BNP man rapped for 'murder' claim

A British National Party politician has been ordered to apologise in writing to every other council member for accusing ruling Tories of "murdering" a constituent by forcing her to move.

Mark Logan, member for Gooshays ward, was hauled before the council's standards committee for the allegation he made at a Harold Hill Area Committee meeting in October last year. There, he blamed Havering Council for causing the death of 92-year-old Anne O'Kane because of the stress of a council-enforced eviction - her second in four years.

She had to move from her bungalow in Chippenham Gardens - part of a group of homes being demolished to make way for developments under the council's multi-million pound Harold Hill Ambitions project.

The outburst angered people at the meeting, including Deputy Council Leader Cllr Steven Kelly, who was not on the committee but sitting among residents, and committee member Cllr Keith Darvill (Lab, Heaton). They both made official complaints because they thought Cllr Logan had breached council conduct.

Following a lengthy investigation, a standards consideration sub-committee made up of two councillors - Wendy Brice-Thompson (Con, Rom) and Michael Deon-Burton (ILRG, Rain) - and independent chairman Jack Knowles decided in a closed meeting that Cllr Logan had brought the council into disrepute by making his accusation of murder. They also said he showed no respect for the family of the deceased constituent by naming her.

Cllr Logan was told to make a written apology to the relatives of Ms O'Kane and to write to all other councillors for disrespecting the council. Cllr Logan said: "It cost thousands of pounds to carry out this investigation. If they'd asked me to write a letter of apology in the first place I would have done anyway."

He added: "It was their decision (Conservatives) that decided to sell off those bungalows to a private investor. I should have used a different rhetoric, but I'm still convinced it was the actions of the Conservative administration that caused the death of this constituent because if she hadn't been forced to move she may not have had a heart attack and passed away. She'd been really upset she had to move."

Cllr Logan is awaiting a second standards committee hearing, planned for January, in relation to allegations of misconduct surrounding a dispute with Cllr Mark Gadd over where he lives and whether he has a right to stand as a councillor.

Romford Recorder

BNP GLA member admits murder claim was false - investigation finds "failure"

The British National Party's Richard Barnbrook faces a six month suspension after City Hall found he brought his office, the GLA and his council into disrepute.

The Greater London Assembly member and councillor at Barking and Redbridge admitted knowing that murder claims he made on YouTube were false.He wrongly stated on a video that three murders had taken place in the East London borough when in fact the trio were on life-support.

Breach of code - Standards Board for England?

Under section five of the code, assembly members are warned they must not conduct themselves in a manner which could reasonably be regarded as bringing their office or authority into disrepute.

As well as a suspension, being forced to apologise, and undergo training he could face the Standards Board for England who may impose tougher sanctions. Valerie Rush, executive member of Barking and Dagenham with responsibility for safer neighbourhoods and policing, lodged the complaint.

Refused to comment - expresses "regret"

Barnbrook told investigators he knew there had been no fatalities when he stated a young girl had been murdered inside an educational institute and two people had died in knife attacks in the borough in the video clip in September.

The Goresbrook ward councillor declined to comment after receiving "legal advice". He has "expressed regret" over the false claim but refused to issue an unequivocal apology.

"Came out wrong" but recoding was not live

He claimed he had meant to say the young girl was from Barking and Dagenham but murdered in Newham and that it "came out wrong" because of the "speed of delivery".But the investigation showed the video had not been a live recording and he had refused to take it down.

A GLA report on the murder claims stated:

"We find that Mr Barnbrook has failed to comply with the code of conduct of both the GLA and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, by bringing his office and the respective authorities into disrepute."

London Daily News

Hamezeian cleared of breaking council rules

A councillor accused by a political rival of breaking town hall rules has been cleared.

Jim Hamezeian, leader of the Peoples Party on Barrow Borough Council, was alleged to have breached the code of conduct at the election count last May. Complainant Mike Ashburner, a British National Party candidate who stood against Cllr Hamezeian for the Ormsgill ward, claimed he was verbally attacked by Cllr Hamezeian after the result of the ballot was read out.

“He (Jim Hamezeian) held up to me a poster which read: ‘Down with the racist and fascist scumbags’ and then subjected me to a torrent of vile abuse,” Mr Ashburner told the Evening Mail.

