The Archbishop of York backs the campaign

The Archbishop of York has thrown his support behind our campaign against the English Defence League in Manchester. His statement backed our Manchester HOPE not hate pledge which we launched in the city on Monday with the backing of faith and community leaders and representatives from all three main political parties.This is his statement: Hope Not Hate, Message from the Archbishop of York.

'I hope that the whole of this community in Manchester will unite behind the Hope Not Hate pledge. It is an important campaign that what matters in this life is turning enemies into friends – not friends into enemies.

1 Corinthians 13 tells us we should show faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these things is love. You cannot love through hate, hate is driven by fear. Love banishes all hate. If you do not respect other people, you cannot fully respect yourself. We are made in the image of God, no matter our colour, culture or ethnicity. I hope that the people of this great city will banish hate and embrace hope.'

Hope not hate

BNP deputy suspended for blog attack

British National Party deputy leader Simon Darby has been suspended by City Hall for attacking the Archbishop of York as "anti-British". Mr Darby now faces a disciplinary hearing and could be issued with a warning or even be dismissed by the Greater London Authority for bringing it into disrepute.

Mr Darby, whose part-time job at City Hall is funded by Londoners, came under fire last month when he hit back at criticism of his party by Archbishop Sentamu. He said in a blog that the cleric "deserved to be attacked" and then went on to suggest that Ugandans "threw spears" at enemies. A disciplinary investigation has found that there are grounds for action and Mr Darby has been suspended on full pay pending the hearing.

The BNP were today trying to stage a press conference but had to keep details secret over fears of a repeat of yesterday's ambush by anti-fascist groups, when party leader Nick Griffin had eggs thrown at him in Parliament Square.

London Evening Standard

BNP deny racism comments aimed at Archbishop of York

The deputy leader of the British National Party has denied allegations of racism after branding the Archbishop of York an “ambitious African” and accusing him of being “derogatory, condescending and arrogant”.

Simon Darby said comments made to a local newspaper and on his online blog in which he made “spear-thrower” references to people from Uganda – Dr John Sentamu’s country of birth – were not a bigoted blast. But the senior figure in the far-right organisation has been condemned as “disgusting “ and “poisonous” by anti-fascism campaigners after alleging the Archbishop – a vociferous critic of the BNP – was trying to rob English people of their identity.

In a blog entry dated April 23, Mr Darby – second-in-command to BNP chairman Nick Griffin – wrote: “As if the responsibilities of being the Archbishop of York were not enough, the ambitious African has apparently used his power and influence to kindly bestow upon the world the right to be English.”

He also labelled Dr Sentamu – who recently supported making St George’s Day a public holiday to promote English unity – “a professional anti-British zealot” and said: “If I went to a Ugandan village and said the people there were genetic mongrels and that they had no right to their Ugandan identity, I would be picking out spears for days.”

But defending his comments, Mr Darby said: “I stand by my quotes – I don’t see how that is offensive or racist. It can be twisted or distorted to look that way, but what I am saying is factual. There are lots of indigenous people there (in Uganda) and in the bush they have spears – that is their lifestyle.

“I am not implying that all Ugandan people use spears at all. I was speaking specifically about the indigenous people. The spear is an integral part of their culture and lifestyle. I wouldn’t dream of denying Ugandan tribespeople their identity, but the contrast is that that is what he (Dr Sentamu) is doing. If I went there and preached to those indigenous people in the same way that Sentamu does to us, then I’d be attacked.

“If I was derogatory, condescending and arrogant – because that’s what John Sentamu is – I would be attacked. And rightly so.”

Last month, the Archbishop slammed the BNP for trying to define “Englishness” and said its suggestions that a “bloodless genocide” was taking place in the UK were “beyond belief”, having previously pleaded with people not to vote for the party at the 2007 local elections. His office was unavailable for comment on Mr Darby’s views.

A spokesman for anti-fascism campaign group Searchlight said: “These disgusting threats and thinly-veiled racism from its senior leadership exposes the real face of the BNP. Even somebody as internationally respected as Dr Sentamu is not immune from their poisonous slurs.”

