The Squire with a rock solid pedigree

Steve Squire BNP candidate for Bush Hill Park in Enfield

The BNP is contesting a by-election in Bush Hill Park in Enfield, north London on 28 July 2011. Its candidate, Steve Squire, comes with what Nick Griffin, the BNP leader, believes to be a rock solid pedigree though it is one that is unlikely to appeal to prospective voters. During a recent argument with party members who were criticising Squire, Griffin defended his place-man from criticism by stating proudly that Squire’s grandfather had been a member of Mosley’s jackbooted British Union of Fascists (BUF) while his father had been imprisoned in the 1970s under the Race Relations Act.

Griffin must have believed that this political genealogy was a recommendation, because he appointed Squire as his deputy London organiser when he briefly took over as London organiser himself last year. Shortly afterwards Griffin handed over the keys to the kingdom to Squire who now runs the BNP in Britain’s capital city.

Despite his recent elevation Squire is clearly unpopular with many of his colleagues in London, who don’t appear to have rushed to help him out. A photograph on the BNP website accompanying the launch of his campaign contains hardly any BNP activists from Enfield, the majority being bussed in from Croydon or at least that faction of the branch still loyal to Griffin.

Squire’s campaign team included Dave Clarke, who has a conviction for assaulting two female anti-fascist campaigners and in 2006 was investigated for electoral fraud after using a false address on his nomination papers.

The London BNP organiser is clearly surrounding himself with the crème-de-la-crème of the BNP as he embarks on his doomed quest to convince the electorate of this Enfield ward that he is fit for elected office.

This is not the first time that Squire has stood for the BNP. In 2010 he contested Enfield Lock ward, polling 447 votes (6.3%) and coming bottom of the poll, tenth out of ten. Doubtless he will fare little better in Bush Hill Park. It is unlikely that his inevitable defeat will diminish his prestige in the eyes of Griffin, who is by now getting used to his candidates being trounced at the ballot box.

Hope not hate