Nick Griffin and Mark Collett after winning a court case in 2006The BNP has been thrown into turmoil weeks ahead of the general election after a senior party member was arrested for allegedly threatening to kill Nick Griffin.
Key party officials have been summoned to a meeting tomorrow to discuss "urgent organisational matters" after Griffin and colleagues made statements to police resulting in the BNP's publicity director, Mark Collett, being detained on Thursday. Collett, 29, had been due to contest Labour MP David Blunkett's Sheffield Brightside seat in the election but has been stripped of his position within the party which accused him of conspiring to launch a "palace coup" against Griffin.
The BNP alerted members to the crisis on Wednesday. In a message to party organisers, the party said its internal security team had been investigating "alleged financial irregularities" relating to leaflets and publications, the "leaking on to the internet of sensitive party information" and "feeding lies to certain anti-BNP blog sites" for several months.
"As a result of this investigation, a very serious matter has been uncovered," the memo said. "Earlier this week, the police were made aware of very serious allegations potentially affecting the personal safety of party chairman Nick Griffin MEP and senior management/fundraising consultant James Dowson. Formal statements have now been made to the police, including by Mr Griffin."
The message said it had been necessary to act immediately "to ensure the safety of those at risk".
The timing of the row is a further blow to the BNP as it looks to build on success in last year's European elections by winning its first seat in the House of Commons. Last month the party's membership policy was ruled to be discriminatory, despite the BNP having removed a whites-only clause in February.
The BNP said it was unable to provide further details of the alleged threat to Griffin – who is standing against Labour's Margaret Hodge in Barking and Dagenham – and Dowson for fear of prejudicing legal proceedings.
The memo continued: "Since political, as opposed to allegedly criminal, conspiracies are not illegal, we are able to say that Mark Collett was conspiring with a small clique of other party officials to launch a 'palace coup' against our twice democratically elected party leader, Nick Griffin, and that in order to create the artificial climate of disillusionment necessary for this to stand any chance of success, lies and unfounded rumours have been spread, and were planned to be spread much further."
Officers asked Collett to attend a Humberside police station last week. A spokeswoman said: "A 29-year-old man was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of making threats to kill. He was interviewed by detectives at Humberside police and he has been released on bail pending further inquiries. The investigation was initiated as a result of a complaint by the member of the BNP."
BNP regional organisers and key officials have been asked to attend an "urgent briefing meeting" tomorrow to discuss the events of the last few days and the party's future plans.
A spokesman for the anti-fascist organisation Searchlight said rows over finance, particularly Griffin's European expenses, had led to the conflict. Griffin and Andrew Brons were elected to European parliament in June 2009 but have been criticised in recent weeks for failing to publish details of their spending.
"Nick Griffin is constantly claiming he is the leader of a moderate, non-violent organisation," the Searchlight spokesman said. "It is difficult to see how he can square that assertion with his statement to the police that his own head of publicity has been plotting to kill him."
The Guardian attempted to contact senior figures within the British National party, but none were available for comment.
Guardian
Amazing. Someone threatens to kill Griffin, there must be 60 million suspects but the police identify Collett straight away. Don't tell me these boys don't know what they're doing.
ReplyDeleteWhen the BNP says "a very serious matter has been uncovered" then it usually means diddily squat!
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see what the serious matters really are..... probably simply the product of paranoia?
We'll see.
Hope this is the Downfall of Collett. He really is a prat and a piece of ****
ReplyDeleteAmazing. Someone threatens to kill Griffin, there must be 60 million suspects but the police identify Collett straight away. Don't tell me these boys don't know what they're doing.
ReplyDeletelol.
i propose a new game of griffin cludeo
was it raj singh ?
was it that bloke that works down the chip shop who swears he's elvis ?
was it jackie ?
was it michael jacksons monkey bubbles ?
was it the cast of space 1999 ?
was it benny from crossroads ?
was it the household cavalry ?
was it dennis watts ?
was it albert tatlock ?
was it someone on the bnp membership list ?
griffin might get ideas over this for £££ he can call his new board game notsocluedo.
http://www.sundaymercury.net/news/midlands-news/2010/04/04/dudley-edl-and-uaf-rallies-in-stark-contrast-to-birmingham-clash-66331-26170549/
ReplyDeleteWhat planet are the Sunday Mercury on?
If Dudley happened to indeed be trouble free, I am an aligator!
I bet Nick Griffin has now told the cops what went on in a Blackpool Fleapit about underage girls.
ReplyDeleteSo will Peado Boy turn "Queen's Evidence?"
Typical BNP - all threats, no action
ReplyDeleteThe EDL spent lunchtime drinking in Wolevrhampton before moving to Dudley.
ReplyDeleteThey need to be banned!
Griffin's "Easter message" seems to have been very divisive with lots of members saying "keep religion out of politics" and that they won't deliver leaflets with religious symbols on them.
ReplyDeleteGriffin is facing rebellion on a number of fronts.
One leading party official allegedy threatens to kill the party leader!
