The strange world of the British National Party leader’s legal team
Facing many court cases, Nick Griffin appears to have turned to a charity for his legal affairs; Legal Action, a registered charity in the UK, number 1100780, also has the working name of Charles Henry & Co. Their official registration says that their purpose is to “relieve impecunious persons, by providing them with legal facilities particularly in connection with a possible or actual claim or defence, before a tribunal in England & Wales, for which they could not otherwise obtain, by reason of their impecunosity”.
Can anyone imagine an MEP without a euro in his pocket? That is just the beginning of the strangeness.
According to people with a knowledge of the charity, it appears to be run by Kevin Gregory, who, like his father, is a trustee according to their registration with the Charity Commission in the UK. He has an interesting background for such a position. He used to be a Conservative Councillor, but was thrown out of the party after a series of scandals and court appearances. These included being charged with harassment of an ex-girlfriend, whom he believed a fellow Tory councillor, who used hypnotism, to charm her away from him.
Gregory has also a line in pretending to be a solicitor, suing an ex-girlfriend for legal advice he claimed to have provided. He also falsely represented he was a solicitor in front of a High Court judge, which led to a Law Society Tribunal, which ruled that, “he had described himself as a “trainee solicitor”, and as “a solicitor” or as an “acting solicitor” when he was none of these things.”
Office space
People very familiar with Gregory say that bailiffs pay him regular visits, but these gentlemen deserve some credit - they can find his offices! Their website - www.legal-action.org- lists four offices, by postcode, but only one has a phone number, which is a dead line. The registered office phone is rarely answered.
The website designer describes that the client for the website is another charity that has Gregory as a trustee, the Augustine Housing Trust and through their telephone number - an 0845 redirection service - New Europe spoke with a man who called himself John Sullivan, who said he worked for Legal Action. He refused to say who else worked for the charity, or even where their office was. When it was put to him that he should know this information because he is listed as a trustee, he claimed that there had been a mistake and the real trustee was John O’Sullivan.
We were also contacted by someone who said they were a coordinator for the various Gregory charities, but refused to say who she worked for or who else was working for the charity. However, she didn’t recognise the name of Mr O’Sullivan or Raymond Hosegood, who, on documents provided to New Europe, signs letters with a signature that appears to be “PP Kevin Gregory.”
Legal firms are often discrete, but the wall of silence put up by the charities associated with Gregory, where people won’t even answer the most basic of queries is unusual.
The right solicitor
How did the far-right MEP end up with such unusual people? The connection appears to be one of the 4 Legal Action solicitors, Jane Stanley Phillips, now with 'Iverson, Stanley Holmes Ltd'. She has also helped a charity, The Steadfast Trust, which aims to “relieve poverty amongst the Anglo-Saxon community of England”. She has previously represented the BNP leader, according to the BNP’s ex Legal Affairs Officer, the excitable Lee Barnes.
Barnes describes her rewriting the party’s constitution, after it was judged to be illegal because it only allowed white people to join the party. Her revised draft has also been judged illegal and the party is anxiously awaiting the ruling from the appeal. Losing could bankrupt the party. Barnes also failed to appreciate her legal acumen, “After I pointed out a serious flaw in her legal strategy that would have allowed the court to undermine our case, she flew into a rage and refused to speak to me anymore.”
Phillips also made an appearance on a British TV documentary, 100% English, where her DNA was tested. She was told that the expert described her sample as “absolutely typical of a Romany gypsy”. She threatened the programme makers with a law suit, but failed to prevent the broadcast. Griffin has well known and strong views on gypsies.
Enter The Commission
Legal Action have something else in common with the BNP, a failure to deliver their accounts on time. The latest return, due at the Charity Commission is 306 days late. Their finances look odd. In 2005, they had no income, yet spent almost 45,000 GBP. 2006 saw 11,000 go in and 47,000 spent. A legal expert says these figures only make sense if they are operating on a no win, no fee basis.
The Charity Commission are now investigating the charity. Meanwhile, Griffin has a series of court cases ahead of him and his party.
There have been longstanding rumours about the imminent collapse of the British National Party, both financially and as a political organisation. Recently the party has written to creditors, offering them 20 pence in the pound on the party’s debts to suppliers etc.
Some may think that this unusual legal team may yet save the party, but they are likely to be a minority and the BNP don’t usually warm to minorities.
New Europe
December 06, 2010
EDL man is people-smuggler
A prominent member of the English Defence League is a convicted people smuggler.Ex-serviceman Allan Hetherington-Cleverley, 55, [pictured, left] is a regular at protests for the far-right group that advocates kicking Muslims out of the UK. But the Daily Star Sunday can reveal he spent four years in prison for smuggling Chinese immigrants across the Channel in an inflatable speedboat.
