IN a dramatic turn of fortune the British National Party will be fielding no candidates in the forthcoming local elections.
Only four years ago the BNP had seven members on Epping District Council, more than at any other time in their recent history.
But this year none of the 18 seats that are up for re-election on May 5 will be contested by the far-right organisation.
Many of the seats are in Epping and Waltham Abbey, and the Liberal Democrats are looking to use the opportunity strengthen their position and oust Loughton Residents Association as opposition to the dominant Conservatives.
District Councillor Stephen Murray, who is an independent, said: “I was pleasantly surprised to see that the BNP are putting forward no candidates this year. It can only be a sign of weakness. Only four years ago there was talk of them being a majority, now their membership on the council is down to one.
He said that internal divisions and campaigning by ant-fascist organisations were the root of the the collapse.
“Eddie Butler, who is married to a former BNP councillor from the area, stood against Nick Griffin a recent leadership contest which has caused fratricidal disputes", said Councillor Murray.
“I also think that Searchlight have done valuable work in the area in waking people up to the true nature of the BNP as a racist organisation.
“However it is very important for people not to become complacent and for us to keep an eye on them.”
Councillor Murray was sceptical about the Lib Dem's chances of becoming district's second most powerful party, saying that their centre-left support could collapse having formed a coalition government with the Conservatives.
The BNP's one remaining District Councillor, Pat Richardson, said: “Sometimes it is hard to find candidates. Most parties are going through difficult times.
“None of the seats in Debden and Alderton where we have most of our support are up for re-election so that is another factor.
“I think at the minute people are more interested in their home lives than in politics.
“It is swings and roundabouts, the game of politics. Recently Labour had strong support now they only have one district councillor.”
Epping Forest News
Showing posts with label Pat Richardson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pat Richardson. Show all posts
April 09, 2011
December 14, 2009
Loughton Residents' Association winners in town council by-election
The shame of the Jewish community - the BNP's Pat RichardsonIn a closely fought by-election battle for Loughton Town Council's Broadway, ward Katie Nicholson of the Loughton Residents' Association (LRA), won by 23 votes ahead of The BNP’s Edward Long.
BNP district council group leader Cllr Pat Richardson said: “I'm a little bit disappointed but it was very close. There was the weather, it's the run up to Christmas and other matters. There's always apathy. It seems to be the main presence for people these days. They're turned off by the whole business of politics. I think it was partly tactics on the part of the other group. They had a woman in. It seems to make a difference. It' s only one round not the whole thing. I think a lot more people are edging towards us.”
Loughton's LRA town mayor Cllr Ken Angold-Stephens hailed the result as a fantastic success. He said: “It was an excellent result for us. It's the first time we have contested that ward and to come from nothing to win was an incredible achievement. It was the BNP's strongest ward so I think they must be hugely disappointed. Last time there was a big protest vote and people voted BNP because they had no other choice. We have given them that choice.”
The election was called after the resignation due to ill health of the sitting BNP councillor Garry Martin.
Epping Forest Guardian
Labels:
BNP,
Garry Martin,
Loughton Town Council,
Pat Richardson
August 27, 2009
Muslim man claims he was kidnapped and threatened at knifepoint over prayer sessions
• Incident linked to BNP, says community leader
• Far-right Essex councillor denies members to blame
Racist attackers abducted a Muslim community leader at knifepoint, bundled him into a car and threatened his life unless he stopped running prayer sessions in a community hall that has been the target of a British National party campaign.
Police have confirmed they are treating the incident as a hate crime and are investigating links with an earlier firebomb attack on the same man's home.
Noor Ramjanally (photo, top), 35, told the Guardian he had been the victim of a terror campaign which has also involved threats against his family after he began the Islamic prayer sessions in March. He said he fears for his life after the abduction at knifepoint, which happened at his home in Loughton, Essex, on Monday.
A BNP campaign has been blamed for rising tensions in the area. The party has been leafleting the area warning of "Islamification" which it says flows from the weekly two-hour prayer session, which it claims is a prelude to a mosque being built.
Ramjanally said he was abducted from his home in daylight by two white men who threatened him with a knife, bundled him into a car then drove him into woodland. They demanded he stop organising the Friday prayer sessions at Murray hall community centre. He said the words from his abductors matched the BNP propaganda opposing the Muslim prayers. The same demand was contained in hate mail he received last month threatening his wife and child, he said.
Councillor Pat Richardson, leader of the BNP group on the local council, said her party was not behind the attacks on Ramjanally. "Firebombing is not a British method. A brick through the window is a British method, but firebombing is not a way of showing displeasure," she said.
Ramjanally said: "I believe the BNP campaign has inspired the violence."
He said he was snatched at around 12.15pm and feared he would be murdered during his ordeal. "I was at home and the door bell rang. I opened the door and they grabbed my wrists, pulling me out by force," he said.
"It was two white men. They put a knife upon my stomach, and said do what you're told or you'll get hurt." He said he was then bundled into the boot of a 4 x 4 vehicle, with one of the men holding a knife to his chest.
Ramjanally said he was driven for 10 minutes to nearby Epping Forest, walked around, and then threatened: "They said 'We don't want your Islamic group in Loughton.' I was scared, I feared for my life. I was in a forest, a knife was held against me, how would you feel? They said, 'If you don't stop, we'll come back.'"
The attackers then left Ramjanally alone in the woods. Essex police said an investigation was under way into the incident and two earlier ones at Ramjanally's home.
