March 22, 2010

Joint statement condemns BNP 'race hate'

Councillors, religious leaders and union representatives have joined together to condemn the British National Party

A joint statement by 44 people accuses the party, which is contesting Lewisham’s mayoral election, of stirring up race hate. Along with other mayoral candidates, signatories also include the Bishop of Woolwich the Rt Rev Christopher Chessun and Archdeacon of Lewisham and Greenwich the Venerable Christine Hardman. Representatives from Unison, the National Union of Teachers and students’ unions have also signed.

The statement says: "As representatives of many political opinions and parties in Lewisham, we affirm the values of unity, tolerance and mutual respect, which have always helped people from different backgrounds to live together. We are deeply concerned at the activity of racist and fascist groups such as the British National Party, which use people’s fears to stir up race hate, which their candidacy in the Lewisham mayoral election will seek to do.

"We also reject their demonisation of Muslims, and their claim to speak for Christians, as an affront to all our religions and beliefs and a danger to the unity of the whole community. In the next few months the people of Lewisham will choose their mayor who will lead Lewisham Council in all its policies at the town hall. We believe that a high turnout of voters will minimise the impact of candidates on extremist platforms in our borough. So we urge the overwhelming majority to turn out and vote, and give a clear signal that messages of race hatred and division are not welcome here."

Chairman of the Lewisham Anti-Racist Action group Councillor Jarman Parmar, who organised the statement, said: "Fascists were stopped in Cable Street in 1936 and at Lewisham in 1977, by myself and many others. They must be stopped today."

Tess Culnane, who has previously run for the National Front and has spoken at a meeting of the far-right British People’s Party, is standing as the BNP candidate. News Shopper is awaiting a comment from Ms Culnane.

This is local London

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

have you seen this ketlan

https://london.indymedia.org/articles/4501

Anonymous said...

COUNCILLOR SWITCHES FROM BNP TO NATIONAL FRONT: -

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Councillor-switches-from-BNP-to.6157798.jp

Anonymous said...

From Darby Blog

Daily Mirror
As the election date nears nobody should be surprised that the Daily Mirror will be carrying a smear tomorrow concerning the BNP. Less than 24 hrs after very senior Labour MPs were caught prostituting their lobbying services for "£3000 to £5000" per day this newspaper will attempt to counter attack with a story about BNP European staff.

..................

And why not Griffin has criminals working for him.

Antifascist said...

'have you seen this ketlan
https://london.indymedia.org/articles/4501'

Yes, thanks for the nudge. It'll appear on the blog at 8pm. :-)

Anonymous said...

I didn't know that the NF had a councillor!

Anonymous said...

"I didn't know that the NF had a councillor!"

He was elected on a BNP ticket and switched over to the NF.

Their first ever councillor. Even in their 70's heyday, they never got anybody elected. Two that were in Blackburn were from a short-lived split called the National Party.