Of storm trooper street thugs, Jefferson enobled and leaflet cock-ups (again)

The 'establishment’s storm trooper street thugs' terrify Debra Kent

Cowardice seems to be spreading through the ranks of the BNP locally. First we had Lord Clive Jefferson running away from a newspaper-sponsored web-chat for fear that he would be asked awkward questions relating to his extremely dodgy past (and present), then Debra Kent, a lady (allegedly), running away from a confrontation with the opposition in the form of a small demo outside a venue where a hustings was being held in Fleetwood on Monday evening.

If the BNP website is to be believed (and it isn't) the demo was set to be the beginning of World War Three, and Debs was right to fear the demonstrators. With its usual mixture of over the top rhetoric and lies, it made the demo sound so frightening that even we were terrified to attend.

'Labour and Tory-supported UAF storm troopers...in Blackpool threatened so much violence that police were forced to call a female British National Party candidate out of concerns for her safety...in Blackpool, BNP candidate Debra Kent withdrew from a hustings...after the UAF announced its intention to attack that meeting as well.'

James Clayton, Deb's dopey partner and the BNP's Blackpool organiser, leapt to her defence - in print, at least.

'Given that Debra is a lady and also my girlfriend I am not prepared to risk her being assaulted.'

By which we assume that if she was neither a 'lady' nor his 'girlfriend', he really wouldn't give a toss. But the BNP hasn't finished yet. The article continues thus;

'Miss Kent told BNP News that a number of threats had been against her personally on UAF forums and blogs...“The police finally called me up, concerned for my safety and asked if I was going to attend the hustings,” Miss Kent said. “The threat of violence had reached such levels that the police felt driven to intervene.”'

And finishes by describing the demonstrators as

'the establishment’s storm trooper street thugs.'

Here's a challenge for Debs, if she's looking in. Provide us with the name of the officer who rang you up with concerns about your safety, so we can check that it happened, or provide us with a single threat posted on a UAF forum or blog. We know you can't because you're a liar and your party is full of shit. And given the demonstrators - at most twenty, at least two of whom were disabled, and four kids - we find all your bullshit about threats of violence and comments about street thugs both laughable and contemptuous. Oh, and we spotted the BNP car hidden around the corner, just in case you thought we'd missed it.

Face it, Debs, just like Clive Jefferson, you're a coward. Talking of whom...

There are three tiers of councillors in this country. Parish or town councillors, city or borough councillors and county councillors. City and county councillors have to be elected and receive payment in the form of an overall allowance or some form of attendance allowance. Parish councillors are frequently unelected, walking into the job because nobody else wants to do it. Parish councillors have no real power, which might explain why nobody wants to do the job.

But there's another difference between parish councillors and the others - they do not refer to themselves as Councillor Whatever, except for magalomaniac idiots like Clive Jefferson who, having reached the giddy height of parish councillor for Broughton Community Council in Cumbria, titled one of his posts 'Cllr Jefferson' in celebration. Sad or what?

And that brings us along nicely to Mr Jefferson's latest disaster.

Apparently, countless thousands of election leaflets are sitting in a warehouse somewhere which still have 'Insert candidates name' and 'Insert place name' printed on them because the moronic Jefferson, it is alleged, didn't realise that the files hadn't been completed before having them printed up.

Jefferson is now blaming 'Lady' James Clayton for this latest leaflet fiasco.

It's great to see the BNP operating with its usual efficiency. God help us all if they ever get given the country to run.

BNP back down over demo fear

A BNP candidate pulled out of a public meeting in Fleetwood last night after threats of a demonstration by anti-fascists.

Election runner Debra Kent should have taken part in an election forum with other candidates at the Marine Hall in a debate organised by Fleetwood Churches Together but said she feared violence. The decision was welcomed by Unite Against Fascism (UAF) but regret was
expressed by the event organisers.