Cllr Hamezeian admitted holding up the poster and chanting the words on it. But he said: “I didn’t subject anyone to any sort of abuse or whatever they’re accusing me of, absolutely not.”

Now the council’s standards committee has looked into the matter and cleared Cllr Hamezeian. In a statement, Ola Oduwole, corporate services director and monitoring officer for the council, said: “It had been alleged that after the count at the council elections in May 2008 for the Ormsgill ward, where he stood as a candidate, Cllr J Hamezeian thrust a poster in the complainant’s face with some words written on it and subjected him to incomprehensible abuse. The committee found that Cllr J Hamezeian was not acting in his official capacity when the incident occurred and therefore did not fail to comply with the code of conduct.”

Mr Ashburner has complained about Cllr Hamezeian before. Mr Ashburner reported Cllr Hamezeian to local government watchdog, the Standards Board for England, claiming the Iranian-born councillor was breaching the 1689 Bill of Rights. But the Standards Board for England decided not to investigate the complaint.

On Friday, following the standards committee’s decision, Cllr Hamezeian said: “I’m very annoyed that these people have got nothing better to do than constantly complaining and pestering me. They are wasting taxpayers’ money and they should be the ones penalised. As far as the result of the investigation is concerned, I knew there was nothing to investigate, I knew I had done nothing wrong and there was no reason for the complaint or the investigation.”

Mr Ashburner said of the standards committee’s ruling: “I think the decision is perverse and I will be challenging it.”

North-West Evening Mail

Murder accusation shocks meeting

Accusations of murder slung at Havering Council by a BNP councillor caused outrage at a Harold Hill Area Committee meeting. Committee member Cllr Mark Logan (BNP, Gooshays) shocked both fellow councillors and attending residents when he blamed the Conservative administration for the death of an elderly constituent.

Cllr Logan said: "I do not mince my words. A week ago they found her dead; I accuse the administration of murdering one of my constituents."

In the shocking outburst Cllr Logan claimed the stress of a council-enforced eviction - her second in four years - caused 92-year-old Anne O'Kane to die.

According to Cllr Logan, Ms O'Kane was "crying and begging" not to be moved from her Chippenham Gardens bungalow - part of a group of homes being demolished for future development in the council's multi-million pound Harold Hill Ambitions Project.

The council argued the bungalows were not fit for habitation, but Cllr Logan deemed them "structurally sound" and slammed the Ambitions project as a cynical means of "wheeling and dealing in public goods".

During the minute-long tirade, Cllr Logan eyeballed the council's deputy leader, Steven Kelly, who is not on the committee but was sitting among residents.

Cllr Logan said: "Four years ago the council told her to vacate her house. She thought she would see the rest of her days out in this bungalow, but on the fifth [of September] she was told to vacate again by the council. You went to take this bungalow off this lady."

He added: "I think it's disgusting. I have no faith in you."

Cllr Kelly remained tightlipped, but Cllr Keith Darvill (Lab, Heaton) said: "I object to the language Cllr Logan has used. It is disgraceful. To accuse anyone of murder is a very serious offence."

Cllr Darvill has pledged to make a formal complaint to the standards committee believing Cllr Logan to have breached the councillors' code of conduct.

Romford Recorder

Disturbance after ex-Burnley BNP councillor's funeral

Police were called after reports that mourners were hurling objects off a Burnley bridge following the funeral of a former BNP councillor.

Officers arrived at the Yorkshire Street bridge at 9pm on Tuesday after being told around 40 youths were causing a disturbance. The mourners had attended the funeral of Luke Smith, 26, of Brunshaw Road, who was found dead last week, police said. The convicted football hooligan, who was forced to resign as a councillor after continued allegations of violence, was said to have been suffering from psychological problems when he appeared in court earlier this month charged with assault.

Sgt Phil Carter, of Burnley police, said: “Police dispersed the group on Tuesday soon after arriving and no arrests were made.”

It is believed the mourners had been drinking in the Lounge pub, in nearby Higgin Street, following Mr Smith’s funeral. Yesterday a large banner was hung from a bridge in Yorkshire Street with the message “Luke Smith lives forever”.

Speaking last week, Mr Smith’s uncle, Steve Smith, who was the BNP leader in Burnley when his nephew was elected, and is now leader of the far-right England First party, said: “He was a lovely, lovely lad who, like a lot of people, was just too sensitive to exist in what is effectively an extremely cruel world. Things had gone downhill for him.”