"Police are treating the incidents as 'hate crime' and a possible motivation would appear to be a link to the use of the Murray hall, Loughton by the Muslim community for Friday prayers," the force said.
Superintendent Simon Williams of Essex police said: "We are treating these offences with the utmost seriousness and are putting considerable resources into the investigation.
"While that investigation continues we will be working with the whole population of Loughton to ensure that all members of the community are free to practice their religion and beliefs safely and freely."The prayer sessions at Murray hall began on 27 March, with nine people worshipping. Now up to 80 people attend.
On 2 July, Ramjanally received an anonymous threatening letter telling him to stop using the hall for prayers and stating the author knew which school his child went to and which car he drove. The next day his flat was firebombed. The BNP has four councillors in the area and its leafleting campaign in late July has been attacked as inflammatory and divisive.
Richardson said she had seen the leaflet before it was released last month. She was sceptical of Ramjanally's claims of a terror campaign. "I told the police we want to object that fingers were being pointed in our direction," she said.
She also denied that BNP members were behind any violence. She believes that the weekly Muslim prayer meeting is a prelude to an attempt to encourage more Muslims to move into the area, and thus to vote out the BNP. "I was wondering whether it was a ploy to attract more Muslims to the area to try and vote out the BNP councillors," she said.
Richardson said the Muslim prayer meeting did not fit in with the area's mainly white population: "It's not really natural for the area because there are so few Muslims," she said.
At Murray hall yesterday there was little sign of the building being turned into a mosque. The hall's caretaker said a children's group was using the premises.
Passing by was lifelong Loughton resident Paul Luton, 57, who said: "Who says [the hall] can't be used for different things. A community is a community. If there's a local community of Muslims, they're local people."
Mohammad Fahim runs the nearest mosque to Loughton which was firebombed in 2000. He said racists have used the fears of new mosques in the area to stoke racial and anti-Muslim tensions.
The BNP describes Fahim's mosque, in south Woodford, four miles from Loughton, as "notorious" and claims it has incited violence. In fact, Fahim works as a chaplain for the Metropolitan police.Loughton, which borders the eastern fringe of London, is affluent in parts, with a number of houses on its millionaire's row, called Alderton Hill, owned by British Hindu families. It is also a road, said Fahim, where women wearing headscarves are racially abused by passing white motorists. He advised one Muslim woman to remove her headscarf to avoid being a victim of hate crime. According to the 2001 census, just over 1%of the area's residents describe themselves as Muslim.
One owner of a takeaway, who said he would fear for his safety if either he or his shop were named, said he often faced racist abuse: "This area is rubbish. So many times there is trouble."
Last year a 20-strong white gang attacked his shop, leaving one Asian employee with head wounds.
He said often the abuse and violence happened when people were drunk. "Tonight they call you Paki and tomorrow they come in for food."
Abdurahman Jafar, chair of the Muslim Safety Forum, which advises the police, said: "The campaign of terror has followed a campaign organised by the BNP whereby they delivered hate literature to locals citing the small Friday prayer sessions as evidence of how 'the Islamification process is almost complete'." Recent months have seen a sharp rise in religiously motivated attacks against the Muslim community including attacks on outwardly Muslim appearing individuals, mosques and pogroms directed against the Muslim Community."
* * *
How the hate campaign unfolded
27 March 2009: Nine people attend first Muslim prayers at Murray hall, Loughton, Essex, organised by Noor Ramjanally
2 July: Ramjanally receives anonymous hate mail warning his group to stop. The author says they know which school his child goes to, what car he drives. The letter is delivered by hand
3 July: Ramjanally returns to his flat at midday to find the door ablaze after a suspected firebombing attack
23 July: A BNP leaflet appears alleging Murray hall will be turned into a mosque and warning in other parts of east London that "the Islamification process is almost complete". The BNP says: "We'll do all in our power to prevent Islam creeping into our town." BNP group council leader says she approved the leaflet before its release
24 August: Ramjanally abducted by two white men wielding a knife, driven to Epping Forest and again threatened if he does not stop running his prayer group
25 August: Essex police say all incidents are being treated as hate crime, with a possible motive being the use of Murray hall
26 August: At the hall the BNP says is being turned into a mosque, children of all races engage in soft play.
The Guardian
• Far-right Essex councillor denies members to blame
Racist attackers abducted a Muslim community leader at knifepoint, bundled him into a car and threatened his life unless he stopped running prayer sessions in a community hall that has been the target of a British National party campaign.Police have confirmed they are treating the incident as a hate crime and are investigating links with an earlier firebomb attack on the same man's home.
Noor Ramjanally (photo, top), 35, told the Guardian he had been the victim of a terror campaign which has also involved threats against his family after he began the Islamic prayer sessions in March. He said he fears for his life after the abduction at knifepoint, which happened at his home in Loughton, Essex, on Monday.
A BNP campaign has been blamed for rising tensions in the area. The party has been leafleting the area warning of "Islamification" which it says flows from the weekly two-hour prayer session, which it claims is a prelude to a mosque being built.
Ramjanally said he was abducted from his home in daylight by two white men who threatened him with a knife, bundled him into a car then drove him into woodland. They demanded he stop organising the Friday prayer sessions at Murray hall community centre. He said the words from his abductors matched the BNP propaganda opposing the Muslim prayers. The same demand was contained in hate mail he received last month threatening his wife and child, he said.
