Robert West: Still There - Still Pretending to be a Vicar

“And lo! It did come to pass that the Tribe of Griffin did wander in the Political Wilderness for One Score Years and Ten, and were despis'd by the Righteous. And the Griffinites did cry out “Who will send us a Man of God to succour us in our Tribulation?” And their prayers were answered, and out of the land of Holbeach there did arise a wise teacher by the name of the Reverend West. And he did succour them. And succour them good.”
The Book of Racists : Chapter III – Verse IV

The “Reverend Robert West”, (or to give him his full ecclesiastical title - “Robert West”) continues to hang around the BNP like a bad (that is: worse than usual) smell. He's long been one of the most intriguing characters of the Far Right: A shameless charlatan who, in the face of documentary evidence, expert insistence and humiliation on national television, maintains that he is entitled to adopt the style “Reverend”, insists that he is an “Ordained Elder” of the “Apostolic Church of Wales” and acts as Leader (and sole Member?) of the (equally fictitious) “Christian Council of Britain”, a cover organisation set up in association with the BNP and taking its name from the “Muslim Council of Britain” (see what they did there?).

The Apostolic Church in the United Kingdom (there being no “Apostolic Church of Wales”) have denied all knowledge of West saying, some time ago; “I am uncertain about who is the Mr Robert West mentioned ... One thing is certain: he does not speak on behalf of The Apostolic Church. If this person lives in Lincolnshire he does not attend The Apostolic Church. In fact as a denomination we have no churches in Lincolnshire.”

“And the Reverend West did minister unto the Griffinites in their time of Tribulation. And he did tell how the Lord God was like unto a great big racist, too, just like them, and he did minister at their Tribal Gatherings, and he did appear on the telly: Yea, even though the Philistines did mock and did fall about laughing and did hold their sides for fear they would rend asunder.”
The Book of Racists : Chapter IV – Verse II

Robert West first appears on the public radar in around 2005, as a Tory District Councillor in Lincolnshire. He also made the local press by claiming Unfair Dismissal from his post as a teacher of Law and History at Peterborough Regional College.

Suspended from the Conservatives for his part in setting up the Christian Council of Britain, West threw his lot in with the BNP and has been their self – styled Spiritual Leader ever since. Turning up at their shindigs to officiate over “Church Services”, standing for election (with a lack of success remarkable even by his Party's woeful standards) and delivering his dreary, rambling “sermons” to a Grateful Listening Nation via the internet, West continues to cut an odd, almost pathetic figure.

“But lo! There did arise from the Philistines a Great Voice. And it did say “Beware this Man who does style himself a Man of God! For he is an charlatan, and an imposter, and an cheap conman, who does make thou Tribe, O Griffinites, look even more foolish than thou did before!” But their Leader did ignore the wisdom of the Philistines, and did continue to exalt the Reverend West most high.”
The Book of Racists : Chapter IV – Verse VII

On West's theology, which is a predictable cherry - picking of biblical quotes designed to deliver a message of Racial Separatism, I could go on at length. As an Atheist I'm not much of an expert on such matters (something I share in common with Robert West), so I consulted my local vicar for advice. After he had finished laughing at a selection of West's pronouncements, he explained two things to me: That the BNP's take on theology has absolutely no scriptural basis whatsoever, and that cherry – picking the Bible is one of the easiest and laziest exercises around. To prove this point, when I've finished this article I shall go and stone my wife for wearing a cotton skirt with a wool cardie, and rub dung in my son's face for swearing.

He's been written about here before, at length and in far, far better articles. Robert West is just another oddball character in a bunch of oddball characters. A fake vicar for a fake party. Quite fitting, really...

“And the Reverend West did continue to succour the Tribe of Griffin. And they did make themselves appear yet more foolish, and more gullible, and more amateur. Yeah: Even unto the ending of the World. So endeth the lesson.”
The Book of Racists : Chapter IV – Verse X

P.S: This lowering of the tone of L.U over the past few days isn't, in any way, a new direction! I'm only filling in while the A Team are layed low through a combination of illness and scheduling conflicts. Normal service will be resumed very shortly. And mighty grateful you'll be.