ReplyDeleteThe BNP are not fascist, you understand. They are a peaceful and democratic party, just like Labour, Tories, Libs..Blah, Blah, Blah!
I wonder if a disgruntled naziboy will spill the beans on more of Griffins dirty secrets?
ReplyDeletethis is not what it seems.collet is a nazi and a wanker. he aint no hardman or killer.
ReplyDeleteim not sure whats happening yet but i really believe this is a put up job by heir griffin. collett is the patsy here.
who would you rather fall ,collett [pig ignorant and useless]or griffin the devious bastard.
How do I know ,cos im a member who whats all these arseholes gone
Threats to kill, palace coups - This reads like an episode of the fucking Sopranos, not a "peaceful, mainstream" political party.
ReplyDeleteGosh, I hope nobody in the BNP wakes up with a horse's head beside them! ;-)
"The investigation was initiated as a result of a complaint by *the* member of the BNP."
ReplyDeleteHa ha only one member now, eh? The BNP are doing well lol!
I was watching "Mark Collett dirtys his knickers part one" on google video and I started feeling sorry for the Nazi buffoon.
ReplyDeleteImagine being in a party in which Mark Collett is the sensitive and articulate one, Brrrrr.
Death threats, eh. They can dish them out - but they cannot take them.
ReplyDeleteTwo of the three people that the December Rebels were trying to get Griffin to expel from the Party have now themselves been expelled. Isn't it funny how everything that they said about Walker and Collett has absolutely 100% come true! It will be Hannam next to make it the full whammy. All of the numpties left in the BNP get what they deserve now. They are being led by absolute fools. This is definitely the death knell for the BNP. They cannot organise themselves anymore, they have no good people left, morale is at an all time low, they will win nothing in the General Election, funds have totally dried up and Griffin is losing the plot as he desperately tries to save a sinking ship. Now is the time for the whole country to drive in the final knife and end the corrupt BNP once and for all.
ReplyDeleteanon @ 6.57 ROFLOL
ReplyDeletetulip
Brilliant pic by the Guardian.
ReplyDeleteNWN have already "borrowed it"!
Something stinks about this. Collett is a scumbag but he's hardly a physical threat to anyone. If he threatened to kill me I'd be hard pressed not to piss myself laughing.
ReplyDeleteSomething else is going on here. He's embarrassed the BNP loads of times C4 docs, Peadogate etc etc, yet Griffin has always stood by him. What's changed -why now?
This is not Griffin being forced to get rid of Collett for the sake of decency. Collett must have something on Griffin and be threatening to go public/oust him as leader.
I'm willing to bet this case doesn't get anywhere near court -Griffin has too much to lose. It'll be quietly dropped sometime AFTER the election.
Meanwhile Nick really needs you to make a really generous donation to the BNP to pay for extra security to protect him from Collett.
That mad bastard Lee Barnes has been strangely quiet about all this...
ReplyDeleteCome on 'Bagel' Barnes, you've been strangely quiet about all of this on paedeo-boy and your beloved fuhrer Gri££in on your blog. Why are you so quiet on the most serious crisis to hit the BNP since the December rebels of 2006?
ReplyDeleteIs it cos your fuhrer has told you to keep the lid on it?
After all, being HMV, his pet poodle and personal lap-dog, you do everything your master tells you to, don't you Mr Barnes?
"Come on 'Bagel' Barnes, ... Why are you so quiet..?"
ReplyDeleteMaybe because once one loud-mouthed Nazi lunatic walks the plank he may be followed by others?
Have you read the comments on this story on the offical BNP's message board?
ReplyDeleteTalk about sycophantic brown-nosing towards 'Chairman' Griffin! Reminds me of the embarrassing adulation thrown at Joe Stalin and Chairman Mao by party hacks back in the day!
Seen this yet guy's?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/user/FIFAPLYR1
"Seen this yet guy's?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/user/FIFAPLYR1"
Hello Mark, must be desperate to be posting on here.
Spill the beans, dont hold back now's your chance to really shaft griffin
The BNP are in india too!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sundaymercury.net/news/midlands-news/2010/04/04/dudley-edl-and-uaf-rallies-in-stark-contrast-to-birmingham-clash-66331-26170549/
POST ON NWN needs investigating lets find the truth on JEFFERSONs Past.
ReplyDeleteClive Jefferson , Fact not Fiction
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clive worked as a bouncer in Workington and had a reputation as a thug. Jefferson was also well known in the area as a drug dealer. He was convicted of driving under the influence of drugs, his drug of choice was apparently cocaine although on this particular occassion he had taken speed. This incident happened around 1999/2000 when he changed his name from Clive Aitken to Clive Jefferson, perhaps to escape the reputation that he had in the Workington area. This incident was also reported in the Whitehaven news.
The more serious incident of Clive being involved in driving a car at someone after an incident at the Forum nightclub in Workington was in fact true. He managed to wriggle his way out by blaming the incident upon a young lad who served a custodial sentence as a result and allowing Clive to get away Scot free. This happened around 1992. [snip]
Is also a confimed “searchlight grass”.
