Far right councillor axed after missing meetings

Bosses at a South Yorkshire council have removed a far-right councillor from the authority after he failed to attend regular meetings.

John Gamble, who represented Brinsworth and Catcliffe, was elected in the seat for the British National Party in May 2008. But the 54-year-old, who later switched to the England First Party, has not attended for more than six months. During his time in office, he was able to claim £12,130 each year in allowances, the council said.

Mr Gamble, who won his seat from then Labour Mayor Allan Jackson by 61 votes, was due for re-election next May. He switched from the BNP to the England First Party in June 2009 before joining the openly-racist National Front in March last year, giving the far-right party its first elected representative for 35 years.

Announcing his second change of allegiance, Mr Gamble told The Star he had ‘jumped ship’ to the NF because he wanted to join a ‘more active’ organisation. When some of the NF’s recorded views were put to him, the Catcliffe and Brinsworth councillor said: “You have caught me somewhat flat-footed. I am not aware of the severity of these opinions.”

He added: “I am not racist, but on the far right. How can I be racist when I have had several coloured girlfriends?”

But Mr Gamble lost his position on the council after a lack of attendance led to complaints from figures, including former Brinsworth Labour councillor Reg Littleboy. Mr Littleboy said: “He is also being reported to the standards committee for abusing staff. He is a disgrace to Brinsworth and Catcliffe.”

A Rotherham Council spokeswoman for the borough council confirmed that Mr Gamble had been automatically disqualified from the council under the 1972 Local Government Act for failing to attend any meetings for six months. She said: “The disqualification will be officially reported to council at its meeting next Wednesday and the vacancy publicised shortly after. However, there will be no by-election for the vacant position because the vacancy has arisen within six months of the election for the seat in May, 2012.”

Mr Gamble said: “I don’t wish to comment.”

Sheffield Telegraph

It's no party for Gamble

A far-right Rotherham councillor has found himself without a party, after being kicked out of three in less than year

John Gamble was elected as a British National Party councillor in Brinsworth and Catcliffe in 2008, but last June the BNP whip was withdrawn after a row with party leaders.

Coun Gamble joined the England First Party, a tiny BNP splinter group, but last month defected to the white-supremacist National Front - briefly becoming its first councillor in 35 years. But the NF kicked him out after just a few weeks over comments he made to The Star. When challenged over the NF's openly racist policies, he said: "How can I be racist when I have had several coloured girlfriends?"

The NF expelled him over conflicts in "policies and beliefs" - and England First refused to take him back. EFP chair Mark Cotterill said: "We don't want anything to do with Coun Gamble. He has done nothing for the party, and when he left we washed our hands of him."

The Star

NF and BNP lose a councillor each

Morgan and Gamble - losers both

Amid all the chaos and confusion that appears to have arisen in the BNP, it has another problem prodding it in the rear end - the loss of a councillor

The party's only councillor in Solihull, George Morgan, whose record in office is dire, has decided not to seek re-election this year - probably because he wouldn't get back in.

At the same time, the former BNP and England First Party councillor for Brinsworth and Catcliffe, John Gamble, who decided to switch over to the National Front just a few weeks back, has decided to go back to the EFP after apparently being horrified at the National Front's openly racist and white supremacist views.

Gamble, who became a BNP councillor in 2008, switched to the EFP after an argument with party bosses, then switched to the NF because the EFP was too boring. It seems the NF was just a bit too exciting for the delicate Cllr Gamble, who, while horrified by racism, appears only to have interested himself in belonging to openly racist parties.

One useless BNP councillor down and another useless ex-BNP councillor well on his way out. April 1st is looking up.

Councillor quits the BNP

A Rotheram councillor has parted company with the BNP and joined another far-right organisation, the England First Party.

Coun John Gamble, who has represented Catcliffe and Brinsworth since last May when he defeated the then Mayor, Labour Coun Allan Jackson, had been a member of the BNP for about 10 years. His move has halved the party's representation on Rotherham Council to one seat.

Coun Gamble was unavailable for comment but, in a statement, the England First Party said: "In recent months he had become increasingly disillusioned with the BNP's national and local leadership, and has now decided to join a party that offers a serious, radical challenge to the corrupt political establishment."

The Star

BNP councillor disowned - by BNP

A BNP councillor has been disowned by his own party in an extraordinary move.

Cllr John Gamble (52), who won a seat in the Brinsworth and Catcliffe ward last May, will no longer represent the BNP on Rotherham Borough Council, the Advertiser can reveal. The shock move to strip Cllr Gamble of the party whip by regional officials reduces the number of BNP councillors on the council from two to one.

A letter has been received by borough council chief Mike Cuff stating that the party whip has been withdrawn and that he is no longer a BNP councillor. The reasons for the move have not been revealed, but it is understood he could continue to sit as an independent councillor.

Labour Party leaders have now called for Cllr Gamble—one of two BNP candidates to win seats at the time—to resign and for a by-election to be held immediately. Cllr Reg Littleboy, who represents the same ward for Labour, said:"He should resign his seat immediately from the council."

Cllr Gamble was not available for comment.

BNP local organiser Marlene Guest said: "I can confirm that the whip has been removed from Cllr Gamble. Serious differences have developed between him and the party which cannot be reconciled."

Rotherham Advertiser

Clergyman's concern over far right party

A leading South Yorkshire clergyman has told of his concern following the election of the region's first British National Party councillors.

Archdeacon Richard Blackburn says community relations and social cohesion could be at risk after the success of the far-right organisation in the local elections.

John Gamble snatched a seat for the BNP on Rotherham Council in Brinsworth, by 61 votes, beating the town's Labour Mayor Allan Jackson. And the party scored a second success in Maltby, where shopkeeper Will Blair beat sitting Labour member Glyn Robinson by just 18 votes. The BNP also finished second in some wards in Sheffield.

Speaking at Rotherham's annual civic service, Archdeacon Blackburn said people probably voted the way they did because they felt they were not being listened to elsewhere. He said: "The BNP often finds support in the context of significant problems, where people feel that no one is listening to them. Some of the results have provided a sobering wake-up call for all of us who care about democracy and the way in which our councillors are elected. The arrival of the British National Party on our scene and into our council chamber is a concern."

Archdeacon Blackburn said it was necessary to make it absolutely clear that the far-right party did not advocate Christian policies, whatever their literature might say.

"The BNP has traditionally presented its election message as 'Christian' and some of its election literature claims they promote 'traditional Christian values'. However, its policies and practices, which promote racism and racial intolerance, are incompatible with the church's social witness, biblical teaching and our understanding of the love of God for all people," he added.

The Archdeacon went on to say that good community relations and social cohesion relied on people exhibiting understanding and tolerance.

"I wish to publicly affirm our care, as the Church of England, for our Muslim sisters and brothers. We are determined to keep working with them in Rotherham and throughout our Diocese in South Yorkshire to develop communities, which build on our common belief in God's concern for all humanity. I deplore insults to any religion as well as actions and words which offend deeply held beliefs. As a Christian, I offer respect for the faith of others. And I call upon everyone of good will to work together for peace."

The Star