Miss Kent's partner, James Clayton, said: "This is the same group (UAF) that last year attacked one of our members with a claw hammer in Leigh and also attacked a BNP campaign launch in Croydon last week.

"Given that Debra is a lady and also my girlfriend I am not prepared to risk her being assaulted. As our security team are also busy during this period and cannot provide cover for her at short notice, I have decided to pull her out of this debate for her own safety."

Paul Jenkins, north-west organiser for UAF, denied they had carried out violent acts. He said: "This is good news. We are saying there should not be a platform for fascists. These people should not be allowed to come in and destroy democracy."

Fr Paul Benfield of Churches Together said: "Whatever one's views about any of the parties, it's our job to give an open platform. I don't approve of the BNP's policies but I think it's better people are allowed to express what they are standing for rather than being censored by their not being invited or threats from another group."

Blackpool Gazette

Fun and games with the BNP...

Eaton, Witheridge, Clayton and Kent - acrostically-challenged

There used to be a time when Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (PPCs) were responsible citizens, anxious to show the public that they were moral, intelligent and upstanding, and possessed of all those other attributes that we think we deserve from our MPs. That seems to have changed though since the BNP put so many people up for the General Election. Having had to scrape an already well-scraped barrel, the BNP appears to have selected a bunch of morons who have nothing better to do than play silly games here at Lancaster Unity. What a great investment of £500 each (donated by a cash-strapped BNP membership).

Instead of working to secure the votes of any stray racists who might be persuaded to vote BNP, the PPC for Lancaster and Fleetwood Debra Kent has been spending her time posting acrostics to the comments section of the blog (yes, Debs, they're called acrostics). Here's the explanatory note from her Facebook page (reprinted, left - click on image for full-size):

'Competition going on, who can get the funniest cryptic message on to lancaster unity's piece about the EDL. If you look at the comments near the bottom you will see that Craig has managed to spell out UAF Scum with the first letter of every sentence. I managed to get the word tw*t through too :-) Have a look and have a go lol'

The Craig she mentions is the BNP's probable PPC for South Lakeland, while Debs herself is not only a PPC, she is also the Warrington organiser and the partner of James Clayton (Blackpool North Candidate, Blackpool BNP organiser and the Party's West Lancashire Coordinator).

You don't even have to be a BNP thickie from the North-West to play this exciting game because Debs is joined by Sean Witheridge, the BNP's PPC for Salisbury, who gets terribly excited because he thinks his acrostic for 'unwashed' might appear for a moment or two. Sadly for him, it doesn't.

'oooooooooooh [shades of Frankie Howerd there, Sean] The unwashed soapdodgers didn't even post mine up'

Bless. So for Debs and her friends who were busy playing games when they should have been busy justifying the party's large investment in them, here's an acrostic from us.

Four thousand in Bolton today. Usually busy but this was insane. Came back on the coach. Ketlan wasn't arrested (for a change). Only fifteen hundred of the EDL at most. Fifty arrests though - what a shame. Five injuries, too. You had to be there. One officer grabbed someone's throat for shouting. Useless or what? Still, we wouldn't have missed it. And we'll go to the next demo against the EDL. Despite the police protection they seem to have. Then we get home to find Dopey Debs and her mates playing silly buggers on the blog. What a bunch of idiots. Acrostics, of all things. Though Debs doesn't appear to know the word. Sad, huh.

Inside view on the BNP

Burly security staff in heavy, black coats guard the door while police pace outside the Frank Townend Centre in Cleveleys.

It's not the usual midweek sight outside the Beach Road community centre where children go for dance classes and ladies meet for art and craft sessions. But it's not every night the BNP holds a rally in the quaint seaside town. And it's certainly not often the press get invited to see what goes on behind those well guarded doors. So when Clive Jefferson, North West BNP regional organiser, ushered me into their meeting room, I was quite taken aback.

