - 23rd December


Mussels in cream and white wine (Dad)

Lamb chops, cous cous, mediterranean vegetables (Mum)

Mince pies and brandy butter




Christmas Eve


Homemade pizzas and salad (Mum)




Christmas Day


Breakfast:

Seared scallops and sweet chilli sauce. Fresh baked bread (Rhiannon)


Lunch:

Carpaccio of beef (Richard)

Medallions of pork, colcannon and calvados sauce (Dad)

Self-saucing chocolate pudding and vanilla icecream (Elen)


Supper:

Paella (Dad)




Boxing Day


Breakfast:

Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs (Jennifer)


Lunch (all Mum):

Cauliflower and bacon soup

Roast mincemeat turkey and all the trimmings

Christmas Puddings flaming and frozen


Supper:

Jacket potatoes, cold turkey and pickles (Dad)"

http://chairmans-column.blogspot.com/2006/12/christmas-day-posting.html

Anonymous said...

"What will 2007 bring? Well, a few more of our predictions will come true, but more than that no man can say. Only one thing is sure: It won't be boring, for this is the party that keeps British politics awake."

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Antifascist said...

Smoked salmon, huh? He's really one of the people, isn't he.

Anonymous said...

Isn't it time Iliacus became a staff write or whatever you'd call it rather than just a reader putting in articles? All of his/her articles have been great and I reckon theyd make a great addition to LUAF.

Anonymous said...

See, that's the thing. If indeed the BNP are as popular as they say they are..shouldn't the turn out be larger?!

Anonymous said...

What do the rebels feast on?

Probably not "sheep's testicles", as they've got no balls if they return to the griffin camp by the monday deadline,

lol

Anonymous said...

Staff writer ????

Gosh, does that mean I'd get paid? I could go self-employed and get paid through a separate company "Great Red Scribblings". No receipts, no payslips, no papertrail. Oh, and I'd need a laptop from you - but make sure you keep the receipt!

Anybody want to buy a mortgage/ skip/ second hand nationalist political party (non-runner)?

;-)

Unknown said...

iliacus said...

Staff writer ????

Gosh, does that mean I'd get paid?


Paid?

What do you know that I don't?

Paid?

Anonymous said...

"Staff writer ????

Gosh, does that mean I'd get paid? I could go self-employed and get paid through a separate company "Great Red Scribblings". No receipts, no payslips, no papertrail. Oh, and I'd need a laptop from you - but make sure you keep the receipt!

Anybody want to buy a mortgage/ skip/ second hand nationalist political party (non-runner)?

;-)"

LOL!!

Anonymous said...

If the rebels do give in and accept Nicholas as their beloved fuhrer, they'd better check the small print in the 2008 bnp memership renewal form.

There'll surely be some interesting suprises in there, folks, to ensure that no-one will ever utter a single word of doubt at nick Griffin.

Free speech applies and democracy purely to Griffin's freedom to sprout race hate in public. Party members are mere pawns in Old Nick's ego machine, with no ability to so much as question his leadership.

Anonymous said...

I take it Mark Collett will never be removed from the bnp?

That's so disgusting and immoral of Nick Griffin to allow this sick pup to remain in the party.

Nick Griffin really doesn't give a shit what the ordinary members think. If there's a so-called reconcilliation, it sadly means the rebels eating humble pie, not griffin and collett resigning.

Anonymous said...

Just to get serious again :-(

During November & December there were 33 byelections to "principal area" local authorities (ie excluding parish councils)

The BNP fought 7

UKIP fought 8

Greens fought 9

The BNP held one out of the 33 - and lost it! The Greens previously held one out of the 33 - and held it at the byelection!

In descending order BNP performance was:

c.20% (distorted by double vacancy) - located in "white flight Essex"

19% - down from 36% in May, and a seat they held !!!!

13.6% and 13.6% - in E and W Midlands (odd coincidence, identical percentages)

8.9% - E Midlands

4.9% - North Wales

2.6% - Harrow

If that's a quiet revolution then I'm a Dutchman (which I'm not!)

"Onwards and upwards" - more "Downwards and Backwards"

Anonymous said...

