May 12, 2009

BNP politician could be suspended from Assembly after inventing three murders

Labour councillor accuses Richard Barnbrook of 'openly and outrageously' lying to 'whip up fears in the London community'

The most senior elected member of the British National party could face suspension from the London assembly for up to six months after he admitted inventing three murders to highlight knife crime, it emerged today.

A joint investigation by the Greater London authority and Barking and Dagenham council has concluded that Richard Barnbrook brought his office and the respective authorities into disrepute after falsely claiming in an interview that three murders had taken place over a three week period in the Barking and Dagenham area.

Barnbrook was elected to the London assembly last year and is also a councillor in Barking and Dagenham.

The findings relating to the BNP's highest profile member in elected office will be a blow to the party just a day after it used its European and local government election launch to attempt to present itself to the electorate as a credible alternative to mainstream parties following the debacle over MPs' expenses.

The complaint against Barnbrook was first lodged last September after he claimed in an interview posted on YouTube and his own website that a girl had been murdered within the borough within the past three weeks. "We don't know who's done it. Her girlfriend was attacked inside an educational institute," Barnbrook said in the prerecorded interview in which he sought to highlight failings in tackling knife crime.

He also said that two weeks previously "there was another attack by knives on the streets of Barking and Dagenham where two people were murdered".

Valerie Rush, a Labour cabinet member at the local authority, accused Barnbrook of "openly and outrageously" lying to "whip up fears in the London community". In her complaint to the GLA and the council, Rush said Barnbrook had acted in a way which brought his honesty and integrity as a councillor into disrepute.

Barnbrook, who is one of twelve BNP councillors in Barking and Dagenham, said that he knew at the time that he made the statements that "there had been no fatalities in Barking and Dagenham", according to a report documenting the investigation into the complaint (pdf).

Barnbrook nevertheless refused to apologise for the statements "until knife crime is over".

This meant that the interview – filmed by Simon Darby, the BNP's deputy leader, who works part-time for Barnbrook in the London assembly – was posted on the internet despite Barnbrook knowing the statements were incorrect, the report noted.

The Metropolitan police confirmed that there had been no murders or incidents resulting in critical injuries requiring intensive care in the time period cited, and that murders in the area were actually decreasing.

By the time the draft investigation report was published, Barnbrook had changed his position and claimed that he did not accept that "the inaccuracy of my statement was deliberate". He also stated: "I did not know that the data in the recording was incorrect. I would not have posted the recording if I had known that it was incorrect."

Barnbrook also insisted that "once I realised that the data was incorrect, the recording was removed from the internet on my instruction within 24 hours".

The investigation ruled that Barnbrook's original claim that he knew what he was saying was untrue "seems at odds" with the principles of honesty and integrity. "If the public were aware that Mr Barnbrook was in fact putting out statements that he knew were false, we consider that his could reasonably be regarded as undermining public confidence in both members and the authorities as a whole in being able to fulfil their function."

Barnbrook now faces a full hearing after the respective committees at the GLA and the London borough considered the investigation's report two weeks ago.

The report's findings prepare the way for one of a range of sanctions, including suspension from office for up to six months.

Guardian

23 comments:

BG said...

Yet another liar and fraudster in the BNP exposed. He should be sacked.

Anonymous said...

Another "Africans for Essex" lie found out.

Voter (though not BNP) said...

"Barnbrook nevertheless refused to apologise for the statements"

So no apology for lying - even to those who may have voted for him? Wow, does he expect to ever get in again?

Anonymous said...

If this was a politician for any other party, the BNP would be screaming for him to be sacked.

@ said...

thats another fine mess youve got us into stanley! sorry ollie!

Anonymous said...

In the report it says

"The recording emphasised that there had been murders in Barking & Dagenham which he knew was factually incorrect."

Dicky's response to that was

"I consider that the complaint is part of a political campaign against me."

So he claims his opponents are out to get him but yes, he did know he was lying. Is this guy a fuckwit or what?

Me said...

He openly admits lying. Sack him.

Publican said...

Why didn't he just admit he was probably pissed at the time he told these porkies. He normally is anyway.

Anonymous said...

The BNP will be claiming he was never a member of the party soon, he's such a liability.

Dr Foster (Gloucester) said...

Liar, fraudster, drunk, an incompetent arsehole and a gayporn filmaker too. Is there no end to this man's talents?

:D said...

Dear me, things aren't too good for the BNP at the mo are they. A writ served on them for copyright breach (none too soon), dumbo Dicky caught out lying and the YouGov poll putting them on a piss-awful 4%.

Keep up the good work! :D

Anonymous said...

"Dear me, things aren't too good for the BNP at the mo are they. A writ served on them for copyright breach (none too soon), dumbo Dicky caught out lying and the YouGov poll putting them on a piss-awful 4%."

Things just get better and better.

John P said...

Don't get complacent because of a You Gov poll.

Dicky's Arse Dildo said...

Bumbrook is well and truly bummed!

jerry mander said...

Shame this story wasn't featured on any of the tabloids which possible BNP readers read.

TuTu said...

What's happened to his pretend partner which he employed to make gay porno buff Bumbrook appear straight, the "Ballet Nazi"?

gaydar said...

Wander if Nick Griffin will make him pay for his own "money shot" if Dicky Bumbrook gets sued.

Anonymous said...

"Don't get complacent because of a You Gov poll."

No-one's getting complacent but it does look encouraging.

Anonymous said...

the polls before the gla elections had the bnp on 4 per cent they got nearly 6 also we thought if there was a high turnout they would be defeated well the turnout was high 45 per cent but they still got in, thats whats going to determine this election the turn out if there is a small turnout then they will get in if there is a high turn out they have less chance simple as that and european elections are notoriously small turnouts

Anonymous said...

What a tw@!

Bigger Picture said...

HOPE NOT HATE is a reasonable name for the anti BNP campaign, but as a slogan HOPE NOT HATE is too worthy and vague. I suggest the basic anti BNP slogan should be,

THE BNP IS MALICIOUS AND MORONIC.

This may seem like a hostage to fortune, perhaps provoking the BNP into coming up with an intelligent bit of analysis, or whatever. Believe me, that will not happen. No reasonable people associate themselves with the BNP. The BNP campaigns are absurd appeals to the lowest common denominator mob mentality.

I urge journalists to use the MALICIOUS AND MORONIC phrase about the BNP. It should not be beneath the dignity of newspapers like the Guardian and the Mirror to use a phrase they have come across on a blog.

Barnbrook'sBalletDancer said...

Anon:

"Is this guy a fuckwit or what?"

Well he isn't a what ....

3Baskets said...

5 Chinese Crackers has an article on this:

http://5cc.blogspot.com/2009/05/richard-barnbrooks-caught-inventing.html