BNP throws out 'lazy' councillor

One of the seven British National Party councillors on Stoke-on-Trent City Council has been thrown out of the political group.The far-right group got three more seats at last week's local elections, but lost sitting councillor Steve Batkin in Longton North.

Fellow Longton North councillor Mark Leat now appears to have paid the price for Mr Batkin's defeat. He has been removed from the group amid accusations he did not work hard enough. The decision leaves the BNP with six of the 60 seats on the city council.

BNP group leader Albert Walker said: "I am removing the party whip from councillor Mark Leat and he will no longer be part of the BNP group. We consider he is not a team player. He places unreasonable demands on the group and although he has done a very good job as chairman of the council's health scrutiny commission, his performance in other areas has been lacking, particularly in his ward where his work fell on to former BNP councillor Steve Batkin.

"He failed to help Steve Batkin in his election campaign, which contributed to Steve losing his seat in Longton North. We hold no malice towards Mark. We feel this will send out a clear message that only serious people who are prepared to work hard at their positions as ward councillors will be considered to be part of the BNP group."

Mr Leat, who was elected in 2004, rejected the accusations. He said: "I'm in a state of shock. I feel like I've been stabbed in the back." He added: "If you speak to people in my ward they will tell you I have done a considerable amount. I got fencing round the old people's bungalows on Kendrick Street - they were delighted. I have got people council houses and got money for the bowling club on Anchor Road and Longton Rugby Club.

"I have been doing a lot of things, and I think this is just a sour grapes. In the run-up to the elections, Steve Batkin was dragged around other wards to help out there, and Longton was neglected. I went round knocking on doors asking people to vote for him."

It is understood Mr Leat is keen to become a Conservative councillor in the authority's Conservative and Independent Alliance, but that will have to be approved by Tory central office.

The Sentinel

BNP loses councillor just a week after the local elections

Mark Leat, the Longton North BNP councillor on Stoke Council has decided he's had enough of the fascist BNP and stumbled across the council chamber to become a non-aligned Independent, thus wiping out in a single embarrassing go the staggering single extra seat that the BNP made at last week's local government elections.

So, after putting up the record number of 750 candidates and ploughing a phenomenal amount of money into the campaign - delivering up to six campaign leaflets in some areas, we're told - the party has ended up precisely where it started.

Leat's only claim to fame is a bit of BNP self-promotion when a pre-election Voice of Freedom article claimed the party was achieving credibility following his award of chairman of the Health Commission. Following this, the party claimed it was 'working towards the day when the BNP hold the majority on Stoke Council'. That's put an end to that plan.

More info as and when we get it...

Thanks to our friends at Kirklees Unity for the tip-off. :-)