Mr Smith was 21 when he was elected as councillor for Lanehead ward, in May 2003. But he was suspended from the BNP less than three months later, after it emerged previous football-related violence had earned him a lifetime ban from Turf Moor, and he was alleged to have been fighting at the party’s Red, White and Blue festival in Sawley in July that year.

In September 2004, after a full investigation by the Standards Board for England, he was banned for three years from becoming a member of any council across the UK.

Earlier in 2004, the former gas engineer had been given a two-and-a-half year football banning order, and he was jailed for 11 months in March 2006, after breaching the order and being involved in football-related violence in Manchester, Blackpool and Burnley. His football banning order was extended to six years.

In his latest court appearance, on July 14, he was charged with assault after an attack on the landlord of the Princess Royal – the pub near where he was found dead.

Lancashire Telegraph

Of cameraphones, court and Cromie's crap...

Simon Darby breaks the law again...

How intriguing it was to see the public face of the British National Party, its Press Officer Simon Darby, showing his utter contempt for the law by taking snaps on his cameraphone while he zoomed along the motorway back in November and how interesting it was to note that, as far as we know, he was never done for it despite the evidence being on the internet for all to see.

Still, never mind. There's another opportunity for the law to boot this dangerously arrogant driver off the road because he's done the same thing again. Above (the images to left and right of November's illegal picture) are the pictures taken on Darby's mobile while driving - a clear breach of the law that we're going to send directly to the police in the probably forlorn hope that somebody will do something about this idiot before he kills someone.

Another day, yet another court case

The BNP, ever willing to go to court for no reason at all only to lose and have to face the usually disastrous consequences, are to oblige us with yet another courtroom comedy, this time involving five of the party's activists who were nicked while distributing one of their lying leaflets in Swansea.

At least one of the five, who were arrested on suspicion of committing public order offences nearly two years ago, has decided to attempt to make a claim for trauma after being banged up for thirteen hours before being released on bail.

'We sincerely hope that no taxpayers’ money will be provided to a member of this organisation to take action against the police,' said Dominic MacAskill of Searchlight Cymru.

We'd all hope that but it looks like the people concerned have now been awarded legal aid to make their claim. What a pity that the police-despising BNP, which will go out of its way to slag off the force using any pretext, can now attack it in court using the money contributed by taxpayers to keep riff-raff and thugs like the BNP off our streets in the first place.

Paul Cromie and that 'shit' email

Recently-appointed Bradford BNP organiser Paul Cromie, darling of the Standards Board (see here and here), has come under fire from those within the Voice of Change dissident group for sending out 'an unsolicited and illegal email entitled "King Midas in Reverse – LOL"'.

The email, sent out by the man who claimed to be 'computer-illiterate' when investigated by the Standards Board for a number of pornographic emails that were sent from his council email address, was sent to a large number of Voice of Change supporters and BNP members and is a clipping of a newspaper report regarding a six-month driving ban handed down for speeding to James Lewthwaite, a former Bradford councillor and one of the rebels, who has an ongoing conflict with Cromie. The full text of the email, such as it is, is below;

'Here we go again folks, another fine mess "King Midas in Reverse" has got himself into. Unlike the real King Midas,everything Lewthwaite touches turns to (shit) I cant stop laughing. Regards Paul'

It's hard to believe that a cretin like Cromie is a retired (and wealthy) businessman and currently a Bradford councillor, and it's difficult to work out why Cromie would apparently breach the Data Protection laws just to cock a snook at Lewthwaite. Perhaps he's just over-excited at having recently been appointed to the organiser role at Bradford, much to the disgust of the rest of Bradford's BNP except for the also-recently-appointed Yorkshire Regional Organiser, ex-Combat 18 thug Adrian Marsden. Marsden and Cromie are friends from way back.

The Voice of Change mob were not pleased at this unwarranted attack, describing Cromie's childish behaviour as 'disgraceful and shocking' though not entirely surprising. Nor did they let the opportunity pass for a quick sideswipe at Nick Griffin.

'Cromie has been a big donor to the party and therefore is likely to receive no punishment for his recent slanderous comments...this ridiculous appointment by Griffin just shows his total lack of judgement and is another example of the kind of people that Griffin is surrounding himself with nowadays.'