The Press (York)

BNP to stand in York by-election

Five parties will be going head to head in York's by-election next month - including the far right British National Party.

Nominations have now closed for the poll, to be held in Heworth Without on September 6. Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and the BNP have all put forward candidates.

The decision by the BNP to stand comes after they fielded nine candidates in May, the first time they had stood in York. Their by-election candidate Michaela Knight stood in Holgate three months ago, finishing last out of 11.

The by-election has been called following the untimely death of Conservative councillor Bill Bennett. Conservative leader Ian Gillies said today: "Having lost a good man as a councillor, the last thing I would want to see it an extremist being elected."

He said the BNP was a "minor organisation that fights by-elections for maximum exposure" and added: "I think people will treat them how they deserve to be treated."

Coun Bennett won the seat by 35 votes on May 3, as the Conservatives went from zero seats to eight on City of York Council. But just two months after being elected, he suffered a suspected heart attack in Bridlington.

The election could have major ramifications for the political make-up of the council. The Lib Dems are currently the largest party with 19 seats, one ahead of Labour, and although Labour was a distant third in May, they regard the seat as winnable this time round.

They have selected Margaret Wells as their candidate; the Conservatives have chosen Adam Sinclair; and the Lib Dems have stuck with Nigel Ayre, who was pipped by Coun Bennett on May 3.

The Greens today announced their candidate as Charles Everett, who polled more than a thousand votes in Micklegate ward in May, when the Greens were narrowly beaten by Labour. Mr Everett, 55, has a young son and has lived in York for more than 15 years. He is a campaigner against animal cruelty and on local issues including the re-use and recycling of waste, better leisure facilities for young people, and cheap home insulation for all.

He said: "The recent flooding shows us the urgency of the need to tackle climate change. Our two Green councillors in York have already started to press for the action necessary on a local scale. The council must work with the people of York to think global and act local. I'm determined to give my all as a councillor to bring Heworth Without a cleaner, greener future."

The Press (York)

York man’s BNP leaflets anger

An outraged resident has hit out after receiving leaflets from the British National Party attacking the Archbishop of York.

Peter Golding, 38, of Sovereign Park, Acomb, York, says he has received various leaflets from the British National Party (BNP) despite asking them not to post their "bigotry" through his door. The latest leaflet thanks the 520 people in Acomb who voted for BNP candidate Ian Dawson and criticises the Archbishop, Dr John Sentamu, for urging people not to vote for the party.

The Press reported in early May how the Archbishop had placed an advert before the local elections which urged people to use their vote wisely. He wrote: "Jesus warned us to be wary of wolves who come in sheep's clothing. They come with honeycombed words, promising a New England, and a land of milk and honey. My hope is that as you cast your vote on Thursday you do so with your eyes wide open so that our city does not sleepwalk into a wall of hate."

The new BNP leaflet speaks of what the party faced in the run up to the election including an "incoherent attack from someone who was born in Uganda yet feels the urge to TELL local people who were born and bred in York who not to vote for".

Mr Golding said: "I've told them I don't want them, but they keep delivering them to me. I don't want this kind of fascist propaganda through my door. They are attacking the Archbishop, but they don't name him or give his title. Yet on the front it says The Year of Our Lord 2007'. Are they purporting to be Christians?"

He added: "I have great respect for the Archbishop of York, he challenges people like the BNP who basically attack communities. In York we have a very small ethnic community which has increased recently, but I feel it's for the benefit of York. We have the university, we have people coming from all over the world, and there is nothing but a benefit in that."

He also claimed the BNP had refused to talk about their policies with voters.

"They don't knock on the door like other political parties, they leaflet and then run. You have to run after them in the street, they are not willing to discuss issues. I was part of a 'Marxist, Jewish conspiracy of world domination' because I said I was a trades unionist. If they could tell me what that means I would love to know."

As well as the Archbishop, The Press was also attacked by the BNP, which claimed the paper used "bullying tactics" during the local elections in trying to "dissuade people from voting for the BNP at every opportunity".

The Press