Councillor Pat Richardson, leader of the BNP group on the local council, said her party was not behind the attacks on Ramjanally. "Firebombing is not a British method. A brick through the window is a British method, but firebombing is not a way of showing displeasure," she said.
Ramjanally said: "I believe the BNP campaign has inspired the violence."
He said he was snatched at around 12.15pm and feared he would be murdered during his ordeal. "I was at home and the door bell rang. I opened the door and they grabbed my wrists, pulling me out by force," he said.
"It was two white men. They put a knife upon my stomach, and said do what you're told or you'll get hurt." He said he was then bundled into the boot of a 4 x 4 vehicle, with one of the men holding a knife to his chest.
Ramjanally said he was driven for 10 minutes to nearby Epping Forest, walked around, and then threatened: "They said 'We don't want your Islamic group in Loughton.' I was scared, I feared for my life. I was in a forest, a knife was held against me, how would you feel? They said, 'If you don't stop, we'll come back.'"
The attackers then left Ramjanally alone in the woods. Essex police said an investigation was under way into the incident and two earlier ones at Ramjanally's home.
"Police are treating the incidents as 'hate crime' and a possible motivation would appear to be a link to the use of the Murray hall, Loughton by the Muslim community for Friday prayers," the force said.
Superintendent Simon Williams of Essex police said: "We are treating these offences with the utmost seriousness and are putting considerable resources into the investigation.
"While that investigation continues we will be working with the whole population of Loughton to ensure that all members of the community are free to practice their religion and beliefs safely and freely."The prayer sessions at Murray hall began on 27 March, with nine people worshipping. Now up to 80 people attend.
On 2 July, Ramjanally received an anonymous threatening letter telling him to stop using the hall for prayers and stating the author knew which school his child went to and which car he drove. The next day his flat was firebombed. The BNP has four councillors in the area and its leafleting campaign in late July has been attacked as inflammatory and divisive.
Richardson said she had seen the leaflet before it was released last month. She was sceptical of Ramjanally's claims of a terror campaign. "I told the police we want to object that fingers were being pointed in our direction," she said.
She also denied that BNP members were behind any violence. She believes that the weekly Muslim prayer meeting is a prelude to an attempt to encourage more Muslims to move into the area, and thus to vote out the BNP. "I was wondering whether it was a ploy to attract more Muslims to the area to try and vote out the BNP councillors," she said.
Richardson said the Muslim prayer meeting did not fit in with the area's mainly white population: "It's not really natural for the area because there are so few Muslims," she said.
At Murray hall yesterday there was little sign of the building being turned into a mosque. The hall's caretaker said a children's group was using the premises.
Passing by was lifelong Loughton resident Paul Luton, 57, who said: "Who says [the hall] can't be used for different things. A community is a community. If there's a local community of Muslims, they're local people."
Mohammad Fahim runs the nearest mosque to Loughton which was firebombed in 2000. He said racists have used the fears of new mosques in the area to stoke racial and anti-Muslim tensions.
The BNP describes Fahim's mosque, in south Woodford, four miles from Loughton, as "notorious" and claims it has incited violence. In fact, Fahim works as a chaplain for the Metropolitan police.Loughton, which borders the eastern fringe of London, is affluent in parts, with a number of houses on its millionaire's row, called Alderton Hill, owned by British Hindu families. It is also a road, said Fahim, where women wearing headscarves are racially abused by passing white motorists. He advised one Muslim woman to remove her headscarf to avoid being a victim of hate crime. According to the 2001 census, just over 1%of the area's residents describe themselves as Muslim.
One owner of a takeaway, who said he would fear for his safety if either he or his shop were named, said he often faced racist abuse: "This area is rubbish. So many times there is trouble."
Last year a 20-strong white gang attacked his shop, leaving one Asian employee with head wounds.
He said often the abuse and violence happened when people were drunk. "Tonight they call you Paki and tomorrow they come in for food."
Abdurahman Jafar, chair of the Muslim Safety Forum, which advises the police, said: "The campaign of terror has followed a campaign organised by the BNP whereby they delivered hate literature to locals citing the small Friday prayer sessions as evidence of how 'the Islamification process is almost complete'." Recent months have seen a sharp rise in religiously motivated attacks against the Muslim community including attacks on outwardly Muslim appearing individuals, mosques and pogroms directed against the Muslim Community."
How the hate campaign unfolded
27 March 2009: Nine people attend first Muslim prayers at Murray hall, Loughton, Essex, organised by Noor Ramjanally
2 July: Ramjanally receives anonymous hate mail warning his group to stop. The author says they know which school his child goes to, what car he drives. The letter is delivered by hand
3 July: Ramjanally returns to his flat at midday to find the door ablaze after a suspected firebombing attack
23 July: A BNP leaflet appears alleging Murray hall will be turned into a mosque and warning in other parts of east London that "the Islamification process is almost complete". The BNP says: "We'll do all in our power to prevent Islam creeping into our town." BNP group council leader says she approved the leaflet before its release
24 August: Ramjanally abducted by two white men wielding a knife, driven to Epping Forest and again threatened if he does not stop running his prayer group
25 August: Essex police say all incidents are being treated as hate crime, with a possible motive being the use of Murray hall
26 August: At the hall the BNP says is being turned into a mosque, children of all races engage in soft play.
The Guardian
Labels:
BNP,
BNP are Nazis,
fascism,
Noor Ramjanally,
Pat Richardson
March 19, 2009
Local parents reject BNP governor
Parents of children at Hereward Primary School have condemned the nomination of local BNP leader Pat Richardson as a school governor.Richardson put herself forward for the role after no candidates came forward from the local community.
