BNP may face court action over unpaid printing bill

Calls have been made for the leader of the British National Party to step down in a row over a £16,000 debt to a North-East printing firm.

The BNP owes the money to the Newton Press, a community newspaper based in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, for the printing of posters and leaflets during the run-up to last year’s General Election and publication of the party’s Voice of Freedom newspaper.

The company’s owners are now so fed up of waiting for the debt to be paid, they have released emails exchanged between the company and party leader Nick Griffin.

On January 1, last year, Stuart Howarth, print sales manager of the Newton Press, sent an email to several members of the BNP which said: “Still nothing from any of you, unbelievable.”

Six months later, he received a reply from Mr Griffin, which said his party officials were working on the matter. Mr Griffin, MEP for North- West England, wrote in his email: “In the meantime, please accept my most sincere apologies, both personally and organisationally, and assuance (sic) that you will get all your money as soon as possible.”

In August, payment had still not been received and the Newton Press instructed its solicitors to take legal action. The last email from Mr Howarth, on June 30, this year, said: “Anybody paying this bill or do I have to take even more action than I already have?”

Andrew Brons, BNP MEP for North Yorkshire and Humberside, who is challenging Mr Griffin for the leadership, said: “It is wholly unacceptable that honest businessmen, who supplied their services in good faith, are treated in such an appaling manner. This reflects badly not just on the current chairman, under whose watch these abuses of trust have taken place, but on all of us. We are all smeared by association.”

Ken Booth, a BNP member in the North-East, said the debt was the national party’s and was nothing to do with the local members. He said the situation was a disgrace and Mr Griffin should resign. “One of our main passions is local jobs for local people, yet the party can’t even pay a local printer. It makes a farce of our values.”

Clive Jefferson, BNP party treasurer, said: “We will be paying all our outstanding debts. I have a timeline for repayment worked out.”

Northern Echo

BNP to be taken to court by creditors

The British National Party (BNP) is being taken to court by its creditors including a North- East printing firm which is owed thousands.

The far-right party’s central office owes the Newton Press, in County Durham, about £16,500 for printing its newspaper, Freedom. It is understood the firm is one of several UK firms taking the BNP to court in an action headed by an as yet unnamed solicitor. The £16,500 has been described as loose change compared to the overall figure being sought from the party, which is allegedly £500,000 in debt.

Party leader Nick Griffin is expected to meet North-East organisers in County Durham today, where he will face tough questions over the party’s finances.

As a political party the BNP is an unincorporated association which cannot technically be declared bankrupt. However, creditors could hold Mr Griffin personally liable along with party members who entered into contracts.

Freedom’s former editor, Martin Wingfield, said he enjoyed an excellent working relationship with the Newton Press for about two years until he stepped down, in July last year. But, when asked about the recent debt, he said: “I understand the case is going to court, so at present, I cannot comment further.”

The BNP’s money woes were highlighted recently when a letter purporting to be from the party’s head office offered creditors 20p for every pound of debt. It was dismissed by some members as a fake, but the BNP’s former North-East organiser, Ken Booth, said it was genuine. He said party members in the North-East were disgusted to learn of the 20p in a pound offer and he had fought for the Newton Press to be paid. In contrast to the national position, Mr Booth said the North- East office has always operated on a pay-as-you-go basis and as such had no debts.

Mr Booth, who was removed from his post by Mr Griffin when he threatened to raise the debts issue, said: “It goes against the BNP’s core principle of local jobs for local people. As far as I can see this is a decent North-East firm that has done a good job and deserves to be paid and I don’t know why it hasn’t been. Central party is £500,000 in debt but it’s on a record turnover of £2.3m. No one is accusing anyone of stealing money, it’s just mismanagement. The general consensus of the members in the North-East is that Nick Griffin should shoulder the responsibility and step down.”

The Newton Press, which publishes the community newsletter, Newton News, declined to comment.

BNP central office spokesman John Walker said: “We could not comment on matters which are internal to the party and the businesses we deal with.”

Northern Echo

BNP member Paul Thompson served six month sentence for violent disorder

One of the candidates standing in a council by-election next week is a convicted football hooligan, The Northern Echo has learned.

British National Party member Paul Thompson was convicted and jailed for six months for violent disorder between two sets of thugs. He also has a previous conviction for criminal damage after hurling stones through the shop window of a left-wing book store.

Mr Thompson is one of four candidates who is standing for the Darlington Borough Council by-election in the Cockerton West ward. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Jenny Chapman, following her selection at the town’s new MP.

