Searchlight calls for BNP candidate to back up ‘extraordinary’ claims, or resign

A campaigning organisation, dedicated to challenging racist and fascist bodies in Wales, has called on a Carmarthenshire candidate for county council elections to back up claims he has made in his election campaign, or resign.

Searchlight Cymru is asking Kevin Edwards, BNP candidate for the ward of Penygroes in Carmarthenshire, to justify two extraordinary claims he has made in his leaflet. In Mr Edwards' election leaflet, he states that soldiers at Birmingham hospitals have to remove their uniforms so as not to offend Muslim staff and visitors. The leaflet also states that homosexuality is now being taught in our schools to children as young as four years of age.

Darron Dupre, Secretary of Searchlight Cymru is amazed at the claims.

"We were a bit bemused by such claims, but were happy to give Mr Edwards the benefit of the doubt, so checked" he says.

"We can find no evidence of his claims anywhere. We know of an unsubstantiated newspaper report of Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham, but that has been disproved some time ago. We also asked the NUT about the subjects taught to four year olds. To be honest, they were most bemused about Mr Edwards' claims.

"As Mr Edwards obviously knows something that no one else knows, then we ask that he, like any candidate, can back up claims with some facts. If he cannot substantiate such inflammatory claims, then we would expect him to do the honourable thing and resign his candidacy," says Mr Dupre.

Mr Dupre is asking the voters of Carmarthenshire to look into claims by candidates before accepting them as fact.

"On his glossy election leaflet, Mr Edwards states that British people should always get priority on the housing queue over asylum seekers, but as most people know, asylum seekers are not entitled to council housing. He further states that asylum seekers get free cars and TVs. Again, everyone at Searchlight Cymru is intrigued to learn exactly where this is happening."

"If Mr Edwards cannot justify these claims, then he is treating all voters in Carmarthenshire with utter contempt. Voters will have to consider whether they really want to elect someone who is wrong about the healthcare of British soldiers, doesn't understand schools or education and has no idea about council house waiting lists. Our only advice to Carmarthenshire voters is to use your vote and use it wisely".

Searchlight Cymru