Why has Darby moved his posting time to late evening now? i see that his post for yesterday states the the Sunday Mail have been doorstepping diva dicky, but according to him dicky is such a gentleman he wont speak to them.

Might it just not be the case that the mail are knocking on the wrong door? in B & D we are all well aware that Dickys REAL home is in Lewisham, but he is also registered at a flat in Barking town centre which is privately rented, and also in the last few weeks we understand he has another property in Dagenham which is an ex-council house, we do not know if diva has bought or once again renting, but he is obviously taken the idea up that when you move up the political ladder you need more than one home.

Silly boy really as of course we all know you can only claim housing benefit on one house.

Unless of course he is building a catelogue so that the new Mrs has a choice.

So if the Mail would like to contact activists in B & D im sure we will be able to give them addresses, failing that they will always get him in the Lord Denman at the heathway.

Anonymous said...

For the rest of the week Im back in Ireland on holidays.
So happy christmas to all you wonderful anti fascists

I am going to forget about the vile BNP for the next few days and in the new year i look forward to talking to you all again

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

Anonymous said...

Having spent a very entertaining afternoon with an old long term friend who is a senior practioner within the mental health arena i asked him to have a look at the blog of that most famous nut case Lee Barnes.

My friend has no interest in politics at all for the record, but as a favour to me spent quite some time at my computer going the the postings of Barnes over the last 7/10 days.

In his opinion Barnes mental health is rapidly deteriorating, he believes that he is trapped in a major psychcotic episode, totally delusional, and if 'pushed' could spiral into violence.

My friend was concerned to read in at least one blog that barnes allegedly refers to his child my friend stated that he had concerns.

He also raised concerns that in a number of blogs earlier this week there were quite specific threats of violence/to kill made by Barnes.

These he suggested need to be noted/logged by Police.

So there you have it, what we have known all along confirmed by a professional Lee Barnes is bonkers. Allegedly.

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas Irish Tony have a great time.

Anonymous said...

Kenny smith & sadie graham to announce new party in weeks a little bird has whispered in my ear

Unknown said...

Merry Christmas, IrishTony, and to anti-fascists everywhere.

Anonymous said...

Well i think the Single 8.23 posting on eie has finally thrown down the gauntlet, there now seems no way back,

i think you are going to have to change your title, its not quiet now and the bottles are about to fly.

What a Christmas.

Anonymous said...

"everyones a fruit and nut case,hazelnut sweet and chocolate" barnes has lost it some one send him "its the end of the world as we know it" by REM. as jim royal would say sparticus MY ARSE

Unknown said...

Kenny Smith on EiEN:

Nick said that despite the fact that my department was almost 100% effective and Sadie’s not far behind and despite the fact that neither of us had hampered anybody else’s work within the party over the years or brought negative publicity upon the party, that he would get rid of both of us and keep the other three regardless of the fact that he admitted that the three were either incompetent, liars or both. Such a statement defies logic, but that is what the man said on the Friday and confirmed to others when it was repeated on the Saturday. Such logic, in my humble opinion, suggests that he does not have the best interests of the party at heart.

http://enoughisenoughnick.blogspot.com/2007/12/kennys-story.html

Anonymous said...

Who killed Kenny?

"Kenny's Story

So far I have not given my side of the story in this whole sorry mess. I haven’t needed to because my reputation for financial probity, dedication to the cause, professionalism and hard work precedes me in parts of the country I haven’t even visited yet.


This is not a big-headed boast but a reality borne out by the testimony of so many other well-respected and dedicated party officials and members as well as quite a few people who have argued or fallen out with me in the past whether for ideological or management reasons. In fact, the majority of people in that later category are people who have been miffed at my pedantic and fastidious ways when it comes to financial matters.


I have also held back because I don’t think the party’s dirty linen should be aired in public and I hoped that a resolution could be reached in short order. However given the dirty tactics employed against Sadie and Matt, more than me and the others who today stand accused and expelled for speaking out against management and leadership failings and the deranged and conflicting lies thrown out this week by people I once called comrade, I now make this statement.