Going inside, I pass a passionate group of anti-fascist protesters waving placards and shouting. One protester, Jane from Blackpool Trades Union Council told me: "We will fight wherever the BNP stand. If we stand together, we will oppose them quicker."

Then there's an army of bouncers, wearing BNP badges, to negotiate. I join around 40 people – BNP members and invitees – who have turned up to listen to the party's policies and their plans to form a branch in Wyre.

Stood in front of a large banner proclaiming "British jobs for British workers" with a Union Jack flag beside him Mr Jefferson said: "We are a legitimate party, we have a right to hold a meeting here. We want British jobs for British workers. We want the troops out of Iraq."

The audience – a few women but mainly men in their 50s and 60s – burst into applause. But what about their ideas for Cleveleys? James Clayton, candidate for next week's Jubilee ward by-election, said: "The major problems are anti-social behaviour and drug use in Cleveleys, needles being found on the Promenade, mess in the roads, grass cuttings and street lighting. A lot of people have shown interest in our party and this is our chance to show ourselves for who we are, which isn't the skinhead or thugs and yob image."

One member offers me a drink as he says: "We're not intimidating are we? We get a lot of bad press but we're not thugs."

But I don't like what I hear next as around six people put their hands up to request an application form to become a BNP member. One convert shouts: "I'll have an application form, but not a coloured one!"

It was greeted with laughter by most in the audience, and was a deeply unpleasant reminder of where I was. I had a distinctly uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. While inside the building the recruitment drive was in full flow, it was a different story outside as four people got turned away. All were either black or Asian. There were no members of the ethnic minorities inside.

As I left a security guard told me: "After a while it was getting full up so we decided it had to be members only."

Strange that, as I was given a seat all to myself and I'm not a member. And I swear there was plenty of space.

Madhvi Chabba-Moudgil, 35, from St Annes, was one of those turned away, along with partner Vishal Moudgil and brother SK Chabba. She said: "Allowing a party that only allows certain people to join only goes towards a breakdown of relationships between all sections of the community and further leads to spoil the good work of people who work towards integration and good relations between different communities and classes of society. In this day and age, for a society of this kind to require police presence at a community centre, is a very sad statement in humanity. What hope is there for integration of society?"

Stephen Howard, 32, who is black and from Cleveleys, who was also turned away, said: "When I asked why, they said: 'what does BNP stand for?'"

The refusals put Bernie Naughton off from going inside. The 42-year-old from Poulton said: "I came down to hear their opinions but then I saw they were not letting Stephen in I changed my mind."

Around seven police officers were outside to make sure the rally and protest passed off peacefully. Supt Richard Spedding said officers would be looking into the circumstances surrounding people being refused entry. He then praised protesters, including those from Unite Against Fascism, Lancaster Unity and Blackpool Fylde and Wyre Trades Union Council, for how they behaved during their demonstration.

Anti-fascist campaigners are planning a protest in London against the BNP leader's presence on BBC One's Question Time on October 22. Black writer Bonnie Greer will take part in a televised debate with far right party leader Nick Griffin. They will be joined by Justice Secretary Jack Straw – the first senior Labour politician to say that he was willing to appear on the show with Mr Griffin.

* The other candidates for the Jubilee by-election are: Roy Hopwood representing the UK Independence Party, Wayne Martin for Labour and Tory David Walmsley.

Fleetwood Today

'BNP has right to hold its rally here'

A British National Party rally is to be held in Cleveleys

Wyre's Labour Group has objected to the meeting, which will be held at the council-owned Frank Townend Centre on Beach Road at 7pm on Tuesday.

Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP, could be a speaker and the Labour group is worried there will be demonstrations. It has called for council bosses to step in and refuse permission for the rally – but Wyre Council has insisted the BNP has to be treated like any other political party before the Jubilee Ward by-election on October 22.

Labour group leader Coun Clive Grunshaw said: "Council premises should not be used in such a way during the middle of the Jubilee ward by-election. The Frank Townend Centre is in fact the site of the polling station for the by-election and giving permission for its use for political purposes at this time is clearly not appropriate.