Mr Thompson stood in the 2003 and 2007 council elections, both times in Darlington’s Northgate ward. In 2003 he was last with 151 votes and again in 2007 with 126 votes. A Darlington Borough Council spokeswoman confirmed that Mr Thompson was allowed to stand.

People are barred from standing as a candidate in council elections if they have been sentenced to more than three months imprisonment within the previous five years. Mr Thompson was jailed for violent disorder in 1998. He was one of nine men involved in trouble between Darlington and Cardiff City supporters in May 1997.

His earlier conviction happened in 1994, when he was given a 12-month conditional discharge.

Ken Booth, regional organiser for British National Party, said the charges were irrelevant and Mr Thompson was entitled to stand for public office. He added: “It is a long time ago. You get over it and move on. He is not breaking any law by standing, but obviously someone wants to drag up the past. Is this a topical issue? I don’t think so. Everyone deserves a second chance.”

Mr Thompson has also previously been criticised by the family of a man murdered in a street attack in 2001 after he produced leaflets attacking the three-year sentence given to his killer. People intervened when he handed out the leaflets because they were of a racist nature.

Mr Booth called the accusations “fictitious and bogus”.

Also standing in the by-election are Jan Cossins, for the Labour Party, David Davies, for the Conservatives, and Brian Jefferson, for the Liberal Democrats.

Mrs Cossins is chairman of Cockerton East Community Partnership and a governor at Branksome School. Mr Davies is a former UKIP candidate and husband of Conservative councillor Kate Davies. Mr Jefferson is chairman of Growing Older Living in Darlington.

The election takes place on Thursday. Labour will maintain its overall control of the council whatever the result of the election. It now has 28 councillors, the Conservative party 18 and Liberal Democrats six.

Northern Echo

BNP organiser arrested over harassment claim

The British National Party’s regional organiser in the North-East has been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated harassment, The Northern Echo has learnt.

Ken Booth, who lives in Fenham, Newcastle, was arrested yesterday by Northumbria Police and bailed pending further inquiries. Mr Booth’s arrest is understood to have followed a complaint made to police by a Muslim councillor in the city.

The 54-year-old, who is standing in the European elections in the spring and has previously stood for Newcastle City Council, in Fenham, took over the role of regional organiser for the party from Kevin Scott in 2006. He is expected to answer bail at a police station in the city in the middle of next month.

Mr Booth would not directly comment on his arrest when contacted by The Echo, but a spokesman for the party said it was an example of “politically correct Britain”. He said: “The public can see what is happening and I am sure that in this particular instance we, as a party, have got nothing to fear. People in the North-East are sick and tired of this politically correct nonsense.”

Mr Booth, who describes himself on the BNP website as the single parent of three boys and an elected parent governor, has stood for the party several times in local elections. In January, he finished in third place in a by-election for the Fenham ward. Last year, Mr Booth hit out at efforts to “destabilise” the BNP after his and the details of hundreds of other party members were leaked onto the internet.

A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said: “We can confirm a 54-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated harassment and has been bailed pending further inquiries.”

Acting Chief Inspector Sav Patsalos, of Northumbria police, added: “When any such incidents are brought to our attention they are treated very seriously and we take appropriate action.”

A spokesman for Newcastle City Council said: “It is a police matter and we are not prepared to comment.”

The Northern Echo

Theme park claim anger

A school governor has been criticised for comparing a concentration camp with a theme park.

Ken Booth, a parent governor of Hawthorn Primary School, Elswick Road, Newcastle, and Tyneside organiser of the British National Party, made the claim when asked about school trips to Auschwitz. Mr Booth, a school governor for four years, said he believed there was too much focus on Auschwitz and too little on other areas savaged by war.

He said schools should spend on books and equipment instead of educational trips to the death camp. Mr Booth, who says his own father suffered at Belsen concentration camp, said: “No-one is comparing Disneyland to Auschwitz but we are talking about how it has become more akin to a theme park.

“Everyone agrees atrocities took place. But to over promote one facet perpetually gives the impression that some one entity has the franchise on self-pity and suffering and all the other casualties of the war were less significant. Why can’t we all just remember all of the war dead on our normal Remembrance Sunday? Money could go to better things like books and equipment. It has started to be run as a theme park and promoted as such.”

But one St Mary’s Roman Catholic Comprehensive school pupil, Brendan Shepherd, 16, went to Auschwitz in October and said he thought it was an experience pupils should be able to have.

He said: “It was a good thing to do and helped me learn more about what went on. I didn’t have an image before but now it will stay with me.”

Andy Roberts, chair of Hawthorn school governors, said: “Mr Booth has made these comments as an individual and his views should be in no way be seen to reflect the views of the school governing body or the school and its staff. The head and I utterly distance ourselves from them.’’

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