Speaking to the Epping Forest Guardian, Hannah Martin, who lives on the Oakwood estate and whose three year old goes to Hereward, said she was disgusted at the prospect of Richardson becoming governor. She said: "My son is mixed race and I know there are lots of black children at the school. Teachers and staff here have always been brilliant in making everyone feel welcome, and I think there is a danger that this would ruin all that."
Sam Kelly, a mother of two whose 10 year old son is at the school, said: "My son has been here for seven years and I have never known any problems over race. I think the school needs to think what kind of message this would send out."
Local father Lee Thurland said: "I don't know much about the BNP but what I have heard I don't like."
The school, which has been praised by OfSTED for its multi-cultural environment, will have to decide whether to accept the nomination of the councillor from the far-right party, which advocates the "repatriation" of non-white people.
Richardson said: "I would hope to bring some common sense to the decision-making process down there."
"Common sense" is what the BNP commonly refers to its policy of alienating and expelling non-white and mixed race people. Advancing such racist policies in a primary school is very ominous indeed.
If you think you would make a better school governor than the local leader of an extremist political party, you can submit your nomination via the town council:
Town Clerk : Enid Walsh
Loughton Town Council
Buckingham Court
Rectory Lane
Loughton
Essex, UK.
IG10 2QZ
Tel : +44 (0)20 8508 4200
Fax: +44 (0)20 8508 4400
E-mail: contact@loughton-tc.gov.uk
Epping Forest BNP Watch
March 13, 2009
Loughton: Local BNP leader nominated to be school governor
The group leader of the British National Party’s district branch has been nominated to be a school governor.
Loughton Town Council put forward Pat Richardson as a candidate for Hereward Primary School at its meeting on Tuesday evening. The decision was made without the knowledge of the Colebrook Lane based school who will now have to consider Mrs Richardson’s case as a potential governor.
Mrs Richardson became one of the BNP’s first district councillors in 2004 and was elected to Loughton Town Council last year. She is a high profile member of the nationalist party after appearing in a Channel Four documentary in July 2008 discussing attitudes to Muslims in Britain, and serves as the BNP’s group leader on Epping Forest District Council.
Chair of governors at Hereward Raymond Warner said: “We’re looking for somebody who’s got a range of skills. I’m hoping that politics in any shape or form won’t come into it.”
Are you a parent at Hereward School? What do you think of the proposal? Leave a message or call the newsdesk on 020 8498 3440.
Guardian Series
Loughton Town Council put forward Pat Richardson as a candidate for Hereward Primary School at its meeting on Tuesday evening. The decision was made without the knowledge of the Colebrook Lane based school who will now have to consider Mrs Richardson’s case as a potential governor.
Mrs Richardson became one of the BNP’s first district councillors in 2004 and was elected to Loughton Town Council last year. She is a high profile member of the nationalist party after appearing in a Channel Four documentary in July 2008 discussing attitudes to Muslims in Britain, and serves as the BNP’s group leader on Epping Forest District Council.
Chair of governors at Hereward Raymond Warner said: “We’re looking for somebody who’s got a range of skills. I’m hoping that politics in any shape or form won’t come into it.”
Are you a parent at Hereward School? What do you think of the proposal? Leave a message or call the newsdesk on 020 8498 3440.
Guardian Series
Labels:
BNP,
fascism. racism. anti-fascism,
Pat Richardson
June 03, 2008
BNP badly damaged in Epping Forest election campaign
The Epping Forest Branch of the British National Party were licking their wounds after losing two of the three District Council seats they fought for the elections on 1 May. Their council group leader, Patricia Richardson, known far and wide as the BNP’s Jewish collaborator, only retained a seat on the council after a last-minute shift to a different ward.
Rose Brookes, a popular local figure who has previously served as a councillor, won the Loughton Alderton seat for Loughton Residents Association, with a large lead over the BNP. In a by-election last summer the BNP candidate had defeated her by only 26 votes.
Rejoining Loughton Town Council was the Labour Party veteran Tom Owen. The BNP, standing for Loughton Town Council for the first time, took five seats, far fewer than they had hoped to win.
A week before the election the BNP councillors had shot themselves in the foot by condemning a new multi-faith forum that has been set up in the district. For once the Epping Forest Guardian, noted for its partial support for the BNP and its councillors, was stung into running the headline “BNP ‘shame’ of faith forum snub”.
Local residents were able to listen to the BNP’s nastiness and ignorance as Epping Forest District Council broadcasts council meetings live on the internet. BNP councillor Rod Law, one of three BNP councillors present (the other three of what were then six BNP councillors were absent), speaking against a motion noting the forum’s formation said: “Forums like these are an absolute waste of resources for the council and are only put together to promote diversity and multiculturalism which we feel is absolutely detrimental to the very fabric of society”. Cllr Pat Richardson claimed councillors were being “brow beaten into accepting the concept that the public purse, the taxpayer, has to fund this”.
Deputy council leader Chris Whitbread pointed out that the council was not paying for the forum. He accused the BNP of doing nothing for Loughton, disappearing when the council discusses the needs of the community and turning up only to “talk about dividing our community”. He continued: “You are a disgrace to this council and you are a disgrace to our community”.
