BNP targets advertisers over paper's exposé

Advertisers with one of the UK's biggest-selling regional dailies have been targeted by the British National Party after it ran a major investigation into the far-right group.

Commercial clients of the Manchester Evening News have been directly contacted by the far-right political party following the paper's decision to run a series of stories under the banner 'BNP – The Truth' (see left). The title is taking a firm editorial stance against the party, covering topics such as how it has used resources to mask its origins and its policies on repatriating non-white Britons.

But the BNP is now urging its supporters to complain to the MEN's advertisers in the hope that, if enough of its supporters complain, advertisers will in turn request that the MEN changes it editorial policy.

Editor Paul Horrocks told HTFP: "I've not had any complaints but there are a small number of advertisers who have let us know they received correspondence via email from the BNP. I've sent a response to these advertisers apologising for the fact they've been emailed. We will be continuing our campaign 'The Truth' which we started last Tuesday with a front page using a lot of information that is available about the BNP and its leader Nick Griffin."

The MEN has said it will continue its series of articles up to Thursday's vote. This latest developments comes in the wake of an angry letter by Chris Morley, northern organiser with the National Union of Journalist, to his hometown paper over its acceptance of BNP advertising.

Nick Griffin is standing in Thursday's European Election in the North West in a bid to win one of eight seats in Brussels. Research has suggested he only needs around 8pc of the vote to be elected.

A spokesman for the BNP said: "Our attitude to the Manchester Evening News is that we won't deal with them anymore. They are particularly bad. We don't take these things lying down and we're lobbying to put pressure on these people to deal with us fairly."

Hold the Front Page

Updated: Have Newsquest pulled their BNP adverts for good?

There's still been no official word yet but it looks like Newsquest may have decided to pull all BNP ads from their newspaper websites.

The banners which were prominently placed just yesterday have disappeared from all Newsquest sites reported to be carrying them.

Just take a look for yourself:

• Stourbridge News
• The Northern Echo
• The Colchester Gazette
• The Kidderminster Shuttle
• The Southern Essex Echo
• The Redditch Advertiser
• The Bromsgrove Advertiser
• Dudley News

When complaints about the adverts were first made, individual editors defended their decision to carry them.

However, a build up of coverage in the last 24 hours may have led to a change of heart at the top. Indeed my own webstats have shown growing interest in this story from other media outlets, readers of the blog, and the company itself.

Quite what affect this build up had on the disappearance of the ads is difficult to say. But whatever the reason, Newsquest seem to have made the right decision. I just hope that they stick to it.

Tory Troll

A source at Newsquest has told me that "no contracts have been broken" with the BNP.

Staff were sent a memo last week stating that 'any political party' could advertise with them. This has not officially changed. Crucially I was also told that the BNP adverts "may come back"

Keep those complaints coming people.

TUC threatens boycott action over BNP ad

The Wales TUC General Council is today being urged to end all advertising with the Evening Post in a row over this newspaper's publication of a BNP election advert.And individual trade unions are said to be considering advising members to cease buying the paper.

The moves follow publication of a BNP advertisement on May 1, ahead of the Welsh Assembly elections.

Wales TUC general secretary Felicity Williams says in a letter to the Evening Post: "Wales TUC is committed to the development of Wales as a thriving, multi-faith, multi-cultural society and condemns without reservation the promotion of any extremists who seek to divide our society by spreading fear and suspicion through misleading racist and/or religious propaganda."

Her executive committee is calling on the General Council to authorise a ban on further advertising. It is also seeking to remove the Evening Post from the list of publications receiving editorial articles prepared by Wales TUC. The General Council was set to meet today in Llandudno, where the Wales TUC annual conference is underway.

In her letter to the Evening Post, Ms Williams says: "Wales TUC-affiliated unions are also considering advising their members to boycott the publication until further notice and until assurances are given from South West Wales Media Ltd that advertising policies have been amended to prevent the abhorrent promotion of fascist groups in Wales."

Spencer Feeney, Editor-in-Chief of South West Wales Media, and editor of the Evening Post, said: "Trade unions enjoy the freedom to advise their members as they see fit. It is for the individuals concerned to decide if they want to be told which newspapers they can or cannot read.

"Obviously, if Wales TUC officials choose not to talk to journalists on Wales's largest-selling newspaper about issues that affect and are of interest to their members, it will deny those individuals the opportunity of having their point of view on these important topics publicised."

Dawna Stickler, advertisement director with the paper, said: "All submitted advertisements are considered for publication according to the codes of Advertising Practice as recommended by the Newspaper Society.

"The advertisement in question did not contravene these guidelines and, in fact, conformed to the principles of legal advertising. As such, there was no justifiable reason for this advertisement to be rejected."

This is South Wales