Clive Jefferson believes he is related to the First US President as per his interview with world news on this month.
Words cannot express the relief I feel when I realise that the master race could have lost both Griffin and Terre’Blanche over the same weekend. That would have been Jesus and Jesus reincarnate times two who would have met their fate at Easter. No, words fail me. So I'll just have a good laugh instead.
ReplyDeleteThis has just been posted on the NWN nutzi forum
ReplyDelete"I am at the organisers meeting and we have just started a fifteen minute break before Nick Griffin speaks. The revelations so far involving Collett are shocking. There is no way he will walk away from this without a criminal conviction. The Party is now heading in a new direction. Never again will one person other than the Chairman hold a position in which the entire Party can be held to ransom by a single person. If it was not for the swift action of the Chairman and the BNP Intelligence Department the Party would have suffered a catastrophic setback during the election campaign. Due to diligence and good luck a near catastrophe has been averted. Hail the BNP - onwards and upwards - to victory we march!"
Who is this clown trying to convince the rest of us or himself?
http://www.nwn-forum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=31939&postcount=293
ReplyDelete@ Anon 1:13 PM
ReplyDeleteI think it was irony.
Didn't you spot Never again will one person other than the Chairman hold a position in which the entire Party can be held to ransom by a single person.?
bev the mod at vnn is taking colletts side in all this.
ReplyDeletehere she is here-
http://edmundstanding.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/kerry-rwb1.jpg?w=266&h=341
http://www.democracyforum.co.uk/attachments/bnp/1165d1270481916-hello-hello-whats-all-about-rat-boy-collett-then-lulz.jpg
http://www.nwn-forum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=31983#post31983
ReplyDeleteAnti-Fascists need to make CERTAIN this causes as much internal warfare for the BNP as possible, because losing a liability like Mark Collett could even be a GOOD thing for the BNP in the medium / long term
ReplyDeleteIn the short term they've lost their election candidate for Sheffield however, and both BNP factions are accusing each other of ripping-off the party (in all honesty probably BOTH factions are right about that).
We need to circulate leaflets, post on web forums, e-mail the remaining BNP councillors, e-mail ordinary members, post on You Tube etc stirring it as much as possible and telling them Collet's fucked ANY chance of an electoral success anywhere
That bev is a monster, glad she stays on the web all day.
ReplyDelete@Anon @ 6:37
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! Though I think some more digging around Dowson will also bear fruit.
I think congrats are in order to the folks at Searchlight. Their constant digging around Dowson has begun to bear fruit.
ReplyDeleteI raise my glass to those fine lads and lasses.
Looks like the request for "at least one car full, but not more than two" for their special little meeting either reveals how many buggereed off for some cheap (or not) Spanish lager or the true level of membership:
ReplyDeletehttp://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/04/05/409.jpg
Courtesy of Simple Simons b(l)og
Absolutely! Though I think some more digging around Dowson will also bear fruit.
ReplyDelete9:28 PM, April 05, 2010
Lol....... That's not fruit! It's bolivian marching powder methinks!
Collett has just knocked back an offer of £7,000 for his story from a well known Sunday tabloid. The little shit reckons he can get at least £100,000. In his fucking dreams!!!
ReplyDeleteUnless he's got pictures of Griffin, Tony Blair, The Queen and Jordan at a coke fuelled orgy he'll be lucky -bloody lucky- to get £7,000. The journos had to grovel to scrape the £7,000 together after he contacted the paper's Scottish office (?) to tout his tell all.
Essentially his tale boils down to Nick Griffin isn't a very nice man and is robbing the BNP blind. Tell us something we don't know!
Of course the useless bastard hasn't managed to gather up any real hard evidence of this -his ousting coming as a complete shock to him.
He says though both common sense and my journo friend reckon he's lying that ALL the tabloids are after his story and are offering big money for any kind of dirt on Griffin.
Unity should let him stew for a few days then offer him 10p to tell all. He's that desperate for money and revenge he'd squeal.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteAnti-Fascists need to make CERTAIN this causes as much internal warfare for the BNP as possible, because losing a liability like Mark Collett could even be a GOOD thing for the BNP in the medium / long term
From what I've just been told on the QT, it's all been sorted and they are letting the police take over. They've got someone already to take Collett's place, (not difficult) and Butler's not leaving. Emma Colgate is OK too apparaently. We'll see.
It looks like Butler and Colgate were using collette in there take over bid,collette there for it went all wrong ,which it has .Leaving collette to take the wrap or even a jail sentence .There bragging how they used him as a scape goat .There still in and he,s defo out .
ReplyDeleteFrom Collett's Facebook page: "I have not gone to the press, I have not been posting material on the internet and I have not been phoning around with gossip. I am completely loyal to the party. I am more than willing to help people with local publicity material in the run up to the elections. However, there is currently a smear campaign against me. ...Please realise, I am keeping my own council at the moment as not to disrupt the elections."
ReplyDeleteA sycophant to the last.