Police investigate alleged links between BNP and Northampton charity Soldiers Off The Streets

A serving soldier who helps to take struggling ex-servicemen off the streets was questioned by police after concerns were raised about his work.

Chris Mounteney, an outreach worker for the Soldiers Off The Street charity in Northampton, said he was quizzed last Thursday before he went out to help the homeless on his night shift. The 44-year-old said: “I was told to stop my work because they believed the charity was set up by the BNP. It was ludicrous. Soldiers Off The Streets was set up by Bill Murray, who used to be in the BNP, but he has relinquished his support of them. The charity doesn’t have political links.”

The serviceman did however admit the group’s headquarters were rented off a current member of the BNP.

Mr Mounteney, who works as a welfare officer in the TA centre in Clare Street, Northampton, added: “We are a charity and people need our help. If somebody serves their country they should have proper care and, as a charity, we provide that.”

The row was played out through social networking website Facebook over the weekend with Northamptonshire Police issuing the following statement: “We can confirm that a number of concerns were raised to us by partner agencies. To clarify this, a meeting was held with a representative from Soldiers Off The Street. We support people’s right to engage with legitimate charities and undertake lawful work on their behalf. We have not instructed anyone to stop working with a charity of their choice and would not seek to prevent them from doing so. We are currently investigating this matter.”

Mr Mounteney said he was later told he could continue his charity work and had the full support of the police. He added: “There was a sudden change. I’m hoping that now we can all work in partnership to help the homeless.”

Northampton Chronicle

SOTS and the BNP need to be more transparent about their links

Bill Murray, director of the Soldiers off the Street, claims that his veterans organisation has “no connection” with the British National Party. He claims it is misleading to suggest he has substantial links with the extremist party. In a recent email to Garry Bushell, the well-known TV journalist and who recently suspended his patronage with SOTS, Murray wrote:

“We have NO conection with the BNP. I was a member and resigned there is a hate campaign going on with Tim Montgomerie, James Bethell and Maurice Cousins with their site Nothing British ”

Specifically, Murray claims he left the BNP in August 2009. But strong links between Murray and the BNP remain well established. For example, in November 2009 Nick Griffin said it was “politically beneficial” to be linked with SOTS. He told Scottish media:

“It’s politically beneficial for us to be seen with these organisations. We are also involved in other veteran organisations such as Help for Heroes and Soldiers off the Street. It definitely doesn’t hurt the party to be connected to these groups.”

On the Soldiers off the Street’s links page, there is posted the crest and a link to a company called Easy Security Services Ltd (company number 06706626). ESS is a security firm which, according to its Companies House records, has Daniel McDonald listed as one of its directors. McDonald is also a BNP PPC for Horsham.

According to the BNP supporting blog TITVS ADVXAS, in August 2009 Roger Phillips, deputy West Wales BNP organiser, sent a message out to party supporters saying:

“… a new charity has launched in the UK that we support and if any of you can offer any kind of help or assistance could you please contact them on the link below. An article can be found here on The Green Arrow website and the Soldiers off the Street website.”

And Murray’s Facebook “friends” (all screen grabs were taken on 25th March 2010)?

Bob Bailey – leader of Barking BNP, councillor and Romford PPC.

Chris Beverley – BNP councillor, PPC for Morley and Outwood and Chief of Staff to Andrew Brons MEP.

Clive Jefferson – BNP PPC for Copeland and Campaign Co-ordinator to Nick Griffin MEP. Jefferson is also listed as being on the EU pay roll.

Mark Collett – Head of publicity and BNP PPC for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough.

Peter Mullins – BNP Defence spokesman.

Is it not time SOTS was more transparent about its links and associations with the BNP?

For more information on Soldiers off the Street please read our briefing by clicking here.

There is Nothing British about the BNP

New charity Soldiers off the Street is a front for BNP, campaign group claims

Nothing British urges Charity Commission to take action

The Charity Commission has been urged to take action against a voluntary organisation that has been accused of being a front for the British National Party.

Soldiers off the Street was set up last year by the BNP's former Welsh secretary Bill Murray to help homeless former service personnel. Nothing British, an anti-extremist group set up by Conservative supporters, claims the group is one of a growing number of forces groups being established or supported by the BNP as a way of gaining popularity.

Maurice Cousins, a researcher at Nothing British, said: "Soldiers off the Street presents itself as a legitimate organisation but doesn't tell people about its BNP links."

Cousins' complaints to the commission have been rejected because Soldiers off the Street is not a registered charity. But it describes itself as a 'charitable organisation' on its Facebook page, which has more than 4,300 friends. "Unless the commission clamps down, it undermines the work of reputable groups," said Cousins.

Murray said his organisation would apply to become a charity when it reached the £5,000 registration threshold. He said he had never denied his BNP past but now had no political affiliations. "We just genuinely want to help," he said.

A commission spokeswoman said it was reasonable for organisations with incomes of less than £5,000 to say they were charitable provided they did not say they were registered charities. She said people with political affiliations could establish charities provided the organisations did not have political purposes. The commission would treat Soldiers off the Street's application "in line with the registration criteria", she said.

Third Sector