Several other councillors, who clearly have the measure of these extremists, stood up to condemn the BNP's “disgraceful” and “disgusting” comments and emphasised the importance of everyone working together as a community.
It has now become clear that the BNP believe religious groups are all part of a big conspiracy against them. The churches in Epping and beyond have gone out of the their way to attack the BNP and what it stands for and they have been joined by other faiths, the Searchlight/Hope not hate campaign and Redbridge and Epping Forest Together.
REFT makes no excuses for this. For once the BNP have got it right: most people do not like them.
The Epping Forest Guardian soon reverted to type with a front page picture of Cllr Richardson and no proper coverage of the election of Rose Brookes and Tom Owen.
Over in Redbridge BNP Cllr Julian Leppert was running true to form by opposing a residents’ campaign to keep open Seven Kings swimming pool, claiming that Seven Kings is like the Third World. We are not sure how he would know as no sooner had he won his seat in Hainault ward he packed his bags and moved to Loughton to be close to the rest of the BNP's motley crew.
On Redbridge Council, harsh words were exchanged between Cllr Harold Moth, a Conservative councillor for Hainault, and council leader Alan Weinberg. Moth was ordered out of a meeting after he labelled Weinberg “a covert member of the BNP”. Weinberg reacted furiously saying, “How can you accuse a Jew of being a member of the Nazi party?”, at which Leppert insisted Weinberg withdraw his remark. Weinberg refused saying: “The BNP are an extreme right wing party with Nazi views and I will not withdraw the comment”.
The BNP have reported Cllr Weinberg to the Standards Board for England, which three years ago ruled on a BNP complaint against the former Epping Forest Liberal Democrat councillor Gavin Stollar that calling the BNP nazi was “within the normal and acceptable limits of political debate”.
On that occasion the BNP had again used Richardson’s Jewishness as the excuse for the complaint, claiming that calling the BNP nazi would hurt her feelings. Surprisingly her feelings do not seem to be hurt by the fact that Tony Lecomber, who has mentored her since she joined the BNP, once served a prison sentence for assaulting a young Jewish teacher.
Cllr Weinberg intends not only to defend his name as both a councillor and a Jew but to expose the national socialist nature of the BNP to the world. REFT and others are more than happy to assist him in this admirable endeavour.
While Cllr Leppert has managed to keep his trap shut over this matter, the same is not true for Jason Douglas, the well known twice-convicted football hooligan and the BNP’s organiser for Redbridge, Waltham Forest and Havering. His letter to the Ilford Recorder, which appeared under the heading “It’s time to get facts straight”, said:
“With reference to Cllr Moth’s ‘covert member of the BNP’ and Cllr Weinberg’s ‘How can you accuse a Jew of being a member of the Nazi party’ comments at the Redbridge council meeting, doesn’t Cllr Weinberg know about the BNP?
“Since Nick Griffin became leader, he has turned the party into an election winner, where its policies have the support of many London voters.
“Epping Forest District councillor, Pat Richardson – who happens to be Jewish – heads the BNP group on the council.”
“The BNP stands for the forgotten voice in multi-racial Britain.”
This is yet another BNP attempt to make use of Richardson’s Jewishness. Douglas should stick to driving his London taxi and try putting his brain into gear before opening his gob. Richardson’s opposition to the Epping Forest multi-faith forum just shows her contempt for any religion.
So there is lots going on and a growing need for all those new volunteers who joined us in the run-up to the elections on 1 May to stay involved when we meet on 8 July at 7pm for a 7.30pm start at the Methodist Church in Loughton High Road, facing the junction of the High Road and Traps Hill.
Nearest station Loughton (Central Line Epping branch), buses 20 and 397 stop outside Morrisons.
Redbridge and Epping Forest Together
Bob Archer and Gerry Gable
Joint Co-ordinators
Rose Brookes, a popular local figure who has previously served as a councillor, won the Loughton Alderton seat for Loughton Residents Association, with a large lead over the BNP. In a by-election last summer the BNP candidate had defeated her by only 26 votes.
Rejoining Loughton Town Council was the Labour Party veteran Tom Owen. The BNP, standing for Loughton Town Council for the first time, took five seats, far fewer than they had hoped to win.
A week before the election the BNP councillors had shot themselves in the foot by condemning a new multi-faith forum that has been set up in the district. For once the Epping Forest Guardian, noted for its partial support for the BNP and its councillors, was stung into running the headline “BNP ‘shame’ of faith forum snub”.
Local residents were able to listen to the BNP’s nastiness and ignorance as Epping Forest District Council broadcasts council meetings live on the internet. BNP councillor Rod Law, one of three BNP councillors present (the other three of what were then six BNP councillors were absent), speaking against a motion noting the forum’s formation said: “Forums like these are an absolute waste of resources for the council and are only put together to promote diversity and multiculturalism which we feel is absolutely detrimental to the very fabric of society”. Cllr Pat Richardson claimed councillors were being “brow beaten into accepting the concept that the public purse, the taxpayer, has to fund this”.
Deputy council leader Chris Whitbread pointed out that the council was not paying for the forum. He accused the BNP of doing nothing for Loughton, disappearing when the council discusses the needs of the community and turning up only to “talk about dividing our community”. He continued: “You are a disgrace to this council and you are a disgrace to our community”.
