Swindon sponsor pulls out after Paolo Di Canio appointment

• Trade union cancels deal over manager's political views
• Di Canio has 'openly voiced his support for Mussolini'

Paolo Di Canio demonstrates his support for Benito Mussolini during his Lazio days.
Photograph: Paolo Cocco/AFP/Getty Images

A leading trade union has decided to end its sponsorship of Swindon Town in protest at the appointment of Paolo Di Canio as manager.

The GMB said the former Italy international, who was named manager yesterday, had previously voiced right-wing views of which it strongly disapproved. The union's local branch is believed to have paid up to £4,000 to the club this season as part of its sponsorship deal.

"Our local branch has decided to end its association with Swindon following the appointment of Paolo Di Canio," said a GMB spokesman. "He has openly voiced support for [Benito] Mussolini so it beggars belief that Swindon could have appointed him, especially given the multi-ethnic nature of the team and the town."

Di Canio is due to fly to England on Monday to complete the paperwork and be formally introduced as the new manager. The club have been relegated after finishing bottom of League One.

A statement from Swindon said the club are confident he would build a team with the "passion, pride and professionalism" to ensure it could return to League One "at the earliest opportunity".

Di Canio has spoken freely about being a fascist and an admirer of Mussolini. He has faced bans and fines for making the fascist straight-arm salute while playing for the Italian club Lazio. In his autobiography he praised Mussolini as "basically a very principled, ethical individual".

Guardian

Swindon Nazis Given Marching Orders By Voters

The BNP skulked out of last night's elections with their tails between their legs.

The three candidates standing in Gorse Hill and Pinehurst, Parks and Penhill were all soundly defeated at the Oasis Leisure Centre.

They left without speaking after winning just 212 votes in Gorse Hill and Pinehurst, 223 votes in Parks and 162 in Penhill ward.

Penhill councillor David Glaholm said the party was a scurge on the town and he was glad to see the back of them. He said: "I'm really pleased to see them in fourth place in Penhill.

"It is encouraging to see that people who did not vote for the major parties chose not to vote for the BNP.

"They keep blaming ethnic minorities for society's problems and that is patently untrue.

"Unfortunately, there are those out there who believe the rubbish they speak and that is why I'm glad they have no further platform with which to express themselves."

Council leader Roderick Bluh said: "We are absolutely delighted. We don't want their politics in Swindon".

Swindon Advertiser

BNP told: hands off St George's Day

The Mayor of Swindon has hit out at attempts by the BNP to take credit for a St George's Day charity concert.

Mike Bawden said that the event on April 23, to be held in the council's chamber, was about celebrating the national day and raising money for the Prospect@Home appeal and should not be politicised in any way. Swindon British National Party falsely told supporters on its website the concert on April 23 was "BNP approved".

Mr Bawden said: "This event has had nothing at all to do with the BNP. They have had no involvement in organising it and there is no way the borough council would enter into any arrangement with them as an organisation. The borough's position is very clear in that we don't agree with their objectives. We would in no way want any political party to feel it had a monopoly on the evening. I believe the general public will look on this event as an opportunity to have an evening of good music and also an evening to raise money for the local Prospect Hospice."

Swindon Advertiser editor Mark Waldron said: "St George's Day is a celebration of England and everything associated with it. That includes tolerance and multiculturalism, which are definitely not words you associate with an organisation such as the BNP."

The Adver-backed concert will be held at the Civic Offices in Euclid Street. It is thought to be the first time that music has been performed inside the chamber, where council decisions are normally made.

The BNP claimed it was the "vanguard of the campaign" to organise the event and used the occasion as an opportunity to spout far-right rhetoric. The extremist party said: "It is a reflection of the growing resentment over how our culture and national identity has been eroded over the years. People are rightly proud to be English and are getting increasingly assertive in reminding proponents of multiculturalism that this is England, we are the English and this is our country."

After reports that the Kentwood Show Choir will end the concert with performances of Jerusalem, I Vow to Thee My Country and Rule Britannia, the BNP gave its blessing to the running order. It said: "An excellent choice in our opinion - guaranteed to really upset the Labour party and liberal left."

BNP Wiltshire organiser Mike Howson said that he thought the party was justified in trying to give the public event a political motive. "We will support anything that supports our culture and priorities and if that makes it political, so be it," he said. "We will do everything we can to celebrate British culture, that's why we are backing it. Lately we have had more and more support in Swindon, and I think it is the fact that the BNP is around that is why the council has taken notice of English and British culture."

The Swindon Advertiser launched the Prospect appeal to raise money to help fund a scheme which will see nurses giving palliative care to people in their own homes 24 hours a day.

Swindon Advertiser