April 19, 2009

BNP councillor disowned - by BNP

A BNP councillor has been disowned by his own party in an extraordinary move.

Cllr John Gamble (52), who won a seat in the Brinsworth and Catcliffe ward last May, will no longer represent the BNP on Rotherham Borough Council, the Advertiser can reveal. The shock move to strip Cllr Gamble of the party whip by regional officials reduces the number of BNP councillors on the council from two to one.

A letter has been received by borough council chief Mike Cuff stating that the party whip has been withdrawn and that he is no longer a BNP councillor. The reasons for the move have not been revealed, but it is understood he could continue to sit as an independent councillor.

Labour Party leaders have now called for Cllr Gamble—one of two BNP candidates to win seats at the time—to resign and for a by-election to be held immediately. Cllr Reg Littleboy, who represents the same ward for Labour, said:"He should resign his seat immediately from the council."

Cllr Gamble was not available for comment.

BNP local organiser Marlene Guest said: "I can confirm that the whip has been removed from Cllr Gamble. Serious differences have developed between him and the party which cannot be reconciled."

Rotherham Advertiser

9 comments:

Jo said...

One step forward, one step back. The BNP is ultimately going nowhere. It can't even control the very few councillors it has at the moment let alone a few thousand.

Anonymous said...

Gamble was elected for a term and cannot be forced to forfeit his seat until that term has expired.

It is invariably the case, even in less contentious scenarios, that when councillors cross the floor or go independent - whether through their own choice or, as would seem to be the case here, through the choice of their party - that opposing councillors will call upon them to resign their seats and call a by-election.

When their own party is the beneficiary however they invariably defend the councillor's right to continue. It's all part of the game of politics.

What is important for anti-fascists here is to establish the cause of Gamble's expulsion. Was he not sufficiently racist? Or too outwardly racist? Or has he just said or done something to offend the Grand Cyclops?

A little bit more information would be useful here before we go demanding by-elections, particularly if there is any possibility that an "approved" BNP candidate could win the seat as a result.

A Very Public Sociologist said...

Come on, leakers, what's the word on the grapevine?

Anonymous said...

"Cllr Gamble was not available for comment."

I'll bet.

Anonymous said...

ill give you a hint and nothing else. It was something to do with a dog and a cake.... all will be revealed.

Anonymous said...

"ill give you a hint and nothing else. It was something to do with a dog and a cake.... all will be revealed."

He rogered Griffin's wife and ate his dinner?

Anonymous said...

"He rogered Griffin's wife and ate his dinner?"

That would have made old Cyclops angry. Especially if he was hungry.

Scattological Mind said...

Dog as in dogging, cake as in scat eating, "eats cake=eating a turd".

Kind of blends in with normal BNP family-friendly sexual activity!

Anonymous said...

I had a run in with Gamble t'other week. He'd just nipped out of the Town Hall and we had an exchange of words. He reeked of booze and it was 10 o'clock in the morning.