Several other councillors, who clearly have the measure of these extremists, stood up to condemn the BNP's “disgraceful” and “disgusting” comments and emphasised the importance of everyone working together as a community.
It has now become clear that the BNP believe religious groups are all part of a big conspiracy against them. The churches in Epping and beyond have gone out of the their way to attack the BNP and what it stands for and they have been joined by other faiths, the Searchlight/Hope not hate campaign and Redbridge and Epping Forest Together.
REFT makes no excuses for this. For once the BNP have got it right: most people do not like them.
The Epping Forest Guardian soon reverted to type with a front page picture of Cllr Richardson and no proper coverage of the election of Rose Brookes and Tom Owen.
Over in Redbridge BNP Cllr Julian Leppert was running true to form by opposing a residents’ campaign to keep open Seven Kings swimming pool, claiming that Seven Kings is like the Third World. We are not sure how he would know as no sooner had he won his seat in Hainault ward he packed his bags and moved to Loughton to be close to the rest of the BNP's motley crew.
On Redbridge Council, harsh words were exchanged between Cllr Harold Moth, a Conservative councillor for Hainault, and council leader Alan Weinberg. Moth was ordered out of a meeting after he labelled Weinberg “a covert member of the BNP”. Weinberg reacted furiously saying, “How can you accuse a Jew of being a member of the Nazi party?”, at which Leppert insisted Weinberg withdraw his remark. Weinberg refused saying: “The BNP are an extreme right wing party with Nazi views and I will not withdraw the comment”.
The BNP have reported Cllr Weinberg to the Standards Board for England, which three years ago ruled on a BNP complaint against the former Epping Forest Liberal Democrat councillor Gavin Stollar that calling the BNP nazi was “within the normal and acceptable limits of political debate”.
On that occasion the BNP had again used Richardson’s Jewishness as the excuse for the complaint, claiming that calling the BNP nazi would hurt her feelings. Surprisingly her feelings do not seem to be hurt by the fact that Tony Lecomber, who has mentored her since she joined the BNP, once served a prison sentence for assaulting a young Jewish teacher.
Cllr Weinberg intends not only to defend his name as both a councillor and a Jew but to expose the national socialist nature of the BNP to the world. REFT and others are more than happy to assist him in this admirable endeavour.
While Cllr Leppert has managed to keep his trap shut over this matter, the same is not true for Jason Douglas, the well known twice-convicted football hooligan and the BNP’s organiser for Redbridge, Waltham Forest and Havering. His letter to the Ilford Recorder, which appeared under the heading “It’s time to get facts straight”, said:
“With reference to Cllr Moth’s ‘covert member of the BNP’ and Cllr Weinberg’s ‘How can you accuse a Jew of being a member of the Nazi party’ comments at the Redbridge council meeting, doesn’t Cllr Weinberg know about the BNP?
“Since Nick Griffin became leader, he has turned the party into an election winner, where its policies have the support of many London voters.
“Epping Forest District councillor, Pat Richardson – who happens to be Jewish – heads the BNP group on the council.”
“The BNP stands for the forgotten voice in multi-racial Britain.”
This is yet another BNP attempt to make use of Richardson’s Jewishness. Douglas should stick to driving his London taxi and try putting his brain into gear before opening his gob. Richardson’s opposition to the Epping Forest multi-faith forum just shows her contempt for any religion.
So there is lots going on and a growing need for all those new volunteers who joined us in the run-up to the elections on 1 May to stay involved when we meet on 8 July at 7pm for a 7.30pm start at the Methodist Church in Loughton High Road, facing the junction of the High Road and Traps Hill.
Nearest station Loughton (Central Line Epping branch), buses 20 and 397 stop outside Morrisons.
Redbridge and Epping Forest Together
Bob Archer and Gerry Gable
Joint Co-ordinators
April 24, 2008
Epping Forest: BNP slammed over 'disgraceful' faith comments
BNP buffoon Rod LawBNP councillor Rod Law told Tuesday's council meeting: "Forums like these are an absolute waste of resources for the council and are only put together to promote diversity and multi-culturalism which we feel is absolutely detrimental to the very fabric of society. I would like to think there are enough councillors here to very much vote against this motion and not let this council be bogged down with politically correct clubs like these as we see in many inner city councils."
BNP group leader Pat Richardson said: "The idea is it's a matter of freedom of choice, those who wish to mix and exchange views are free to do so and that's the key word here, freedom. To be brow beat into accepting the concept that the public purse, the taxpayer, has to fund this seems a little bit off. There might be some people who do not agree with this so why should they have to fund it. These forums are in the area anyway and they are self reciprocating. I don't see that the public council tax payer would see this as a priority for their money."
Council leader Di Collins branded the BNP comments "disgraceful". Independent Loughton councillor Stephen Murray said: "In 26 years (as a councillor) that was one of the most disgraceful contributions I've heard in this chamber. Because of a contribution like that there's even more reason why we need a multi-faith forum like this. We want to work together, we want community cohesion and we recognise that there is more that links faiths together than divides them."
Deputy council leader Chris Whitbread said the comments were "an affront to freedom".
"This is a motion at a time when we are in election mode that brings the council together because we all agree with it because it is about our wider community and the things we care about and the reasons we become councillors to start with."