"The fact is that Wyre Council is under no obligation to allow a political rally of this kind to take place on their premises. A rally by the BNP – which we believe to be addressed by Nick Griffin – will incite the inevitable demonstrations."

The Labour group also says it has concerns the community centre is in a densely populated area.

But Wyre chief executive Jim Corry said: "The BNP are a formally recognised political party and I am not going to make any distinction between them and any other political party when it comes to booking council facilities. I do not agree this will be viewed as the council giving tacit support to one particular organisation, not least as UKIP has booked the same venue on another occasion."

And the BNP branded the Labour group "undemocratic" by asking for the rally to be scrapped. BNP spokesman John Walker said: "The BNP is a mainstream political party, especially now in the North West we have a member of the European parliament. For the Labour group to ask for this meeting, which is a normal political meeting, to be banned is anti-democratic in the extreme."

Candidates for the by-election are James Clayton (BNP), Roy Hopwood (UKIP), Wayne Martin (Labour) and David Walmsley (Conservative).

Blackpool Gazette

MPs slam Blackpool BNP host

Blackpool's MPs have written an open letter condemning the hotel at the centre of today's British National Party rally.

The New Kimberley Hotel, on New South Promenade, South Shore, will play host to the far-right group who are celebrating winning their first seats in the European Parliament. But Gordon Marsden and Joan Humble have today blasted the hotel for opening its doors to the party.

In the joint letter, the two Labour MPs said: "The BNP is a group that works by dividing our communities – it deceives, tries to frighten and scapegoat people. It's a group that encourages anger to new people, ideas and experiences. Your open door to them brings hate, not happiness, to Blackpool. It hinders our prosperity and welcome to visitors – especially in Armed Forces and Veterans Week. Think about the variety and different backgrounds in your own friends and families – and next time, think again."

Mrs Humble and Mr Marsden alleged some BNP members were Holocaust deniers and claimed the party created "hatred and division". They also questioned the need for a victory rally by the BNP, saying nine out of 10 voters in Blackpool had voted against them.

But James Clayton, the BNP's organiser in Blackpool, said the MPs and protesters were the ones stirring tensions. He said: "I think it would be more appropriate for Joan Humble and Gordon Marsden to be writing to the protesters. The concern over this weekend's events is created by the protesters who are known for being disruptive. If they didn't turn up, we would basically be inside the hotel and for all intents and purposes, the people of Blackpool wouldn't even know we were here. It seems like Joan Humble and Gordon Marsden, when they're not busy claiming their expenses, are trying to disrupt what we are doing and I don't think that is appropriate."

The New Kimberley Hotel refused to comment on the letter.

At least 500 campaigners, organised by the group Unite Against Facism, are expected to hold an anti-BNP protest outside the New Kimberley Hotel today. Extra police have been drafted in to keep the peace.

Blackpool Gazette

BNP keeps a brave face as disappointments keep on coming

This last few days must have been terribly disappointing for the BNP.

Not that we care, but we'd imagine Nick Griffin would have liked something to cheer up the troops after the ructions of the past couple of months and after the resignations of Alans Warner and Bailey from their positions of, respectively, town and real councillor.

Happily, the situation has gone from bad to worse. Despite putting everything into a major fight to win a mere parish seat (so desperate are they for a win of any kind) for dismal Donna Bailey at Upper Beeding, the far-right party was pipped at the post by twenty votes.

Joyce Shaw (Ind): 297
Donna Bailey (BNP): 277
Becky Davoubi (Ind): 196

Bailey, variously described by the creepier than usual BNP as the British National Party Blond Bombshell and brave (why brave?), received an astonishing amount of support for her campaign and cost the local council tax payer a few thousand quid just to prove the party could lose even where it had its own version of Julie Andrews standing for it. Even when the Dail Mail had assisted by printing a two-page puff-piece about her.