Well, we won't argue with that.

Watchdog rejects BNP's complaint

A watchdog has said it will not follow up a complaint by the British National Party (BNP) that Stoke-on-Trent's elected mayor shows it "disrespect".

Labour's Mark Meredith has refused to work with seven BNP councillors. They said the mayor did not respect the fact they had been elected. Mr Meredith said he had done nothing wrong.

The National Standards Board for England said the complaint was "insuffiently serious" and would not be investigated further.

BBC

Outcry as watchdog fails to act on BNP £5 gift to voters

The Standards Board for England has come under fire for failing to take action against a BNP councillor who sent out £5 notes to pensioners in Christmas cards ahead of an election. A probe by the local government watchdog found that the actions of BNP councillor Paul Cromie could be considered an "inducement" for votes – but it failed to act against the member for Queensbury, Bradford.

Bradford Council's leader, Coun Kris Hopkins, told the Yorkshire Post: "Putting five pound notes in envelopes and handing them out to voters seems to be as clear a breach of the rules as you are ever likely to see. It is equally disturbing that it has taken seven months for the Standards Board to reach its conclusion and, even then, I believe the verdict is weak bordering on farcical."

Coun Cromie was reported to the board after he gave the money to more than 200 people living in sheltered housing in his ward, only months before his wife, Lynda, was elected as a BNP councillor for the same ward with a slim 155 majority. The board report states: "As the gifts were directly linked to the name and to the party, they could have also been considered as an inducement to vote for Coun Cromie's wife."

The board ruled that his actions brought his office into disrepute.

Bradford's Liberal Democrat group leader, Coun Jeanette Sunderland, said she was "astonished" at the reaction from the Standards Board for England. Labour group leader for Bradford, Coun Ian Greenwood, echoed the call for stronger action by the board. "I think it sends out a very weak signal," he said.

Coun Cromie has always insisted that the donations were made as a goodwill gesture from his councillor's allowance. He said: "I have been donating to Queensbury charities for 30 years and I am not going to stop now. Obviously I will be careful and make sure it is done within the code."

Yorkshire Post

BNP man's cash gifts broke rules

A BNP councillor breached a strict code of conduct by sending £5 notes in Christmas cards to pensioners, a probe has found.

The Standards Board for England has ruled that Queensbury Councillor Paul Cromie's actions could be considered to be an "inducement" for votes. Coun Cromie was reported to the Board after he gave the cash to more than 200 people living in sheltered housing in his ward last December - only months before his wife Lynda was elected as a BNP councillor for Queensbury with a slim 155 majority.

The Board, which enforces ethical standards, has ruled that Coun Cromie's actions brought his office into disrepute. But its decision to take no further action against him has been criticised by political group leaders in Bradford.

Coun Cromie has always insisted the donations were made as a goodwill gesture from his councillor allowance and was not made aware on any problems when he checked with Council officers.

It follows an incident earlier last year at the same housing complex where Coun Cromie was reported to the police over claims he bought votes by paying £100 for a Christmas party. It led to allegations the Conservative candidate was later turned away from the home during canvassing for last year's local election as a direct result.

Coun Cromie refuted the "votes for treats" allegations and the police later confirmed their probe came to nothing. But the Board referred to these allegations in its report, released yesterday, saying: "The ethical standards officer concluded that an objective member of the public, with knowledge of the relevant facts, could well view Coun Cromie's donation as a reward for turning away the Conservative councillor or an inducement to vote for the BNP in the forthcoming elections."

The Board also said that it was "inappropriate" for Council members to link their continuing position as a councillor to a resident's direct financial gain - Coun Cromie had signed the cards in the second incident using his official title and included his Council business card and the BNP party logo,.

It happened only months before the local elections in May when Coun Cromie's wife Lynda, was standing as a BNP candidate. The board report states: "As the gifts were directly linked to the name and to the party, they could have also been considered as an inducement to vote for Coun Cromie's wife.

"The implication that any member might have been elected because of gifts to voters erodes confidence, not just in that member, but in local democracy."