He added: "It's about the wider good, and you as a party are not about the wider good. We've sat through meeting after meeting where you've sat silently and do nothing for your community. When we discuss the needs of your community you disappear and tonight you come here and you talk about dividing our community, and you don't even turn up when we discuss The Broadway or anything else. You are a disgrace to this council and you are a disgrace to our community. I am so cross that you could say that tonight, and for a start get your facts straight. This council is not paying for this body, this body is for the good of our community, you should retract your remarks."
Conservative councillor Mitch Cohen, a Jew on the 58-member council which also has a Sikh and a Muslim among its numbers, described the BNP comments as "disgraceful" and "disgusting".
Liberal Democrat group leader Jon Whitehouse said: "It's extremely important that we do take every opportunity to work together as a community and get the different strands of believe, backgrounds in the community talking together, sharing together, because what we have in common is far more greater than what divides us."
Mrs Haigh said: "It's very regrettable to hear the (BNP) words spoken. They (the forum) are coming together because they believe in the community, it's right across the district. I think it's very sad that people feel able to make statements like that without actually doing the research first."
The forum was established following multi-cultural Celebration of Faith services held by councillors Ann Haigh and Brian Sandler during their time as council chairman. The two councillors have been appointed chairman and vice-chairman of the forum. A motion noting the formation of the forum was supported.
Epping Forest Guardian
April 22, 2008
Exposing the BNP lies: part 99
What is it about the BNP, that they can never tell the truth? Reporting on the BNP's election efforts in Loughton, Essex, Martin Wingfield, editor of the BNP newspaper The Voice of Freedom writes: "Pat Richardson is defending her Loughton Broadway seat".
No she is not. She is standing in Loughton Broadway but has been a councillor for Loughton Fairmead for the past four years. She moved because she thinks she has a better chance in her husband's Broadway seat.
Wingfield continues in similar untruthful vein: "Alex Copland is standing in Loughton Fairmead and hoping to regain the seat formerly held by Pat's husband, Tom". No, Copland is filling the vacancy in the seat Pat Richardson abandoned.
Clearly, Richardson, Copland and Wingfield are banking on Loughton's BNP voters being too thick to notice.
Searchlight
No she is not. She is standing in Loughton Broadway but has been a councillor for Loughton Fairmead for the past four years. She moved because she thinks she has a better chance in her husband's Broadway seat.
Wingfield continues in similar untruthful vein: "Alex Copland is standing in Loughton Fairmead and hoping to regain the seat formerly held by Pat's husband, Tom". No, Copland is filling the vacancy in the seat Pat Richardson abandoned.
Clearly, Richardson, Copland and Wingfield are banking on Loughton's BNP voters being too thick to notice.
Searchlight
Labels:
Alex Copland,
BNP,
Loughton,
Martin Wingfield,
Pat Richardson,
Voice of Freedom
April 10, 2008
BNP seeks to bury antisemitism and gain Jewish votes in Islamophobic campaign
· Community groups unite to combat far right threat
· 'Website now one of the most Zionist of all'
The far right British National party is trying to shed its antisemitic past as part of a drive to pick up votes among London's Jewish community. The party, which could get its first seat on the London assembly if voter turnout is low next month, is campaigning in Jewish areas across the capital and attempting to play on what it sees as historical enmity between the Jewish and Muslim communities.
In one leaflet, handed out in north London last weekend, the party's only Jewish councillor, Pat Richardson, is quoted along with a picture of young Muslims holding a placard reading: "Butcher those who mock Islam."
"I'm in the BNP because no one else speaks out against the Islamification of our country," said Richardson. "Being Jewish only adds to my concern about this aggressive creed that also threatens our secular values and Christian tradition."
The move has sparked a furious reaction among Jewish organisations who say the BNP is still antisemitic and racist. The Board of Deputies, the London Jewish Forum and the Community Security Trust have launched a campaign with other ethnic minority and cultural groups and the Hope Not Hate campaign to combat the BNP threat.
Ruth Smeeth, of the Community Security Trust, said: "The BNP website is now one of the most Zionist on the web - it goes further than any of the mainstream parties in its support of Israel and at the same time demonises Islam and the Muslim world. They are actively campaigning in Jewish communities, particularly in London, making a lot of their one Jewish councillor, their support of Israel and attacking Muslims. It is a poisonous campaign but it shows a growing electoral sophistication."
The editor of BNP newspaper Freedom, Martin Wingfield, wrote on his blog recently: "There has been a growing dialogue between senior members of the Jewish community and the BNP and today there are an increasing number of Jews campaigning for the BNP and feeling very comfortable with their political choice."
Henry Grunwald, president of the Board of Deputies, said the anti-BNP campaign which is being run in conjunction with Operation Black Vote and Sikh and Hindu organisations aimed to underline the antisemitic nature of the BNP and ensure that all voters turned out on May 1 to see off the threat posed by the far right.
"Whatever other sources of anti-semitism there are, we are still very concerned by the threat that comes from the far right," said Grunwald. "Despite all its attempts to portray itself differently we know it is still the same antisemitic, racist party it always was." He added: "We, in the Jewish community, will not tolerate any form of racism or prejudice ... I would be thoroughly ashamed if any member of the Jewish community voted for them."
