Southend West BNP candidate boasts of violence and drug use on Facebook profile

Tony Gladwin, the British National Party Parliamentary candidate for Southend West, has made several references to drugs, binge drinking and violence on his profile on social networking site Facebook.

Mr Gladwin (left), a single 26 year old builder, lives in Billericay with his mother. He is known to have worked as security for BNP leader Nick Griffin, and stood as an Essex County Councillor in the last round of elections.

On his Facebook page, which is open to the public, Mr Gladwin has made several references to violent clashes with socialists. In October 2009, when Nick Griffin was due to appear on the BBC’s Question Time programme, anti-fascists and other opposition groups held protests at the studio where the debate was to take place. Mr Gladwin was present with Mr Griffin at this clash, and demonstrated his eagerness to fight protestors. He wrote:

“CANT WAIT TILL 2MORRA! LOOK 4 ME ON THE NEWS STOMPIN SUM PATHETIC RED SCUMBAG’S HEAD IN!

“but coz of the old bill doin der job 4 once in der traitorous lives, i might not b able 2 play with dem.”

In January this year, the Muslim organisation Islam4UK claimed that it would hold a march through the streets of Wooton Bassett to commemorate the Muslims killed in the Afghanistan conflict. Senior BNP members Nick Griffin, Andrew Brons MEP and Richard Barnbrook claimed that they would “use their own bodies to physically block the street” if the march took place.

The march did not take place, but before this, Mr Gladwin expressed his excitement at the possibility of a clash between BNP supporters and Islam4UK. In response to a comment posted on his wall that said “see you at wooton bassett” on his Facebook profile, Mr Gladwin wrote:

“cheers m8 hope u ad a white xmas and a red free new year!

“cant wait m8 should b fun 2 cleansing our streets hope the filthy media shows how peaceful and carin they r and their willingness 2 integrate with english culture

“just tink this is the only country in the world dat allows foreigners 2 shit on the graves of our war heroes in public (with a police escort!) and get away with it but if u shout out naughty words dat offends them u get banged up!

“u gota laugh or u’ll cry or become a serial killer lol”

At other points, Mr Gladwin makes comments about people born with birth defects due to the use of the controversial drug Thalidomide. Thalidomide was used worldwide between 1957 and 1961 and was linked to birth defects such as shortened limbs, in what was described as “one of the biggest medical tragedies of modern times.” An estimated 20,000 people are known to have been affected by the drug in this way. In the UK, only 466 of the “Thalidomide babies” born with defects survived.

On Mr Gladwin’s profile, a friend joked about impotence, writing “Hello Mr Floppy” on his wall. In response, Mr Gladwin wrote: “Its a disability you know, you wouldn’t ask a flidermite [thalidomide] to change a light bulb would ya?!! They look like sea lions.”

Mr Gladwin also makes comments on his page about casual drug use. After posting a new picture of himself online, he wrote: “Now don’t I look like an ordinary respectable member of society?” In response, a friend wrote: “Hello mate, just short of pipe and slippers then uv cracked it.” Mr Gladwin replied: “Cheers m8 but the only pipe ive got has got a ganja leaf on it, dont tink that will go down well with da local rag lol!”

At the time of publishing, BNP representatives had not responded to Councilbust.com requests for comment.

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