I have been a loyal BNP activist since 1992, a local official since 1995, a regional one since 1997 and a national one since 2004; though strangely left off the list of national officers in the 2006 statement of accounts. My efforts have always been to improve the performance and electability of the Party and I believe I have been successful in every post I have held in this respect. I was also the first party publication editor to openly endorse Nick Griffin as a potential leader of the BNP after Scott McLean and another BNP Scotland official convinced him to join the BNP and help us breathe new life and a modern way of thinking into the BNP. I still believe we did right in that respect.


The Problem

However, somewhere along the line Nick has become beholden to one individual who has caused more bother among colleagues and embarrassment for the party than any other figure in modern British nationalist history. Many colleagues of more wisdom and experience than I have tried as I have to get this situation – as well as other internal failings – sorted within the mechanisms that exist in the party i.e. the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman, the Advisory Council, the Party Manager and more recently the new Central Management Team. Regardless of the evidence presented or the judgements of these bodies and individuals, Nick has always attempted to protect this plague on our party.


I don’t know the reason why Mark Collett seems to have Nick by the short and curlies, but it is the reason for this current situation.


In September Nick gave Sadie Graham and myself ultimatums to stop presenting evidence of Collett, Dave Hannam and John Walker’s incompetence, lies, failure to work with other colleagues, deliberate attempts to hinder other colleagues and general negative behaviour internally and at public events. We were basically told that they are protected and if we didn’t like it we could clear off.


This was despite the fact that he thought that we had been excellent employees, with unblemished records and work hours that would exhaust your local second generation corner shop proprietor. To say I was stunned was an understatement, but after discussions with him in my living room it became clear that he did not understand the situation fully and when he and Arthur Kemp left both Nicholla and I felt it had been a positive experience and that many of our complaints were going to be addressed.


Sadly two days later we came crashing back to reality when Nick reversed his own decision from the Saturday and that of the CMT to back Collett when he refused to send me items I needed for my work. Since then I have felt that there has been a concerted effort to have me pushed out of the party.


Sadie has already explained the situation regarding the cancelling of our double-header seminars at Conference in November, but her modesty stopped her revealing what Nick told us on the Friday night there and confirmed in front of witnesses on the Saturday night. Just as I’m not shy to speak my mind regardless of the company, I don’t think I should be bashful in repeating them here. Nick said that despite the fact that my department was almost 100% effective and Sadie’s not far behind and despite the fact that neither of us had hampered anybody else’s work within the party over the years or brought negative publicity upon the party, that he would get rid of both of us and keep the other three regardless of the fact that he admitted that the three were either incompetent, liars or both. Such a statement defies logic, but that is what the man said on the Friday and confirmed to others when it was repeated on the Saturday. Such logic, in my humble opinion, suggests that he does not have the best interests of the party at heart.


Separating the wheat from the chaff

So where does somebody go from there? You know there are problems and they are mounting but you are being forbidden from bringing them to the attention of those who could and should act to fix them. In frustration I chose to gather public information highlighting the negative impact of Collett and Hannam on the party in one place. I weeded out the lies and misinformation and just left the facts. I did it anonymously and did not broadcast my efforts beyond a select few.


Then the knock at the door from 3 cowards from Cumbria at 10.40am on that Sunday morning as I prepared for the Scottish Regional Council Meeting that was due to take place nearby later that day. They issued my heavily pregnant wife our letters. We read them and told them we rejected the accusations, the sackings and requests made in them for us to co-operate with the goons on our doorstep. The three accusations made against me were not the same as those made against me on the new BNP website, which appeared shortly after the knock at the door. I told Griffin’s goons they should leave. They threatened to force entry to retrieve goods they could not identify and were told that I would protect my home, my wife and my unborn child. After a call to Martin Reynolds, Clive Jefferson then told me they would not try to force their way in because of Nicholla’s condition. By this time however they were under surveillance by a BNP Scotland security team who would have ensured the thugs ended up in custody had Reynolds' conscience not been pricked.