The former Grenadier Guard was paid £20,000 by an Albanian gangster to ferry the illegals from Calais in France to Newhaven in East Sussex in 2004. In two dangerous night-time trips across the world’s busiest shipping lane he helped to sneak 20 Chinese into the UK. The ex-soldier – who has changed his name from Allan Gallup – made the first trip alone but enlisted soldier pal Marcus Wakelin for the second a month later. But both missions were tracked by police from the air. The men were arrested and charged with facilitating illegal entry to the UK. Hetherington-Cleverley was sentenced to four years in 2005.
During their trial the court heard the pair showed little concern for the safety of the immigrants, who had paid £7,000 each to Triad gangsters.
Hetherington-Cleverley, who was in the Army between 1971 and 1977, is now good friends with EDL leader Stephen Lennon and has made speeches at their events. And the smuggler, who has also worked as a mercenary in Africa, has no regrets about his past. He said: “I am not ashamed of what I did. I did not steal anything, I did not hurt anyone, it was not a drug or sexual offence. It has nothing to do with my beliefs or my support for the EDL.”
A spokesman for anti-fascist website 1millionunited, said: “The public will not take kindly to a group who invite people-smuggling, self-styled soldiers of fortune to represent them at their public events.”
Star on Sunday
Labels:
EDL,
English Defence League,
far-right,
people trafficking
Churchmen unite to blast the BNP
Church leaders in South Derbyshire have joined forces to condemn the British National Party (BNP) ahead of its annual conference being held at a secret location in the district at the weekend.
The political party is staging the event from December 10 to 12 at an as yet undisclosed, ‘firstclass venue’ in the area. Despite widespread speculation circulating in the area, details about the exact location remain unconfirmed, with the BNP refusing to disclose its choice of venue for ‘security reasons’.
In a letter sent to the Mail leaders of eight churches in the area have signed a joint declaration to make it clear they are having nothing to do with the conference and do not support the party’s actions in any way.
The letter states: “We reject their claim to speak for Christians, as an affront to our beliefs and a danger to the unity of our whole community. We wish to affirm our belief that all human beings are created equal and to encourage everyone to join with us in working to build a society where that is fundamental.”
The letter was signed by Rev Jane Webb, chairman of Churches Together in Gresley, Swadlincote and
District, Major Anthony Clifton from the Salvation Army, Rev David Horsfall for Swadlincote parish, Rev Ian Hunter, Rector for Hartshorne and Bretby parishes, Rev David Perrett, vicar of Church Gresley parish, Rev Lesley de Pomerai, vicar for Walton on Trent, Linton and Castle Gresley, Croxhall and Rosliston parishes, along with Rev Sue Rolls, Superintendent Minister for Methodist Circuit, and Teresa Tilley, the leader of Gresley Mission Room.
John Ryde, a spokesman for the British National Party East Midlands region, who refused to reveal the exact location — but confirmed it will be held in the area, said: “We respect the views of these church leaders, but then again, I want to ask them to respect our views and opinions which is what Christians are supposed to do any way.”
The event was described in a letter, posted on the BNP website to ‘fellow patriots’ by leader Nick Griffin, as ‘a spectacular combination of political speeches, audio-visual displays, training, policy debates, stalls and entertainment, all within a four-star venue complete with restaurant, bar and a whole range of suitable accommodation to fit your needs’.
A spokesman for Derbyshire Police said: “We are not aware of the conference venue at this time and we are still trying to engage with the BNP to find out if it will be taking place in South Derbyshire.”
Burton Mail
The political party is staging the event from December 10 to 12 at an as yet undisclosed, ‘firstclass venue’ in the area. Despite widespread speculation circulating in the area, details about the exact location remain unconfirmed, with the BNP refusing to disclose its choice of venue for ‘security reasons’.
In a letter sent to the Mail leaders of eight churches in the area have signed a joint declaration to make it clear they are having nothing to do with the conference and do not support the party’s actions in any way.
The letter states: “We reject their claim to speak for Christians, as an affront to our beliefs and a danger to the unity of our whole community. We wish to affirm our belief that all human beings are created equal and to encourage everyone to join with us in working to build a society where that is fundamental.”
The letter was signed by Rev Jane Webb, chairman of Churches Together in Gresley, Swadlincote and
District, Major Anthony Clifton from the Salvation Army, Rev David Horsfall for Swadlincote parish, Rev Ian Hunter, Rector for Hartshorne and Bretby parishes, Rev David Perrett, vicar of Church Gresley parish, Rev Lesley de Pomerai, vicar for Walton on Trent, Linton and Castle Gresley, Croxhall and Rosliston parishes, along with Rev Sue Rolls, Superintendent Minister for Methodist Circuit, and Teresa Tilley, the leader of Gresley Mission Room.
John Ryde, a spokesman for the British National Party East Midlands region, who refused to reveal the exact location — but confirmed it will be held in the area, said: “We respect the views of these church leaders, but then again, I want to ask them to respect our views and opinions which is what Christians are supposed to do any way.”
