Horsham MP Francis Maude has condemned British National Party plans to attend the Remembrance Day parade in the town.
In a statement on its website, the BNP said it had been 'formally invited' to attend the official procession in Horsham on November 9 and lay a wreath. But the Royal British Legion said this week that it had not invited the BNP to attend and Conservative MP Mr Maude said: "As far as I am concerned it would be completely inappropriate for any political party to use Remembrance Sunday in this way. No respectable mainstream party would consider doing such a thing and it goes without saying that the BNP should not even think about taking part.
"It would be grossly offensive to those who attend the ceremony to remember servicemen and women who have given their lives for the values that we enjoy in Britain today – values of tolerance and respect that are the reverse of what the BNP stand for."
A BNP activist from Upper Beeding has also confirmed the party will be selling poppies in Horsham to raise funds for the Royal British Legion.
Members of the Crawley and Horsham BNP said they took part in raising cash for the legion last year and contributed nearly £900 to the Poppy Appeal. This year they say they will once again be standing in Horsham town centre selling poppies. BNP member Donna Bailey, of Underhill Road in Upper Beeding, said she did not understand why such a fuss was being made about the party's involvement.
"We are trying to get as many members as possible to come and sell poppies," she said. "Last year we went out as the BNP and sold the poppies for a cause we absolutely fully support. We support the fact our soldiers died in both world wars and while we do not support the war in Iraq and Afghanistan we certainly support our soldiers who are doing a fantastic job there."
She added: "We would like to be there and lay our wreath at the same time as everybody else as is our right to do so. We are doing what we believe in – we are supporting a good cause."
Royal British Legion county manager for Sussex, Mike Payne, said the BNP had not been invited by the legion to attend the parade.
"The Royal British Legion is a non-political organisation," he explained. "The responsibility for inviting political parties, organisational volunteer groups and other groups that wish to take part in the remembrance events is always the responsibility of the civic authority."
Mr Payne said the Royal British Legion had strict rules stating volunteers must not wear anything that may distinguish them as being a member of a particular political party or organisation when raising money for the charity.
Horsham District Council leader Liz Kitchen (Con, Rusper and Colgate) said people could not be banned from attending as it is a public event.
"We can't stop people marching - we can just say it can't be political. We would not want to stop anybody commemorating the fallen providing it is non-political."
Deputy leader of the BNP, Simon Darby, said it was a shame its gesture of support was being taken out of context. He added: "We are not making a big song and dance about it. It is the other parties that accuse us of politicising the charities."
West Sussex County Times
November 03, 2008
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3 comments:
Hilarious BNP Article!
I really had to draw your readers attention to a very hilarious article that was put on the BNP website today that really does smack of complete hypocrisy. The BNP clearly are very worried about the threat of UKIP but seem to have forgotten a few home truths. The person writing the article seems to have forgotten that they are members of a fascist dictatorship party when they write the following;-
“This may explain why the UKIP leadership has drawn up a hit list of leading personalities within the party who are persona non grata. With flimsy charges and, in many cases, without any evidence other than hearsay, these members are due to appear before disciplinary tribunals. It seems that the leadership just cannot accept criticism.”
Sorry am I missing something, is the BNP a democratic party that holds disciplinary tribunals and accepts criticism? The last thing I heard was that some BNP members were slung out that party in December 2007 for criticising the leadership and have never been allowed to have disciplinary tribunals!!!! Then wasn’t there bugging, burglary and all sorts taking place? Then weren’t those rebels taken to court for criticising the leadership? What happened to that by the way?
How the hell can you slag one party off for doing the exact same thing that you are guilty of yourself? Bizarre, but then again anyone who follows wonky eye needs their head testing anyway.
Article posted below:
UKIP Meeting Ends in Police Being Called
November 3, 2008 by BNP News
Police were today summoned by UKIP’s new Chairman, Paul Nuttall, to remove from its NEC meeting – held in the Farmers’ Club, Whitehall – critics of the current leadership.
It seems the assembled NEC did not like what they heard. When one detractor suggested that the party enter into an agreement with the BNP, so that both anti-EU parties focused upon their chosen areas to avoid splitting the anti-EU vote, Messrs Zuckerman and Denny became hysterical.
Paul Nuttall called the police to remove the ‘heretic’ who is certainly not a member of the BNP but who had the temerity to make the suggestion.
In turn, several NEC members walked out of the meeting, in sympathy with the leadership’s detractors.
We understand that UKIP leader, Nigel Farage, has drawn remarkable parallels between himself and the great explorer, Ernest Shackleton, and expects in his men a similar allegiance and following.
This may explain why the UKIP leadership has drawn up a hit list of leading personalities within the party who are persona non grata. With flimsy charges and, in many cases, without any evidence other than hearsay, these members are due to appear before disciplinary tribunals. It seems that the leadership just cannot accept criticism.
One member on the party hit list is Martin Haslam who, we understand, has asked a number of embarrassing questions relating to the SE Regional accounts. It seems that the party leadership will not lift the veil of secrecy that relates to the application of its supporters’ funds. As others have oft remarked, if there is nothing to hide, why the concealment?
The next point of action, we are informed, is the circulation of a public letter to the press, which will bear the signatures of over 50 prominent UKIP members. This, we understand, is the idea of ex Tory MP, Piers Merchant. The letter will be highly critical of Farage and demand his resignation as leader. It will even suggest a public debate, where Farage will be invited to answer charges over his leadership.
The BNP bears no ill-will towards ordinary members of UKIP. It deprecates the manner in which the party has been used by certain MEPs and party officials as a tool to further their own agendas and financial standing.
It condemns the oft-stated objective of some within the UKIP leadership to employ the party as a means to divide the anti-EU vote and, in so doing, deprive the BNP of votes which would otherwise accrue to it.
Finally, there remain many serious questions about how committed Ukip really is to the cause of EU withdrawal.
In the light of the above, it is not surprising that many UKIP members are joining the BNP. Nor is it surprising that many branches are barely functioning, with many having packed up.
So embarrassed is Tim Congdon, the leading economist, reported to be of the party that he declines to mention the party, before the media, in relation to its stance on the EU’s regulation of the City.
I read the article and I nearly laughed my arse off! What barefaced drivel. Classic Kemp. (Oh, please, please, please don’t write another book!)
They truly are morons, but I very much doubt that they even KNOW what hypocrisy actually is, lol!
The law according to Gri££in is, ‘Do as I say, not as I do’. For many years he has back-stabbed, lied about and slandered anyone that poses a risk to his position, he acts every bit the fascist dictator he is within that grubby little cult.
"We support the fact our soldiers died in both world wars.."
?!
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