As the events of the day unfolded I could hardly believe what was happening. Sadie’s home had been bugged. Her home entered by deception and her personal belongings stolen. Our alleged communications broadcast on the main BNP website for the entire world to see. The abusive and insulting texts I recieved from Hannam and Walker.


If we ignore the illegal bugging, home raid and theft – hard I know but let’s pretend – if officers of the BNP had been caught breaching the code of conduct by setting up an anonymous blog then the party should have acted in the same way it did when Collett and Hannam were disciplined for bringing under-age girls back to the Conference Hotel in 2006 and demanding that they have sex with them or f##k off! That is to say the matter is dealt with internally and the accused given a disciplinary hearing! The last thing that should have been done is for the matter to be broadcast to the world via the party website.


Then in the days that followed the lies increased, I was a thief, a red, a neo-nazi, the person responsible for the Treasury problems, the ringleader of a ‘palace coup’, the architect of a plot to shut down the AC and the voting membership scheme, attempting to destroy the BNP and set myself up as the leader of a new party in Scotland. For the record, each and every one of these accusations is false. They are lies and smears spewed out by a cabal of yes-men - and in some cases individuals working to their own agenda - on the orders of Griffin, because I dared to stand up and speak out against management and leadership failings within BNP that are holding us back.


One in particular is so damaging I am still find it almost incredulous that it was done. Simon Darby went to BBC Newsnight and told the world we were Nazis. How can reconciliation take place after such a smear? Earlier this week attempts to resolve the situation and bring about a return of the BNP loyalists to the fold broke down, but can you imagine the field day the media would have about the BNP re-admitting Nazis to its fold. I do hope for an amicable resolution to this current situation to ensure the BNP continues, but somebody has got a lot of explaining to do on that one first.


As I said before I do not know what Collett has on Griffin, though it must be good when even a threat of turning Queen’s Evidence at the first Free Speech trial didn’t dull Griffin’s defence of him, but I do know that the sacking of Sadie and I, our partners and the other brave people who have spoken out about this situation are being made scapegoats for events that took place at the start of the month and which would have gone someway to resolving the problems we and others have been complaining about for three years in some instances.


On Tuesday the 4th of December the CMT recommended the sacking of Collett and Hannam after Griffin had agreed to them receiving a verbal warning for their latest transgression of the code of conduct. The reason they recommended expulsion was two-fold. Firstly, because under the terms of the Constitution and the terms of the ‘final warning’ they received for their failed attempt at paedophilia [The offence was not mentioned in the confirmation letters to avoid bringing embarrassment to the party, though as it is now in the public domain I need not hide the fact now] and secondly, because it was Griffin’s big chance to get rid of the millstone that had been holding the party back for some time now and creating problems within the internal management structure.


Griffin’s reaction was not unexpected. He slapped the CMT down and laid the blame at the feet of Sadie and myself instead. My letter of sacking was actually dated the 6th though it was delivered on the 9th and despite communications with him during that time, he didn’t even have the courage to bring the subject up with me in person, just as he had never mentioned two of the issues he cited in his letter sacking me either.


I should mention at this juncture several points that should be stated here on the Collett and Hannam ‘final warning’ which was meted out to them for the disgusting behaviour at the 2006 Conference. They only got final warnings because Griffin refused to let them be expelled. The disciplinary panel of Scott McLean (then Deputy Chairman and Disciplinary Officer), Nick Cass (then Party Manager) and Steve Blake (then Web Editor), AC members all, accepted the pairs guilty pleas after the evidence was stated. Now however the Griffin cabal are claiming the confirmation letters were never sent and that the word files are manufactured and therefore the findings of the panel are invalid, so his permission to give them a verbal warning should mean their expulsion. Well according to ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service), the important factor is that a disciplinary procedure took place – even you cannot deny that one. The letter matters not a jot. In fact, the only way the decision of the panel could have been reversed was if a formal grievance procedure had been raised by the guilty pair in reasonable time after the decision was made and ACAS also say that a year later is most definitely not reasonable time. So the pair should have been expelled on the 5th of December 2007 according to Griffin’s verbal warning decision, the CMT, the code of conduct, the Constitution, the BNP disciplinary procedure and the advice of ACAS!


