BNP face probe after Mayor walkout

Two BNP councillors staged an impromptu walkout from Sandwell Council last night in protest at a Sikh becoming mayor. They claim his appointment breaches the Magna Carta - but now face an enquiry by the local government standards board.

Simon Smith (who represents Great Bridge) and Carl Butler (Tividale) insist that they didn’t leave the chamber during the vote to appoint Gurcharan “Sid” Sidhu as first citizen – but Butler admits they did retire to an area close to the public gallery for a “coffee break”.

He claims that under the Magna Carta – which was written in 1215 and forms the basis of England’s constitution - “foreigners” are banned from holding public office. Quite how this applies to “Sid”, who’s been a British citizen for 44 years – isn’t clear, but as Butler is happy to explain, he believes that even people who are born in this country should be disqualified from public life if they are of African or Asian heritage.

“That’s not racist it’s realist”, he told us. “The Magna Carta states that no foreigner should take public office and that’s our view. There’s no personal animosity, he just shouldn’t be mayor”.

The BNP’s actions drew a sharp response across the political divide.

Sandwell’s Labour council leader Bill Thomas pointed out that “Sid” will be the borough’s fourth Asian mayor, with the first Dr Hirein Roy being appointed back in the 70s. Commenting on the BNP, Thomas said: “I find their actions disgraceful, and we’re considering taking them to the Standards Board.”

Cllr Bill Archer, a Conservative councillor and former Mayor himself joined in the chorus of criticism: “We are a multicultural society and they’ve got to accept that. The Mayor is the one office that regardless of party you’ve got to respect.”

The Stirrer

Probe into alleged illegal BNP vote

An investigation has been launched into claims that BNP councillors in Sandwell allegedly voted illegally at an annual budget meeting.

Sandwell Council lawyers are to pass on information to police after allegations that one or more of the borough's four BNP councillors took part in the meeting despite being in arrears with their council tax. It is illegal for local authority members to vote on budgetary matters if they are more than two months behind with payments.

A Sandwell Council spokesman confirmed an investigation was under way into the allegations against BNP councillors James Lloyd, Simon Smith, Carl Butler and Russell Green.

"The council has a duty to take action if someone participates and votes in a budget debate when they are in council tax arrears of more than two months. Council lawyers will shortly be passing information to police about a member who took part in last Tuesday's council tax vote."

Any councillor found guilty of voting illegally in this way can be forced to resign, face a hefty fine or could even go to prison for up to two years.

Coun Darren Cooper, secretary of the Labour group on Sandwell Council, which has an overwhelming majority, said: "It is totally outrageous that things have reached this stage."

Coun Lloyd, leader of the BNP on Sandwell Council, admitted he could be the focus of the investigation. He admitted he had still to pay his latest council tax bill. But he claimed he knew nothing about not being able to vote until he received a letter from the local authority after he got back from the budget meeting.

icWolverhampton