The Truth Truck of Doom strikes again!

I'd be willing to bet that Nick Griffin frequently rues the day that he ever had the idea of conning the membership of the BNP into donating to the so-called Truth Truck appeal. Ever since it appeared, the truck has been nothing but trouble, only encouraging thick idiots like Clive Jefferson to disturb the peace by driving around while shouting incoherent rubbish at a bewildered public.

But that's been far from the worst problem - the main one being the question of who actually owns the bloody thing. Griffin raised the money on the back of a purchase of a new truck, apparently changed his mind (without telling anyone) and decided a decent second-hand truck would be better value for money, and has since been vilified for apparently leasing the truck from Dowson instead, rather than fulfilling his side of the bargain and buying one, second-hand or not.

One of Griffin's main problems is that he is a liar in a party of liars. It must be hard to be consistent (or indeed, coherent) in one's lies if everyone else is lying and changing stories all the time. Thus, at times, tales of fraud and incompetence within the BNP disappear into the ether not because they are untrue, but because they get lost in a swirling mish-mash of truth, lie, bullshit and ignorance. But just occasionally, a lie reveals a greater lie...

In a post on the BNP website in which Griffin refers to his intention to stand down as party leader in 2013 (assuming he isn't booted out or jailed before then), he has decided to clear the air about a number of things, among them the ownership of the Lie Lorry. He says;

'The Truth Truck is owned by the BNP, contrary to internet rumour-mongers, a fact confirmed in person by the BNP treasurer who paid for the vehicle, Jennie Noble.'

Fair enough. So why, on May 22nd 2009, was it reported that;

'...High Court Enforcement Officers attempting to seize the vehicle [the truck] to settle judgements on behalf of freelance journalist Mark Croucher were informed that the vehicle did not, in fact, belong to the BNP. This was confirmed in a subsequent letter from the BNPs solicitors, Gilbert Davies & Partners of Welshpool who wrote, “the goods referred to are registered in the name of another person who…has no connection with the judgement debtors”.'

If the Lie Lorry does in fact belong to the BNP, Mark Croucher was lied to and, incidentally, so were the BNP's solicitors, who would hardly have told Croucher what they did unless they believed it to be the truth. If the Lie Lorry does NOT belong to the BNP, the party is lying to the public and its membership, and Jennie Noble appears to be complicit in that lie. Either way, this whole Truth Truck/Lie Lorry scam smacks of fraud hastily and untidily being covered-up.

Heads the BNP is lying: tails the BNP is lying. Take your pick.

Image courtesy of this great thread on b3ta.

Where did Griffin's £30,000 ‘Truth Truck’ money go?

Press release issued today by former UKIP Director of Communications Mark Croucher, reproduced without comment:

Questions have been raised over the destination of £30,000 raised by BNP Leader Nick Griffin to buy a mobile advertising hoarding after it came to light that the vehicle had not been purchased despite Griffin ’s claims that it had.

Throughout 2008, Griffin had urged BNP members to contribute to its ‘Truth Truck’ campaign, raising £30,000 to fund its purchase. In his new year’s message to BNP members this January, Griffin confirmed that the vehicle was now ‘bought and paid for’.

However, High Court Enforcement Officers attempting to seize the vehicle to settle judgements on behalf of freelance journalist Mark Croucher were informed that the vehicle did not, in fact, belong to the BNP. This was confirmed in a subsequent letter from the BNPs solicitors, Gilbert Davies & Partners of Welshpool who wrote, “the goods referred to are registered in the name of another person who…has no connection with the judgement debtors”.

Mr Croucher said, “As the vehicle is not owned by the BNP, it is clear that the fundraising campaign was a farce. Ordinary people have been suckered twice: once into joining a racist party like the BNP, and again into donating cash to buy something which Mr Griffin lied about having bought.

“Mr Griffin clearly has some questions to answer, and not just to his members who thought they’d purchased a truck.

“There is a certain irony in £30,000 being apparently misused by the BNP as they attempt to cash in on the current expenses scandal. I will be contacting the police and asking them to investigate whether the fundraising campaign was fraudulent and the cash was obtained by deception.” ENDS

BNP leader Nick Griffin hit with legal claim in website picture row

BNP leader Nick Griffin was served with a legal claim yesterday for an £8,000 debt as he launched the far-right party's Euro election campaign. It follows the continued unauthorised use of a picture of UKIP leader Nigel Farage on the party's website.

The BNP has refused to remove the shot by freelancer Mark Croucher, despite being warned of court action in January.

A party spokesman said: "We'll probably challenge the judgment." Bailiffs handed over the documents as the party gathered in Grays, Essex. Mr Griffin is standing as a candidate in the North West where the party needs less than 10 per cent of the overall vote to gain a foothold in Europe. A seat in Brussels would allow them to claim tens of thousands of pounds in taxpayer-funded aid.

But a YouGov poll showed four per cent support for the BNP which, according to a leaked memo, has abandoned a national campaign to concentrate on targeted areas.

Anti-fascist group Searchlight said: "Its support appears to be fading."

Mirror