The event was described in a letter, posted on the BNP website to ‘fellow patriots’ by leader Nick Griffin, as ‘a spectacular combination of political speeches, audio-visual displays, training, policy debates, stalls and entertainment, all within a four-star venue complete with restaurant, bar and a whole range of suitable accommodation to fit your needs’.
A spokesman for Derbyshire Police said: “We are not aware of the conference venue at this time and we are still trying to engage with the BNP to find out if it will be taking place in South Derbyshire.”
Burton Mail
Labels:
BNP,
BNP conference,
British National Party,
Christians
December 05, 2010
Griffin Vs Hodge: The Case of the Century?
So. Nick Griffin is going to attempt to have Margaret Hodge thrown out of Parliament, a la Phil Woolas, over her statement that the BNP would chuck people out of aircraft.
Good luck, Cyclops.
Oscar Wilde made a similar tactical error, as I recall, when he, as just about the Gayest Man in England, attempted to sue the Marquis of Queensbury for calling him, well, “Gay”. (It should be noted that John Barrowman and Peter Tatchell, dressed as Julian and Sandy, coming out of a performance of La Cage Aux Folles hand in hand singing an Abba Medley could never be even a fraction as Gay as was Oscar Wilde, circa 1895.)
Although I don't have anything approaching the same vast legal knowledge and judicial education as m'learned friend (my entire legal experience being largely confined to a week's jury service in the 1980's and once seeing an am-dram production of “Witness for the Prosecution”...), even I can spot one or two weaknesses in Arsehole of the Bailey's case.
First up, unless Cyclops has access to hitherto undreamed-of technology, the whole enterprise would seem to be a non-starter anyway: Such actions can only be brought by petition before the Election Court within 21 days of the disputed Poll. Given the BNP's entertaining record with technology, I'd guess that time travel is still beyond them. For Christ's sake, keeping a website up and running is beyond them much of the time.
Then there's the matter of a small Point of Law.
Phil Woolas was turfed out of Parliament because he “knowingly made a false statement”. Given Griffin's past statements on such matters (including the fairly pertinent “Drop them out of a plane somewhere over Africa. I don't really care” and the ever-popular “I say boats should be sunk, they can throw them a life raft and they can go back to Libya.”), I'd guess that Mrs Hodge would be perfectly justified in arguing that she quite reasonably believed her statement to be true.
Besides which, it only takes a few minutes browsing the comments of the Rank and File of the BNP's Membership (a group it takes less time to browse through every day...) on various comments boards and fora, to find even more insane, reprehensible and murderous statements. And, as Cyclops is so fond of saying (although he clearly believes anything but), the BNP is its Members...
Now then. I'm no cynic, but it occurs to me that Cyclops might even be seeing this opportunity as just another grubby little moneymaking exercise. An astonishing accusation to level at such a model of fiscal probity and Presbyterian thrift as Griffin, I know, but the comments from the assorted cretins on Green Arrow's site, among others,(is there such a thing as the opposite of a Brains Trust?) show that there are still people in this world gullible enough to fall for it. “I will donate with joy in my heart to the costs of this case against the perversion of democracy” says “Theoderic” (the famous King of Italy), while “Robert Weale” adds (and very cogently, too, considering that English is evidently his second language) “About time too, beg, borrow and get donating it's time we fought these dispicable characters through the courts...”.
(Note to self: Must find a way of letting these people know about my guaranteed moneymaking opportunity involving myself, their bank details and a secret Nigerian account containing a vast fortune...)
How much to launch such an action, do you reckon? £50,000? £100,000? Work out the cost of a Croatian Villa and add 10% for luck? Obviously, he's going to want to hire a crack team of legal experts to mount the action, so he'll need as much as his loyal band of followers can afford.
And such a price would be cheap, he'll tell the poor mugs - given that his assured victory in such a case would surely be greater than Agincourt, El Alamein, Trafalgar and The Battle of Minas Tirith combined.
Of course, if the Case were to fall at the first hurdle – or even in the changing room – his Donors would still be happy in the knowledge that their hard-earned money had gone to a Higher Cause (In much the same way as Mel Brooks' “The Producers” revolves around Max Bialystock's scheme of raising many times the cost of a Broadway Show guaranteed to close on the first night and pocketing the change)...
In fact, Griffin's doing quite nicely for fundraising opportunities these days: He's also announced his intention to stand in Phil Woolas' old seat.
Given that the discrepancy between what he had claimed would be spent on the May General Election and what has actually been owned up to (late, as usual) was a mere £470,000, I'd guess that the hapless goons of the BNP will find they've raised a small fortune, only to be rewarded by the spectacle of their Glorious Leader yelling at passers-by from the Truth Truck (if Dowson hasn't taken it with him), and handing out leaflets knocked out on a Gestetner and a John Bull Printing Kit (because surely no Printer who'd actually like to get paid will touch them now) between stuffing his face with the ever-present bacon rolls and slabs of cake.