What now?

I have taken legal advice and therefore cannot comment in great detail on the accusations made against me. However I can assure members that I was not to blame for the late accounts. I did not steal any money and no party money was used to produce any bulletin. I am not a nazi – indeed I was winning cases via the PCC against newspapers refute this allegation against the BNP before Griffin even joined the party, I am not a red and I have never co-operated or dealt with reds. I am not an agent provocateur. I don’t want to be the leader of the BNP or become the leader of a separate party in Scotland, in fact at the Scottish Regional Council meeting organised that Sunday the agenda had proposals to re-appoint Scott McLean as Regional Organiser and Gary Raikes as Regional Secretary with me having the role of Regional Fund-holder, which would effectively have meant me dropping down two levels in rank in Scotland. I do want the legislative and the executive parts of the BNP to be separated though, with no dictatorial powers given to just one man. I don’t want the Advisory Council disbanded or the Voting Membership system binned, though I have always campaigned against there being a financial aspect to it – but thanks to Treasury incompetence that didn’t get enforced this year anyway!


I have evidence to back all of the above up and will be happy to co-operate with any of the alleged Police or Electoral Commission investigations Griffin’s cabal say they have instigated against me, but I have yet to be questioned about. I have made some evidence available to some national and regional officers and will make more available too if the need arises or time allows prior to any such investigations. I have raised a formal grievance with Griffin and the Party over my sacking and expulsion.


I have fought for the cause for over 15 years now, withstood attacks, threats and insults from left-wing opponents as well as right-wing extremists. I have bent the knee to nobody and will not do so now. I have always stood up for myself, the party, the members and our shared cause. I will continue to do this and more, because I will fight tooth and nail to clear my name and also to expose those prepared to lie and smear innocent comrades to meet their own selfish ends. A bad taste has been left in my mouth but that does not mean the situation cannot be resolved. I pray that it can be because I have worked too hard for too long to see the BNP destroyed by charlatans, deviants and liars.


The public support we have received has been fantastic. The enormous amount of private support has been in truth frustrating, because if everybody who agrees with us privately came out and joined us publicly, Nick Griffin may just realise that resistance is futile. That said I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart and particularly those who have supported the Family Defence Appeal at such a difficult time of the year.


Remember we are the majority, we are the membership, we want change and we must have it soon or this party we all love so dearly will crumble into the dust. For the sake of our children and those like my own yet to come I beseech you to be brave, to be bold like our ancestors and enter the fray. You can save the BNP with decisive action now.


Regards


Kenny Smith"

http://enoughisenoughnick.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

"that he would get rid of both of us and keep the other three regardless of the fact that he admitted that the three were either incompetent,"

Is anyone smart enough to know why?

Collett=Money
Walker=Money
Hannam=Money

Anonymous said...

it did when Collett and Hannam were disciplined for bringing under-age girls back to the Conference Hotel in 2006 and demanding that they have sex with them or f##k off!

From enough is enough.....

Right what the hell more do the police need. You know in an odd way I quite like Collet, he alone does more damage to the BNP than I ever could, so I would be disapointed if he was kicked out.

THAT SAID,

some things go beyond party politics, and well if its true what has been claimed then well this guy really needs to be charged by the police. As a result when he leaves the bnp they will be more sucessful, but you know rather that than he recieves no repremands for this (alleged) vile and repulent behaviour.

Anonymous said...

Someone on Stormfront has some questions

"Anyone who is anyone is watching this thread, Who is ultimately in charge of the Lancaster U.A.F. Blog?, and who is the account holder for the blog?, this could prove very important, any researchers who can help?, by p.m if needs be."

Antifascist said...

'Who is ultimately in charge of the Lancaster U.A.F. Blog?'

Is it a trick question?

Anonymous said...

'Who is ultimately in charge of the Lancaster U.A.F. Blog?'

Which thread is that?

Anonymous said...

i didnt know any single person was ultimately in charge of this blog. i rather thought it was a community ownership........

Antifascist said...

'Which thread is that?'

That bloody great expulsion thread, around page 135.