Mrs Cromie was elected to the same ward earlier this year, polling 1,718 votes and defeating Conservative Councillor Stuart Hanson by 155 votes. The report then refers to a conversation Coun Cromie had in July last year when he told a senior Council officer about giving £500 to a local church. He also promised a donation of £50 a month from his allowance through his term of office. He had asked whether he needed to inform the officer every time he gave money to a worthy cause, the report says. And the officer said this was not necessary - which "contributed to Coun Cromie's confusion about the manner in which a councillor may give gifts".

Councillors are free to make donations to anyone as a private individual.

Today Labour group leader, Councillor Ian Greenwood, said: "I think he's been extremely lucky that the Standards Board has been so lenient when it is clear he breached the code of conduct. My view is that it is totally unacceptable to send money to voters if you are an elected member."

Liberal Democrat group leader Councillor Jeanette Sunderland said: "I am surprised that the Standards Board has not recommended some form of suspension or his removal. I think Coun Cromie has shown extremely poor judgement in terms of his own personal behaviour."

The Council's ruling Conservative group did not want to comment.

Michael Bowness, the Council's interim head of legal services, said: "We note the findings of this report and following this case we are drawing up clear guidelines for members regarding donations, charitable or otherwise."

Responding to the report's findings, Coun Cromie said: "I did e-mail the Council and said I would be making donations throughout my time as councillor and was simply told there is no criteria for notifying them of gifts. Otherwise I would not have done it. I have been donating to Queensbury charities for 30 years and am not going to stop now. Obviously I will be careful and make sure it is done within the code."

It is not Coun Cromie's first brush with the Board. In October last year he was investigated over an e-mail containing pornographic images - and was later cleared of breaching the code.

Telegraph and Argus

BNP web-page councillor suspended

A British National Party councillor has been suspended for publishing material which was "hateful and abusive" to ethnic minorities. Councillor Simon Smith of Sandwell Council in the Black Country put the material on his council web-page.

His three-month suspension follows an investigation by the Standards Board for England. The council said it was suspending him for bringing his office and authority into disrepute.

'Incite resentment'

He was also suspended for using the authority's resources for party political purposes.

The Standards Board's ethical officer decided Councillor Smith had used his web page to put forward views which were "designed to incite resentment and ill-feeling towards a section of the community for no other reason than their ethnicity."

He concluded the material would also damage the council's reputation. He said Mr Smith's criticisms of the local Labour Party and promotion of the British National Party were party political in nature and, as such, did not comply with council rules on the use of members' web pages.

When asked if he wished to comment on the matter Councillor Smith would only use a quote attributed to George Orwell: "In a time of universal deceit, speaking the truth is a revolutionary act."

BBC

BNP councillor resigns from Epping Forest District Council

One of the six British National Party district councillors has resigned saying he can no longer commit sufficient time to his electors. Terry Farr, who represented the Loughton Alderton ward and whose seat is up for re-election next May, was one of the original three BNP councillors elected onto Epping Forest District Council. He announced his resignation this morning in a statement sent to the Epping Forest Guardian.

Mr Farr, who said one of the reasons for his decision was the expansion of his own business, said: "I can no longer spend the volume of time needed to represent fully the needs of Alderton ward. I feel that the people who voted for me deserve total commitment."

He added that when with Pat and Tom Richardson he was elected to the council the trio "broke new ground in Epping". He said they spent the next three years with a "massive" workload that included building the party's base while looking forward to reinforcements which were elected in May 2006.

Mr Farr said: "I trust our latest councillors will put in the same time and commitment that we have done. I have now reached a point in time where I feel I can return to party work, which has become a necessity as we have now become a significant force in British politics, as only a total fool would believe that the British National Party will not have a parliamentary majority within the next decade, especially when you consider the quality of leadership of the so-called mainstream parties."

He added: "I would like to give my thanks to all the people within and outside the BNP for the support shown during my stay on Epping Council and the most precious gift I can leave you all is England and Saint George, and I have every intention of doing so."

Mr Farr was suspended from the council for three months in 2005 after he was found to have brought his office or authority into disrepute following a Standards Board for England investigation into letters he wrote to then Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and Commission for Racial Equality chairman Trevor Phillips about the Government's housebuilding proposals. Mr Farr refused to apologise for comments made in the letters which sparked a complaint from the commission to the standards board which referred the matter to the council's monitoring officer for final judgement.

Mr Farr could have served a shorter suspension if he agreed to attend training courses but he refused to do so describing the sessions as "institutionally racist".