Maybe this flurry of activity from Cyclops is just an attempt to keep his profile up among his dwindling band of worshippers. Or maybe it's the last throw of a desperate man (it's always interesting to remember that some of the great conmen, from Horatio Bottomley and Robert Maxwell to the board of Enron, actually increased their criminality as things went pear-shaped...).
Whatever the reason; at least we get to keep laughing at Griffin's antics into the New Year.
Good luck, Cyclops.
Oscar Wilde made a similar tactical error, as I recall, when he, as just about the Gayest Man in England, attempted to sue the Marquis of Queensbury for calling him, well, “Gay”. (It should be noted that John Barrowman and Peter Tatchell, dressed as Julian and Sandy, coming out of a performance of La Cage Aux Folles hand in hand singing an Abba Medley could never be even a fraction as Gay as was Oscar Wilde, circa 1895.)
Although I don't have anything approaching the same vast legal knowledge and judicial education as m'learned friend (my entire legal experience being largely confined to a week's jury service in the 1980's and once seeing an am-dram production of “Witness for the Prosecution”...), even I can spot one or two weaknesses in Arsehole of the Bailey's case.
First up, unless Cyclops has access to hitherto undreamed-of technology, the whole enterprise would seem to be a non-starter anyway: Such actions can only be brought by petition before the Election Court within 21 days of the disputed Poll. Given the BNP's entertaining record with technology, I'd guess that time travel is still beyond them. For Christ's sake, keeping a website up and running is beyond them much of the time.
Then there's the matter of a small Point of Law.
Phil Woolas was turfed out of Parliament because he “knowingly made a false statement”. Given Griffin's past statements on such matters (including the fairly pertinent “Drop them out of a plane somewhere over Africa. I don't really care” and the ever-popular “I say boats should be sunk, they can throw them a life raft and they can go back to Libya.”), I'd guess that Mrs Hodge would be perfectly justified in arguing that she quite reasonably believed her statement to be true.
Besides which, it only takes a few minutes browsing the comments of the Rank and File of the BNP's Membership (a group it takes less time to browse through every day...) on various comments boards and fora, to find even more insane, reprehensible and murderous statements. And, as Cyclops is so fond of saying (although he clearly believes anything but), the BNP is its Members...
Now then. I'm no cynic, but it occurs to me that Cyclops might even be seeing this opportunity as just another grubby little moneymaking exercise. An astonishing accusation to level at such a model of fiscal probity and Presbyterian thrift as Griffin, I know, but the comments from the assorted cretins on Green Arrow's site, among others,(is there such a thing as the opposite of a Brains Trust?) show that there are still people in this world gullible enough to fall for it. “I will donate with joy in my heart to the costs of this case against the perversion of democracy” says “Theoderic” (the famous King of Italy), while “Robert Weale” adds (and very cogently, too, considering that English is evidently his second language) “About time too, beg, borrow and get donating it's time we fought these dispicable characters through the courts...”.
(Note to self: Must find a way of letting these people know about my guaranteed moneymaking opportunity involving myself, their bank details and a secret Nigerian account containing a vast fortune...)
How much to launch such an action, do you reckon? £50,000? £100,000? Work out the cost of a Croatian Villa and add 10% for luck? Obviously, he's going to want to hire a crack team of legal experts to mount the action, so he'll need as much as his loyal band of followers can afford.
And such a price would be cheap, he'll tell the poor mugs - given that his assured victory in such a case would surely be greater than Agincourt, El Alamein, Trafalgar and The Battle of Minas Tirith combined.
Of course, if the Case were to fall at the first hurdle – or even in the changing room – his Donors would still be happy in the knowledge that their hard-earned money had gone to a Higher Cause (In much the same way as Mel Brooks' “The Producers” revolves around Max Bialystock's scheme of raising many times the cost of a Broadway Show guaranteed to close on the first night and pocketing the change)...
In fact, Griffin's doing quite nicely for fundraising opportunities these days: He's also announced his intention to stand in Phil Woolas' old seat.
Given that the discrepancy between what he had claimed would be spent on the May General Election and what has actually been owned up to (late, as usual) was a mere £470,000, I'd guess that the hapless goons of the BNP will find they've raised a small fortune, only to be rewarded by the spectacle of their Glorious Leader yelling at passers-by from the Truth Truck (if Dowson hasn't taken it with him), and handing out leaflets knocked out on a Gestetner and a John Bull Printing Kit (because surely no Printer who'd actually like to get paid will touch them now) between stuffing his face with the ever-present bacon rolls and slabs of cake.
