Auty campaign labels Nick Griffin as ruthless and desperate 'crook' and 'liar'

Whether it's because Colin Auty's leadership campaign is going through its death throes or because Auty is anxious to establish his anti-Griffin credentials for once and for all before any contest takes place is uncertain but his team has clearly decided to state its case unequivocally over on the challenger's blog.

In a post made last night, Auty questioned the reason behind the sudden shifting of former party treasurer John Walker into the newly-created role of 'National Dispatch and Logistics Manager', a move that we pondered on a week ago. He comes to much the same conclusion that we did - that Walker was moved to keep him quiet or, as Auty puts it rather more harshly;

'He has been privy to a great deal of the shady and downright deceitful dealings of Mr Griffin over the last couple of years, so much so in fact that Griffin has been, for sometime, completely perplexed on how he is going to get rid of him without risking John doing the honourable thing and exposing the corruption and pressure that he has himself been compliant with for so long.'

In an intriguing insight into the way the BNP is run that should surprise nobody, Auty relates Griffin's standard procedure for dealing with those within the party he perceives to be a threat to his position;

'He would merely isolate the victim by concocting lies about them concerning financial ‘irregularities’ (somewhat ironically), aimed carefully at his victim before unleashing his attack-dogs to finish the job with personal attacks and slanderous gossip. Occasionally the victim would then be pulled apart at an Advisory Council meeting in their absence complete with the customary ‘such a shame’ crocodile tears. Without being afforded the opportunity to defend themselves, the victim would be cast out as a leper from the Party. Those sat around the AC table, however shocked or confused that the ‘evidence’ spewed out regarding one of their comrades is entirely unsubstantiated, would very often sit in silence though fear of becoming the next victim. This is a standard Griffin modus operandi, as many of his decent and hardworking victims have been only too happy to confirm and share with us.'

There's a coincidence - they've shared it with us too. But this is not the end of the revelations. Auty goes on to state categorically that the party finances are controlled by Nick Griffin alone, that '...it is Griffin that pulls all the strings and ‘balances’ the Party books, it is he alone that decides where our money is spent, and even if it is thrown into his black hole of amateurish gimmicks more akin to the activities of the Monster Raving Loony Party than a serious political alternative, no one is ever afforded the opportunity to find out exactly what such stunts cost us; the books are always cooked to a crisp and kept under lock and key'.

As a relatively senior member of the party, we can safely assume that Auty knows what he's talking about. Indeed, nothing he has said in this or any other article contradicts anything that we have been told by those members of the BNP who have been concerned enough with Griffin's behaviour and the party's financial dealings to correspond directly with Lancaster Unity. As we all know, money and its acquisition has ever been Griffin's raison d'être, a fact which seems at last to be acknowledged by those within the BNP, as witnessed by this statement by Auty;

'Over the last few months, many members and ex-members from various regions that had held different posts from activists through to regional organisers and councillors have been in contact with us. Many have expressed their despair at the financial situation within the Party. Many have commented that money is simply now the only driving factor behind Nick Griffin’s façade of modern British Nationalism.'

Auty speculates on Griffin's future financial plans, pointing out that 'the sun always eventually sets on all empires and regimes...it is very advantageous for the totalitarian that presided over it to be in a comfortable position ready to point the finger at someone else from the safety of an overseas bolt-hole with money in the bank...alternately, a person facing such a dilemma could find a very comfortable and well paid position and home, once again abroad, a very welcome prospect indeed; a seat on the European Parliament may do nicely for example?'

Indeed.

Auty seems to have finally realised that his days in the BNP are numbered - at least if Griffin retains control. The article reads like the last gasp of a dying man - a final opportunity to say all those things that should have been said clearly, loudly and repeatedly right from the start of his campaign but that he kept under wraps for fear of damaging the party that he presumably believed he would be allowed to lead following an unlikely win.

Now however, all bets seem to be off. Auty has no chance of winning and no future in the party but he seems with this article to have plucked up his courage enough to try for a last-minute attack with the gloves off. Personally, I think it's too little, too late, but who knows? If Auty can avoid being done for the many libels in the article (possibly he can provide proofs to back up his statements?) he might still be a contender.

So far he has revolved his campaign around the issues of internal party democracy and Griffin's apparent dictatorship and has until now barely touched on the financial disaster that is the BNP, and the 'shady dealings' that have been reported here and elsewhere on numerous occasions. That he has finally come to his senses and launched a major attack on 'Fingers' Griffin might make all the difference, even at this late stage. If nothing else, it's nice to see someone else attacking Griffin and his myrmidons for their financial chicanery. Maybe Auty will manage to take over from Griffin after all. If so, we wonder how long he'll be in charge before the financial shit hits the fan.