The BNP's drive to abandon its anti-semitism and cash in on what it perceives to be the growth in Islamophobia was outlined in an essay by party leader Nick Griffin, who once said of the Holocaust: "I have reached the conclusion that the 'extermination' tale is a mixture of Allied wartime propaganda, extremely profitable lie, and latter-day witch-hysteria." In his essay last year he wrote: "It stands to reason that adopting an 'Islamophobic' position that appeals to large numbers of ordinary people - including un-nudged journalists - is going to produce on average much better media coverage than siding with Iran and banging on about 'Jewish power', which is guaranteed to raise hackles of virtually every single journalist in the western world."
Nick Lowles, from the anti-fascist organisation Searchlight, which is mobilising voters across the country through its Hope Not Hate campaign, said the tactic of appealing to different ethnic and cultural groups ticked several boxes for the BNP. "It allows them to portray themselves as being non-racist at the same time as legitimising their vicious and sustained attacks on the UK's Muslim communities."
Backstory:
Analysts believe the BNP could make a breakthrough in the May election unless there is a big turnout. Last time London went to the polls the far-right party got 4.7% - a few thousand votes short of the 5% needed to get a member on the London assembly. At the time the UK Independence party, which has since largely imploded, polled 8.2%, and it is feared many of its supporters may now transfer their allegiance to the BNP. The electoral system means the BNP, which has since picked up several councillors in London, needs 5% to get one assembly member, 8% for two and 11% for three. All three mayoral candidates have condemned the BNP. Ken Livingstone said yesterday: "We have to get across one simple fact: there's only one way to stop the BNP, which is by actually going out to vote against them. A low voter turnout will help the BNP get elected."
Guardian
· 'Website now one of the most Zionist of all'
The far right British National party is trying to shed its antisemitic past as part of a drive to pick up votes among London's Jewish community. The party, which could get its first seat on the London assembly if voter turnout is low next month, is campaigning in Jewish areas across the capital and attempting to play on what it sees as historical enmity between the Jewish and Muslim communities.
In one leaflet, handed out in north London last weekend, the party's only Jewish councillor, Pat Richardson, is quoted along with a picture of young Muslims holding a placard reading: "Butcher those who mock Islam."
"I'm in the BNP because no one else speaks out against the Islamification of our country," said Richardson. "Being Jewish only adds to my concern about this aggressive creed that also threatens our secular values and Christian tradition."
The move has sparked a furious reaction among Jewish organisations who say the BNP is still antisemitic and racist. The Board of Deputies, the London Jewish Forum and the Community Security Trust have launched a campaign with other ethnic minority and cultural groups and the Hope Not Hate campaign to combat the BNP threat.
Ruth Smeeth, of the Community Security Trust, said: "The BNP website is now one of the most Zionist on the web - it goes further than any of the mainstream parties in its support of Israel and at the same time demonises Islam and the Muslim world. They are actively campaigning in Jewish communities, particularly in London, making a lot of their one Jewish councillor, their support of Israel and attacking Muslims. It is a poisonous campaign but it shows a growing electoral sophistication."
The editor of BNP newspaper Freedom, Martin Wingfield, wrote on his blog recently: "There has been a growing dialogue between senior members of the Jewish community and the BNP and today there are an increasing number of Jews campaigning for the BNP and feeling very comfortable with their political choice."
Henry Grunwald, president of the Board of Deputies, said the anti-BNP campaign which is being run in conjunction with Operation Black Vote and Sikh and Hindu organisations aimed to underline the antisemitic nature of the BNP and ensure that all voters turned out on May 1 to see off the threat posed by the far right.
"Whatever other sources of anti-semitism there are, we are still very concerned by the threat that comes from the far right," said Grunwald. "Despite all its attempts to portray itself differently we know it is still the same antisemitic, racist party it always was." He added: "We, in the Jewish community, will not tolerate any form of racism or prejudice ... I would be thoroughly ashamed if any member of the Jewish community voted for them."
The BNP's drive to abandon its anti-semitism and cash in on what it perceives to be the growth in Islamophobia was outlined in an essay by party leader Nick Griffin, who once said of the Holocaust: "I have reached the conclusion that the 'extermination' tale is a mixture of Allied wartime propaganda, extremely profitable lie, and latter-day witch-hysteria." In his essay last year he wrote: "It stands to reason that adopting an 'Islamophobic' position that appeals to large numbers of ordinary people - including un-nudged journalists - is going to produce on average much better media coverage than siding with Iran and banging on about 'Jewish power', which is guaranteed to raise hackles of virtually every single journalist in the western world."
Nick Lowles, from the anti-fascist organisation Searchlight, which is mobilising voters across the country through its Hope Not Hate campaign, said the tactic of appealing to different ethnic and cultural groups ticked several boxes for the BNP. "It allows them to portray themselves as being non-racist at the same time as legitimising their vicious and sustained attacks on the UK's Muslim communities."
Backstory:
Analysts believe the BNP could make a breakthrough in the May election unless there is a big turnout. Last time London went to the polls the far-right party got 4.7% - a few thousand votes short of the 5% needed to get a member on the London assembly. At the time the UK Independence party, which has since largely imploded, polled 8.2%, and it is feared many of its supporters may now transfer their allegiance to the BNP. The electoral system means the BNP, which has since picked up several councillors in London, needs 5% to get one assembly member, 8% for two and 11% for three. All three mayoral candidates have condemned the BNP. Ken Livingstone said yesterday: "We have to get across one simple fact: there's only one way to stop the BNP, which is by actually going out to vote against them. A low voter turnout will help the BNP get elected."
Guardian
Labels:
anti-semitic,
BNP,
Islamophobic,
Pat Richardson
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