Maybe this flurry of activity from Cyclops is just an attempt to keep his profile up among his dwindling band of worshippers. Or maybe it's the last throw of a desperate man (it's always interesting to remember that some of the great conmen, from Horatio Bottomley and Robert Maxwell to the board of Enron, actually increased their criminality as things went pear-shaped...).
Whatever the reason; at least we get to keep laughing at Griffin's antics into the New Year.
Nuneaton traders call for ban on any more EDL demos
Businesses in Nuneaton have threatened to “shut up shop” if another rally by the English Defence League is allowed to go ahead in the town on a Saturday afternoon.
Calls have already been made by the borough council and the MP for action to be taken by the Home Secretary to prevent a repeat of last weekend’s arrival of 1,500 EDL supporters. A massive police operation contained and controlled the demonstration away from the main shopping area – but store owners and stall holders were still left to count the cost, with takings badly hit.
“In 42 years, this was the worst Saturday afternoon I have ever known,” said Stuart Tooby, who sells confectionery and is a spokesman for Nuneaton market traders. “It is the first time I have failed to take enough money to meet my day’s costs. I had to pay staff out of my own pocket. After lunchtime, the town was absolutely deserted. Shoppers stayed away because they were frightened of what might happen.
“The manager of one main store told me their takings were 50 per cent down. Others closed early and everyone started to pack up their stalls around 3pm. This is people’s livelihoods we are talking about – and we are not prepared to be put into this situation again.”
Mr Tooby said that traders will refuse to turn out if the EDL stages another Saturday demo in Nuneaton.
“Why should we be forced to lose money? We have made our feelings known to the council – and have suggested that in such circumstances, perhaps we could have the street market on a Friday or Sunday instead.”
Council leader Dennis Harvey said: “Nuneaton has now been targeted four times by the EDL and it is a mystery why they should pick on our town to cause disruption. It did have a disastrous effect on businesses last Saturday afternoon, as well as stretching the police resources. I do have to congratulate the police for the way they organised their operation and also thank everyone, traders and shoppers, who did try to go about their business as normal.”
A letter has gone from the borough council to Theresa May asking her to block any future EDL requests to meet in Nuneaton, while local MP Marcus Jones has also pressed the Home Secretary to take action. He said: “It is unfair that our town has been targeted in this way, by people from outside the area coming in to cause disruption. It also puts businesses and people’s jobs at risk.”
Coventry Telegraph
Calls have already been made by the borough council and the MP for action to be taken by the Home Secretary to prevent a repeat of last weekend’s arrival of 1,500 EDL supporters. A massive police operation contained and controlled the demonstration away from the main shopping area – but store owners and stall holders were still left to count the cost, with takings badly hit.
“In 42 years, this was the worst Saturday afternoon I have ever known,” said Stuart Tooby, who sells confectionery and is a spokesman for Nuneaton market traders. “It is the first time I have failed to take enough money to meet my day’s costs. I had to pay staff out of my own pocket. After lunchtime, the town was absolutely deserted. Shoppers stayed away because they were frightened of what might happen.
“The manager of one main store told me their takings were 50 per cent down. Others closed early and everyone started to pack up their stalls around 3pm. This is people’s livelihoods we are talking about – and we are not prepared to be put into this situation again.”
Mr Tooby said that traders will refuse to turn out if the EDL stages another Saturday demo in Nuneaton.
“Why should we be forced to lose money? We have made our feelings known to the council – and have suggested that in such circumstances, perhaps we could have the street market on a Friday or Sunday instead.”
Council leader Dennis Harvey said: “Nuneaton has now been targeted four times by the EDL and it is a mystery why they should pick on our town to cause disruption. It did have a disastrous effect on businesses last Saturday afternoon, as well as stretching the police resources. I do have to congratulate the police for the way they organised their operation and also thank everyone, traders and shoppers, who did try to go about their business as normal.”
A letter has gone from the borough council to Theresa May asking her to block any future EDL requests to meet in Nuneaton, while local MP Marcus Jones has also pressed the Home Secretary to take action. He said: “It is unfair that our town has been targeted in this way, by people from outside the area coming in to cause disruption. It also puts businesses and people’s jobs at risk.”
Coventry Telegraph
Labels:
demonstration,
disruption,
EDL,
English Defence League,
Home Secretary
December 04, 2010
"A heroes’ parade was no place for EDL"
"Having attended the homecoming parade for the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, it was good to see so many people at the event.
Some of us may not agree with the wars but I guess there is a time and a place for making your point. But, as well as things went, you have to say those ‘representatives’ from the English Defence League kind of spoiled things a bit for the rest of the people there. They became an embarrassment to a lot of the onlookers. Some people were even apologetic for having to stand anywhere near this bunch of clowns.
I understand it is difficult to really stop people attending a public event. You can’t really say who is going to be there and who isn’t. But I would say there are a fair few people who would have been intimidated with some of the outright racist comments being made on the day.
For me it seemed liked being back at a football match in the mid-80s. But, hey, even those guys would give you an almighty hug the minute a goal was scored!