Epping Forest Guardian

Elected mayor 'disrespecting' BNP

Councillors from the British National Party in Stoke-on-Trent have written to the city council to complain about the elected mayor. The party said Mark Meredith does not respect the fact that they have been elected. The BNP has seven seats on the council which has no overall control.

After the local elections in May, Mr Meredith, a Labour councillor, said he would not associate with the party. But he has told BBC News that he has done nothing wrong.

In the letter to the council's legal advisor, Paul Hackney, the party said it was also unhappy with comments made on BBC Stoke.

'Negative vote'

During the radio station's election coverage Mr Meredith said the party would not help the city.

"I do not think I need to work with the BNP and a vote for the BNP is a negative vote and they will not be able to deliver anything positive in Stoke-on-Trent," he said.

The party has asked Mr Hackney to pass the letter on to the National Standards Board for local councils. Mr Meredith was elected as mayor in 2005.

BBC

BNP attacked over Lord mayor voting

Stoke-on-Trent BNP councillors have been branded a "disgrace" for opposing the city's new Lord Mayor. And they have been accused of racism when they voted against Asian councillor Bagh Ali becoming the city's first citizen.

At the council's annual meeting last week, the six members of the far right party were the only ones to vote against Mr Ali. Now some of Mr Ali's Labour colleagues are demanding an apology from the BNP.

Burslem North councillor Joy Garner said: "What other reason did they vote against Bagh Ali other than racism? They voted en masse against Bagh Ali, but voted en masse for Derek Capey as deputy Lord Mayor. What is the difference except one is white? It is meant to be a joyous occasion. It incensed me and I think they should apologise."

Mike Tappin, leader of the Labour group, added: "It was an absolute disgrace. Here we have an excellent candidate who had been deputy Lord Mayor for over a year and the BNP vented their spleen on what had been until that time an agreed and unanimous decision. I think they are a disgrace to the council."

Traditionally, the annual council meeting is seen as a celebration of the achievements of the former Lord Mayor and an official welcome for the incoming dignitary. Voting is usually unanimous and councillors are expected to avoid controversial debate. The meeting is followed by a banquet in honour of the outgoing and incoming Lord Mayors.

Sheila Pitt, Labour councillor for Berryhill and Hanley East, said: "I think they were just making their own comment that they don't like people from ethnic minorities. Whatever they say, they are a racist party. I think we should ask them for an apology. It is supposed to be a happy day to celebrate the new Lord Mayor. He is so proud to be elected as the mayor of this city and we all want these occasions to flow in a proper manner, but for me this put a blight on the day."

But councillor Alby Walker, leader of the BNP Group on the council, denied they opposed Mr Ali because he was Asian or that their party was racist.

He said: "I resent the fact that Labour councillors are making these accusations and if they make them publicly I will report each and every one of them to the Standards Board for England. We made a group decision not to vote for Bagh Ali. We judged him as a person and didn't think he was suitable. It is the Labour party which is playing the racial card themselves.

"I believe they have promoted him just because he is an Asian. I suspect many of them know he is not suitable to chair meetings of the full council, which is one of the Lord Mayor's key responsibilities."

Mr Ali, who has represented the Longton South ward for 11 years, was playing down the controversy.

He said: "I was proposed as Lord Mayor to represent everyone and that is what I will do. It would have been better for the city if the BNP had got behind that and voted for me, but it's in their nature to do things like this."

The Sentinel

Racism row over BNP song

A BNP councillor has been accused of attempting to incite racial hatred in a song he wrote for his Irish band. Dewsbury East councillor Colin Auty wrote the song Savile Town, Where's It Gone? in reference to a mainly-Asian community in the town he serves.

Now Labour MP for Dewsbury Shahid Malik has said Coun Auty is guilty of deplorable behaviour and he has made a complaint to the local authority watchdog, the Standards Board for England.

Coun Auty plays in an Irish band called Red Claire with Bradford BNP councillor Paul Cromie and other BNP members. The song snipes at the perceived loss of British ideals. It also berates the community as a place rife with "smack" and even hints at paedophilia within the town.

Mr Malik, who claimed the councillor's choice of song was akin to that of a preacher of hate, said: "The straightforward message behind the lyrics is that Savile Town is populated by foreigners who do not speak English. That it is a place where residents openly sell heroin and that these people are paedophiles."

