Members of the British National Party (BNP) working in universities should not be allowed direct contact with students, the higher education equality watchdog has said.
Several higher education staff were among BNP members whose details were recently leaked on the internet.
Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU), said this week that while "primacy of freedom of speech is fundamental", universities had legal obligations to promote good race relations on campus. "It is hard to see how institutions can reconcile their duty to promote good race relations with staff being members of the BNP. Institutions may therefore consider that it is inappropriate for BNP members to have teaching and/or pastoral care responsibilities, or other direct contact with students," she said.
Academics named as members of the far-Right party included Arthur Nightingale, head experimental design engineer at the University of Cambridge's Centre for Industrial Photonics. The university said staff political affiliations were "a matter for them" as long as they did not affect the workplace, so no action would be taken.
Strathclyde University, whose estates manager William MacLachlan appeared on the list, said that political beliefs were "a personal matter" but it would consider its position if "such beliefs should impinge on a staff member's professional activity".
Dennis Hayes, founder of Academics for Academic Freedom and head of the Centre for Professional Learning at Canterbury Christ Church University, said the ECU recommendation was "an improper restriction of a democratic right ... and a new stage in the attack on academic freedom. These people have not said or done anything - they are being punished for existing."
Dr Hayes said discrimination should be tackled as it occurred.
Les Ebdon, vice-chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire, said: "It's the views rather than the party membership that's crucial. If somebody espouses openly racist views it's difficult to see how they can be in a lecturing position in a university where they may have students from a whole variety of ethnic groups."
THE
November 27, 2008
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6 comments:
We as a nation teach about tolerence and diversity, lecture on democracy and free speech learn how to listen to and respect others opinions even if we disagree with them. We condemn criminal activity and political racial and religious discrimination.
So how can it be justifiable to leak a list which breaks data protection laws and is a criminal offence to do so, to possess copy or distribute. Which as already lead to a persons home being fire bombed. Is this how we wish democracy to be delivered. If the BNP has got it so wrong then why bother? Just ignore them and no one will vote for them. Whats the fuss?
To label all BNP members as fascists and racists is like calling all muslims terrorists.
Only a small percentage have these views.
It is healthy for democracy to have political opposition as the big 3 political parties have all the same policies albeit 1p here and not there vice versa.
If you actually spoke to BNP members and stopped being brain washed by the media you will find that the British National Party of 2008 is not nor never will be the German National Socialist movement of the 1930's.
Just think which BNP policies do I hate the most and you will probably realise you know not one of them. If in any doubt or have any querries why not call the party direct or visit their website. Be a free thinker.
So many inaccuracies in a single post...
'So how can it be justifiable to leak a list which breaks data protection laws and is a criminal offence to do so...'
Don't ask us, it was one of your lot that leaked it.
'...to possess...'
I think you'll find your wrong there. It is now clearly in the public domain and copies exist all over the place. Unlike the al-Quaeda training manual and other similar texts, it is not, in and of itself, an illegal document and possession is not technically illegal. You really shouldn't listen to your idiotic legal beagle too much. And your boss should have been a little more careful with the member's details then you wouldn't have this problem at all.
'Which as already lead to a persons home being fire bombed.'
Oh dear. I'm starting to believe you're lying deliberately. Nobody had their home firebombed, as you well know. A car was torched in the same street in which a BNP member lived. One of your own councillors stated that he doubted it had anything to do with the leak of the list.
'Is this how we wish democracy to be delivered.'
Personally I would wish democracy to be delivered by a democratically-run party in a democratic society. Your party is far from democratic and any society run by it would be a totalitarian nightmare, if Griffin's methods of running the BNP are any example.
'To label all BNP members as fascists and racists is like calling all muslims terrorists.'
I'm not sure I'd refer to ALL BNP members as fascist - but there's a fair few fascists in your party - though I'd say very clearly that they are all racist, for all that the arguments are frequently softened to make them more palatable.
'If you actually spoke to BNP members...'
We're in communication with BNP members all the time. You'd be amazed.
Right on, Ketlan.
Given that I know one of the very top BNP members very well, the one that wrote the book, in fact, I can state without a shadow of doubt that he is a racist, a facist, a nazi supporter and very anti christian and just about anti everything else as well, including skinheads, who are seen as scum to be used to further the cause. Just not sure anymore what the cause is, presumably to feather his own nest! So please don't give us the "reasonable, respectible people" line which is just plain rubbish - if you believe that you are also being fooled!
ROFL, damn straight! ^^
Seeming as it was Griffin himself who "released the list", the lying twat, Simon Darby or whoever this pro-BNP idiot was, was talking out of his arse.
According to NNW, releasing the list was a means to an end for Cyclops so he can get elected to Europe.
Who is it who said "all publicity is good publicity?"
How else could the twat have appeared on Radio 4 and Newsnight on the same day?
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