Some passers-by said they would have liked to join the crowds but didn’t like how the EDL seemed to have hijacked what was essentially a family and community day. Most people were confused as to what these guys aimed to achieve by being there. It seemed to me to be a pointless exercise like the gathering in Preston over the weekend.
However, I think the point was made by one lady standing next to me who simply stated to a couple of these people in no uncertain terms how she felt. She said: “Just behave the lot of you. If you think you are so brave why aren’t you the ones out there on the parade rather than standing here?”
If there was ever one woman who could shut up a group of grown men in balaclavas then this had to be it."
Lancashire Telegraph blog
Some of us may not agree with the wars but I guess there is a time and a place for making your point. But, as well as things went, you have to say those ‘representatives’ from the English Defence League kind of spoiled things a bit for the rest of the people there. They became an embarrassment to a lot of the onlookers. Some people were even apologetic for having to stand anywhere near this bunch of clowns.
I understand it is difficult to really stop people attending a public event. You can’t really say who is going to be there and who isn’t. But I would say there are a fair few people who would have been intimidated with some of the outright racist comments being made on the day.
For me it seemed liked being back at a football match in the mid-80s. But, hey, even those guys would give you an almighty hug the minute a goal was scored!
Some passers-by said they would have liked to join the crowds but didn’t like how the EDL seemed to have hijacked what was essentially a family and community day. Most people were confused as to what these guys aimed to achieve by being there. It seemed to me to be a pointless exercise like the gathering in Preston over the weekend.
However, I think the point was made by one lady standing next to me who simply stated to a couple of these people in no uncertain terms how she felt. She said: “Just behave the lot of you. If you think you are so brave why aren’t you the ones out there on the parade rather than standing here?”
If there was ever one woman who could shut up a group of grown men in balaclavas then this had to be it."
Lancashire Telegraph blog
Labels:
balaclavas,
EDL,
English Defence League,
Preston,
racist
Teenagers arrested after Stoke mosque set on fire
Police detain three men and a woman and describe arson attack as racially-motivated crime
Four teenagers were arrested yesterday after an arson attack on a Staffordshire mosque – described by police as a racially-motivated crime. The fire began at a newly-built mosque in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, at 6.30am. Police detained three men and a woman in their late teens. Firefighters were called after smoke was seen coming from the mosque. Police said they were investigating a link between the attack and damage to a nearby gas main.
The mosque was not seriously damaged. Chief inspector Wayne Jones said: "We are treating this as a racist attack on a religious building."
He added: "I am sure the community are as appalled as we are at this behaviour. I would appeal for anyone with information to come forward. Local neighbourhood police officers are meeting with members of the community to keep them informed and to address their concerns and obvious anger about this criminal incident."
A police spokesman said that the four people who were in custody were to be questioned by detectives and police were reviewing CCTV footage from the area as well as making house-to-house inquiries. Mohammed Pervez, leader of Stoke-on-Trent council, called the attack an "irresponsible and reckless" act. "This is a very serious incident," he said. "City council officers are working closely with the police to assist them in their inquiries."
Pervez urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward as soon as possible.
Racial tensions in Stoke-on-Trent were inflamed after the city became one of two key battlegrounds for the British National Party during local council elections in May. The party currently has five city councillors. Ethnic minorities make up around 7% of the city's population.
Guardian
Four teenagers were arrested yesterday after an arson attack on a Staffordshire mosque – described by police as a racially-motivated crime. The fire began at a newly-built mosque in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, at 6.30am. Police detained three men and a woman in their late teens. Firefighters were called after smoke was seen coming from the mosque. Police said they were investigating a link between the attack and damage to a nearby gas main.
The mosque was not seriously damaged. Chief inspector Wayne Jones said: "We are treating this as a racist attack on a religious building."
He added: "I am sure the community are as appalled as we are at this behaviour. I would appeal for anyone with information to come forward. Local neighbourhood police officers are meeting with members of the community to keep them informed and to address their concerns and obvious anger about this criminal incident."
A police spokesman said that the four people who were in custody were to be questioned by detectives and police were reviewing CCTV footage from the area as well as making house-to-house inquiries. Mohammed Pervez, leader of Stoke-on-Trent council, called the attack an "irresponsible and reckless" act. "This is a very serious incident," he said. "City council officers are working closely with the police to assist them in their inquiries."
Pervez urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward as soon as possible.
Racial tensions in Stoke-on-Trent were inflamed after the city became one of two key battlegrounds for the British National Party during local council elections in May. The party currently has five city councillors. Ethnic minorities make up around 7% of the city's population.
Guardian
December 03, 2010
Alarm At BNP Commissioner Plans
Police Authority Chairman voices concern that far-right group is already preparing to field candidates.