He added: "As an elected member, Auty is in a position of responsibility, trust and authority and by writing and performing lyrics such as these he is bringing his position and suitability into disrepute and question. Coun Auty has fallen so far beneath the required mark that I felt it was my duty to refer the matter to the Standards Board to investigate."

But BNP spokesman Nick Cass defended the song.

He said: "It has come to our attention that Dewsbury MP Shahid Malik has contacted the Standards Board and submitted a Press release to newspapers and radio stations about a song which was printed in the BNP's newspaper the Voice of Freedom, written and produced by BNP Coun Colin Auty. The song is a generalisation of what has happened to Dewsbury and the rest of Britain in the wake of mass immigration. It points out how British culture and the British way of life has been replaced in certain areas by another culture from another country. It is about how mass immigration creates a country within our country and replaces our ideals and heritage. We make no apologies for this song as every word in it is true, and can back up with argument any of the points raised within the song. If Mr Malik would like to contact us we will even sing it to him."

Yorkshire Post

Barrow: BNP reveal their true fascist face

Fascist BNP activist Mike Ashburner has revealed the real racist face of the BNP

Further proof that the BNP is a racist party is shown by a recent complaint by prospective BNP candidate for Barrow, Mike Ashburner, to the Standards Board for England, against Barrow Borough Councillor Jim Hamezeian. Ashburner tried to claim that Jim Hamezeian could not hold Council Office because Councillor Hamezeian was born in Iran, and that this supposedly contradicted a 300-year old bill.

The fact that the Standards Board rejected Ashburner's claim shows the BNP up for the racists that they are. Standards Board spokeswoman Rebecca Jones has stated "There was no potential breach of the code identified."

To judge someone on the basis of where they were born is racism - and this is the racism which Ashburner and the Fascist BNP, which he represents, are guilty of. We can all reject racism by rejecting Mike Ashburner and the fascist BNP at the elections. Ashburner is no exception. The BNP has stated that "all non-whites must be repatriated" and BNP Leader Nick Griffin said, in 2002, "Our ultimate aim is an all-white society".

Unite Against Fascism, as part of our campaign against the fascist BNP in the run-up to the local elections, will be using this clear example of racism to show that the BNP truly are the racists which they pretend not to be.

[The article from the Evening Mail is reprinted below.]

Barrow and South Cumbria Unite Against Fascism (UAF)

North West Evening Mail, Wednesday March 14, 2007:

"You can't be a councillor, a 300-year-old bill says so."

BNP candidate threatens Iran-born Hamezeian.

Independent councillor Jim Hamezeian says a British National Party activist is "sad" for threatening him using an archaic 300-year-old law. Mike Ashburner - set to stand for the BNP in the Barrow Borough Council elections in May - reported Councillor Hamezeian to local government watchdog, the Standards Board for England.

Mr Ashburner claimed the Iranian-born councillor is breaching the 1689 Bill of Rights. It states: "And I do declare that no foreign prince, person, prelate, state or potentate hath or ought to have any jurisdiction, power, superiority, pre-eminence or authority, ecclesiastical or spiritual, within this realm."

The Standards Board for England decided not to investigate the complaint.
Spokeswoman Rebecca Jones said: "There was no potential breach of the code identified."

Cllr Hamezeian first came to Barrow 35 years ago to work in the shipyard for the Iranian navy. The Ormsgill representative said: "Mike Ashburner must be a sad man to be used and manipulated by the BNP in order to make this childish complaint about me."

Cllr Hamezeian accused Mr Ashburner of "living in a cave". He said: "The BNP is racist and this is a clear example of how racist the BNP is." Cllr Hamezeian says people in Barrow have no time for the BNP and the party will be "totally dismissed" if it tries to fight the local elections. Cllr Hamezeian says his People's Party will be contesting the same Central seat on the council as Mr Ashburner.

But Mr Ashburner says he is "confident" of winning the ballot and he hit back at Cllr Hamezeian's comments. Mr Ashburner said Cllr Hamezeian was wrong to say he was "sad" for making the complaint. And he said: "I can't see how it's childish. It's to do with the law, nothing else." Mr Ashburner denies he is "living in a cave" and maintains that neither he nor the BNP is racist. He says the BNP's views are "very modern".

Mr Ashburner added he had asked the chief executive of the standards board to conduct a review of its decision.