BNP boss Nick Griffin to open office in Burnley

BNP leader Nick Griffin has set up a base in Burnley.

The highly-controversial politician officially opened his "Euro office" on Saturday in Yorke Street where he will spend time in his role as a Member of the European Parliament for the North-West.

Mr Griffin believes Burnley holds a "special place" in the party's history and it is thought he will hold surgeries at the address in the coming months.

Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle said democracy meant Mr Griffin was entitled to set up stall in the town. "The office has been there for a number of years and it has done nothing in the past. I would suggest it won't be doing much in future either.

"Nick Griffin is one of our MEPs and a pretty insignificant one at the moment as he doesn't seem to be doing a lot. However, if he wants to come and sort the problems any Burnley people are having with the European Parliament then so be it. I hope he does hold surgeries there and helps deliver what the people of Burnley want," he said.

"The office is important as it will bring local people closer to their MEP," said Mr Griffin, who was dramatically refused entry to the Queen's Garden Party at Buckingham Palace yesterday where Mayor of Burnley Coun. Tony Lambert and his wife, Brenda, were guests.

"Burnley has a special place in the history of the British National Party as it was here we made our political breakthrough when winning three seats on Burnley Council in 2002."

Mr Griffin was elected to Brussels last year even though the BNP polled fewer votes in the region than it had in 2004 – winning a seat through the system of proportional representation used in the European elections. He promised then he would be opening an office in Burnley in the near future.

The BNP has used an office within the Yorke Street building since 2002 but recently moved to two new offices within the same complex.

Leader of the Burnley BNP party Coun. Sharon Wilkinson said: "When Nick first got elected as MEP he said he was going to set up an office in Burnley and he's kept his word. It will be funded with Nick's European funding. We will be getting some of the Euro staff here as well which means we will be able to help more local people with their problems."

Burnley Express

Injunction sought against former Burnley council candidate

A former council candidate could be barred from town hall meetings if an application for a county court injunction is successful. Borough council chiefs in Burnley have formally applied for a court order which would prevent British National Party member John Rowe, 52, from attending the local authority’s meetings in future.

The announcement comes as Rowe, of Tennis Street, Burnley, was convicted of causing criminal damage to a fire alarm at the town hall in May. Following the incident, a Burnley full council meeting had to be temporarily suspended as councillors, officers and Mayor, Coun Ida Carmichael, had to be evacuated from the town hall.

Rowe, then of Cowper Street, was originally issued with an £80 fixed penalty notice regarding the offence, which he refused to pay. As a result he was summonsed to appear before Burnley magistrates where he pleaded not guilty to the offence. But he was convicted after a trial and conditionally discharged for 12 months and ordered to pay £200 costs.

Rowe failed to appear in court on one occasion and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was detained by police while attending another Burnley full council meeting. He also attempted to attend a subsequent full council meeting in October but was turned away at the town hall entrance by police.

The council meeting disruption was condemned at the time by police and council chief executive Steve Rumbelow.

Court officials have confirmed that Rowe, who unsuccessfully stood as a BNP candidate in Rosegrove with Lowerhouse in 2007, intends to appeal against the magistrates’ verdict. But it has now emerged that council officials are taking legal steps to permanently exclude him from town hall meetings.

A Burnley council spokesman said: “We are in the process of applying for an interim injunction against Mr Rowe.”

For the hearing, later this year, Mr Rowe is understood to have called a number of witnesses, including council leader Coun Gordon Birtwistle.

Mr Rowe was unavailable for comment last night.

Lancashire Telegraph

'Race hate' probe over party's leaflet

A race investigation has been launched into a political leaflet distributed to thousands of Burnley homes by a far right group. The leader of Burnley Council is also considering legal action against the England First Party after claiming that the leaflets were 'peddling hatred'.

Burnley Police's hate crime and diversity unit began its probe after the publication was sent to homes in the Brunshaw, Gannow, Rosegrove and Cliviger areas. Councillor Gordon Birtwistle, leader of the Liberal Democrats, who was handed a copy of the leaflet in the Rosegrove area by a shop manager, said he was taking legal advice over its contents.

The leaflets are part of Operation Blanket Burnley, which will include the party fielding Steven Smith as a candidate at the next general election, a spokesperson said. Smith is the former leader of the Burnley branch of the British National Party (BNP). In 2001 he was jailed after pleading guilty to six charges involving forging signatures on nomination papers.

Titled "England is being deliberately destroyed by cowards, liars, anarchists and traitors", the leaflets criticise Labour and Kitty Ussher and Gordon Birtwistle and the Liberal democrats. It claims they have helped create a country where 'white people are facing the prospect of becoming an ethnic minority in their own land'.

A spokesperson for the hate crime and diversity unit said: "We are aware of the leaflets. We have a copy and we are examining them to see if there is anything improper in them."

Gordon Birtwistle condemned the leaflet for propagating racial disharmony within Burnley. He said: "I think these leaflets are absolutely disgusting and I am appalled. We have a multicultural community here, not just Muslims but also people from Eastern Europe. I would hope the police are looking at these leaflets. I am looking at it with my solicitors and the party. I am taking advice on the matter but I dropped the leaflet in the bin. Parties like this who are pedalling hatred should not be allowed to drop such leaflets through letter boxes."

Kitty Ussher said she was not prepared to comment on the leaflets or the party's campaign.

A spokesperson for England First, which has headquarters in Westview, Overtown, Cliviger, defended their campaign. He said: "The leafleting is part of our campaign for the general election so if the election was called people would be aware of our party. What has happened under the current government is not good for native people who we believe are being displaced. In the next 60 years native people will become a minority in England. We believe people will vote for us because they agree with our policies."

The party plans to put up candidates in Burnley, Milton Keynes and possibly Blackburn in the general election having fielded candidates at the last election in 2004.

Lancashire Telegraph