The Chairman of Cleveland Police Authority has voiced alarm after reports that the BNP is preparing to field Policing and Crime Commissioner candidates. Dave McLuckie warned that members of the far right group could potentially end up with huge power in police forces when the first elections for the posts are held in May 2012.
He added: “There is the danger that elections could attract candidates standing on extreme platforms, with the risk that policing priorities could be totally distorted. This is not scaremongering – the BNP has made it clear they intend to field candidates so we could have the situation where a party whose members are not allowed to be officers could hold the power to control the priorities of an entire force.”
Cllr McLuckie was responding to reports in the Daily Telegraph, which suggested that the far-right party had ex-police officers who wanted to stand as commissioners. A party spokesman told the newspaper that “several people” are interested in the role and it is “highly likely” candidates will be fielded “in as many forces as possible”.
Despite concerns that extreme groups could field commissioner candidates, ministers have played down the fear, claiming that it is important to trust the electorate. They have also highlighted that elections will be held over a wide geographic area – and that fringe parties have failed to make progress on this scale before. But in addition to the costs of creating commissioners – widely expected to run to £136 million, Cllr McLuckie said the move threatened to tear apart the foundations of the British policing system, “rightly regarded as the best in the world”. The Chairman emphasised: “The idea of having an individual in charge of policing might have superficial appeal, but any proper examination exposes the deep flaws.
“Outside one part of the Coalition government there is no support for this proposal. Indeed one of the parties in the Coalition fought the General Election on a manifesto which proposed the strengthening – rather than the destruction – of police authorities.”
As reported on PoliceOracle.com, legislation underpinning the creation of directly elected commissioners has now been presented in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill. The government claims the plans will make police forces more accountable to the communities they serve and strengthen the relationship between officers and the public.
Police Oracle
The Chairman of Cleveland Police Authority has voiced alarm after reports that the BNP is preparing to field Policing and Crime Commissioner candidates. Dave McLuckie warned that members of the far right group could potentially end up with huge power in police forces when the first elections for the posts are held in May 2012.
He added: “There is the danger that elections could attract candidates standing on extreme platforms, with the risk that policing priorities could be totally distorted. This is not scaremongering – the BNP has made it clear they intend to field candidates so we could have the situation where a party whose members are not allowed to be officers could hold the power to control the priorities of an entire force.”
Cllr McLuckie was responding to reports in the Daily Telegraph, which suggested that the far-right party had ex-police officers who wanted to stand as commissioners. A party spokesman told the newspaper that “several people” are interested in the role and it is “highly likely” candidates will be fielded “in as many forces as possible”.
Despite concerns that extreme groups could field commissioner candidates, ministers have played down the fear, claiming that it is important to trust the electorate. They have also highlighted that elections will be held over a wide geographic area – and that fringe parties have failed to make progress on this scale before. But in addition to the costs of creating commissioners – widely expected to run to £136 million, Cllr McLuckie said the move threatened to tear apart the foundations of the British policing system, “rightly regarded as the best in the world”. The Chairman emphasised: “The idea of having an individual in charge of policing might have superficial appeal, but any proper examination exposes the deep flaws.
“Outside one part of the Coalition government there is no support for this proposal. Indeed one of the parties in the Coalition fought the General Election on a manifesto which proposed the strengthening – rather than the destruction – of police authorities.”
As reported on PoliceOracle.com, legislation underpinning the creation of directly elected commissioners has now been presented in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill. The government claims the plans will make police forces more accountable to the communities they serve and strengthen the relationship between officers and the public.
Police Oracle
Labels:
bandwagon,
BNP,
British National Party,
elected commissioner
BNP says election campaign cost under £30,000
Clive Jefferson, the BNP’s moronic national treasurer and elections officerWhen the BNP launched its general election campaign fund on 10 April, it claimed it had already raised £275,000 towards the £455,000 cost of its campaign, and had paid £100,000 towards the £150,000 cost of printing 15 million leaflets “specially designed by industry experts to ensure maximum response and impact”. Either that statement or the party’s election expenses return – or both – must be untrue.
People who responded to the party’s appeals to “to save the country that our War Heroes fought and died for” by helping “the BNP get elected to local councils and to Parliament” must be wondering where their donations went.
The BNP has also breached electoral law by not having its expenses return audited. Parties that spent more than £250,000 on last year’s European election and the general election combined were required to submit an audited account. The BNP’s return showed expenditure of £313,217 on the two elections, but the box for the auditor’s name and address was blank.
Another unlikely element of the return, which was signed by Clive Jefferson, the BNP’s moronic national treasurer and elections officer, is the nil figure for unpaid invoices, despite revelations by former BNP officers that the party owes printers and other businesses large sums of money. Eddy Butler, who unsuccessfully challenged Griffin for the BNP leadership in summer, commented today that several of the invoices included in the return were unpaid.