James Clayton (see pic), though no blond bombshell, deserved more support from his wretched party than he actually got. No mass leaflettings for him, no double-page spreads in the Mail and no commiserating posts on the BNP website either.

Despite standing for a real council seat (on Wyre Borough Council) and probably being its youngest candidate, the BNP chose to ignore young Master Clayton, which might explain why he bombed at the polls.

Con 769
Lab 339
BNP 222
UKIP 151

So nice to see the BNP failing its young up and comers.

But these results pale almost into insignificance at the latest news - that the High Court has awarded the disputed (see here and here) Burnley seat of Rosegrove and Lowerhouse to the Labour candidate, Paul Reynolds, leaving the BNP's John Rowe with egg on his face and a bill estimated at around £30,000.

Given the BNP's treatment of Sharon Ebanks (and she was only stuck for £5000 after following the party's advice and taking her disputed vote to the High Court), we'd advise Rowe to grab the money NOW before the party changes its mercurial mind and tells him to get lost, or to save time and declare himself bankrupt now.

If the BNP really intends to cover the costs of this wasted case, we wonder how the funds will be found - a raid on Nick Griffin's legendarily deep pockets, a dig into the hidden donations from Civil Liberty or the Trafalgar Club or yet another begging letter to the members. Or maybe it'll just come out of the membership fees paid for this year - a juicy thousand of them.

Antifascist

BNP's "Blonde Bombshell" misfires

Elevating an obscure and unimportant parish council by-election into a matter of national importance, the BNP somehow got itself to believe that the election of Donna Bailey to Upper Beeding Parish Council was a forgone conclusion.

Carried away with the idea that a pretty face and a much discussed article in the Daily Mail (which BNP members linked to on almost every forum they infest) would secure Donna's victory, they seemed to forget that the BNP was also contesting a real election for a real council with real power on the same night in Lancashire.

Having demanded co-option on to Upper Beeding Parish Council (Sussex), Donna Bailey and her vociferous band of supporters forced the council into the needless expense of a by-election when she was refused.

Bailey stood as an "independent", as did the two other candidates opposing her, but it was very clear from the beginning that the BNP regarded her as anything but "independent" - and it seems that the voters of Upper Beeding were of the same mind.

Proving beyond any doubt that Upper Beeding Parish Council were right not to cave in to her demands for co-option, Bailey came second, rejected by nearly two-thirds of local voters:

Joyce Shaw (Ind): 297
Donna Bailey ("Ind"): 277
Becky Davoubi (Ind): 196

A twenty vote shortfall, but, given the hype and the media coverage Donna Bailey and this by-election have received, a real embarrassment for the BNP and its golden goddess, who expected to win this contest by a wide margin.

We await the stock BNP excuses that Donna wuz nobbled.

Back in the real world of real politics that matter, BNP candidate James Clayton took part in a four-cornered contest in Victoria ward (Cleveleys) for a seat on Wyre Borough Council. Last May Victoria ward returned as follows:

UKIP 353
Lab 474
Lab 472
Con 1351 Elected
Con 1150 Elected
Con 1165 Elected

In May 2007 Clayton fought Cleveleys Park ward, coming seventh of eight candidates, with 19.6% (after vote averaging). Last night in staunchly Conservative Park ward, Clayton managed a so-so 14.99%:

Con 769 (51.92)
Lab 339 (22.89)
UKIP 151 (10.20)
BNP 222 (14.99)

Total 1481

The BNP did nibble into the UKIP vote, but UKIP's surviving 10.2% gives lie to the BNP fantasy that UKIP voters are always interchangeable with its own. Disappointed BNP supporters not getting the message that to be anti-Europe is not to be pro-fascist were this morning sourly condemning the UKIP as "ludicrous" and "pointless".

Just like that costly by-election one of their supporters forced on Upper Beeding Parish Council.

Denise G