Most of the claimed expenditure of £29,460 went on leaflets and newspapers, with only £562 devoted to the BNP’s television broadcast. No wonder it was so awful. The return also shows nothing spent on advertising. Yet on 30 April Nick Griffin, the BNP leader, appealed for donations to pay for newspaper advertisements in “working class target areas” in the final days of the campaign.
Another surprising revelation is that Sentinel Publications Limited spent nothing on the election campaign. Adam Walker, the BNP’s staff manager, registered the company as a third party campaigner for the election and BNP members distributed a nasty 12-page antisemitic newspaper in Barking and Dagenham that bore the company’s imprint. Butler recently described it as a “ridiculous anti-Hodge newspaper” and said party activists had to use “black marker pens to cross out an anti-Jewish remark”.
Even if Sentinel Publications Limited persuaded a printer to produce it for nothing, the value of the “notional expenditure” should have been declared.
Meanwhile Griffin has announced that he is to launch legal action to have the “Barking and Dagenham” election result overturned, claiming that Margaret Hodge, the Labour victor, lied during the campaign. Griffin stood against Hodge in Barking in the general election, but now reveals he was so much of an outsider that he does not even know the constituency name.
Griffin’s complaint follows the broadcast of the Channel 4 documentary The Battle for Barking on 30 November in which Hodge was recorded telling a public meeting that the BNP wants non-white people expelled from the country, dropped from an aeroplane or helicopter and left in the sea.
Over the past year Griffin has bankrupted the BNP through a series of reckless legal actions. He appears set on pursuing more of the same.
Hope not hate
December 02, 2010
Far-right group's meeting cancelled by pub
A pub landlord has shut the door on the English Defence League after they hired out a function room under a different name.
The Kent branch of the EDL – a far-right group set up last year to oppose the spread of Islamic extremism across the country - had made plans to hold a meeting at O'Connells, Chatham, at 8pm tonight.
Labour councillor Vince Maple, who actively campaigns for the Love Music Hate Racism campaign, said the pub had now cancelled the booking.
"I have spoken to pub and police and they confirmed, unsurprisingly, that the room was booked in a different name and the pub had no idea the EDL were planning to use their venue. They have now confirmed there will be no meeting of any description tomorrow."
Chief Inspector Peter de Lozey added: "Kent police in Medway have been made aware that there is information circulating that the English Defence League plan to hold a meeting tonight at a public house in Medway. We have spoken with the licensee of the pub in question and have been advised that the meeting will not be going ahead."
Kent News
The Kent branch of the EDL – a far-right group set up last year to oppose the spread of Islamic extremism across the country - had made plans to hold a meeting at O'Connells, Chatham, at 8pm tonight.
Labour councillor Vince Maple, who actively campaigns for the Love Music Hate Racism campaign, said the pub had now cancelled the booking.
"I have spoken to pub and police and they confirmed, unsurprisingly, that the room was booked in a different name and the pub had no idea the EDL were planning to use their venue. They have now confirmed there will be no meeting of any description tomorrow."
Chief Inspector Peter de Lozey added: "Kent police in Medway have been made aware that there is information circulating that the English Defence League plan to hold a meeting tonight at a public house in Medway. We have spoken with the licensee of the pub in question and have been advised that the meeting will not be going ahead."
Kent News
Labels:
EDL,
English Defence League,
far-right,
Love Music Hate Racism
December 01, 2010
"The Battle for Barking": A Complaint
So. We've all seen it now. Was Cyclops treated unfairly?
To: Ofcom / Audience Complaints Department
Dear Sir,
I wish to register my complaint about the wholly biased, partisan and unpatriotic documentary “The Battle of Barking” broadcast on More 4 at 10pm on Tuesday November 30th.
When I was initially approached by the Production Company, Dartmouth Films, with a view to allowing television access to the British National Party's finely-honed election organisation, I was assured that any resulting film would be fair and unbiased.
How wrong I was!
My complaints are as follows:
1) Although the clear favourite to win the Election, I was repeatedly undermined in the film by unfavourable comparison to my rival, Mrs Margaret Hodge. For example, I was described as “Chairman of the BNP”, while she was repeatedly given the attribution “MP for Barking”. I was also, incidentally, described as someone who had previously shown no commitment to Barking, while Mrs Hodge was allowed to make an entirely unjustified claim to somehow “care” about the constituency on the spurious grounds that she has somehow “represented” it since 1994.
2) At one point in the (so-called!!) “documentary”, the highly respected local politician, elder statesman and scion of the London BNP, Mr Bob Bailey, is portrayed as someone who would beat an opponent to the ground and kick him repeatedly while he was down. I ask you, in all seriousness: If a similarly senior politician from the Labour Party – say Mrs Hodge, or John Prescott - had thrown a punch during an election campaign, do you think the Mainstream Media Elite would have shown any interest whatsoever? Of course they wouldn't – it would be swept under the carpet and conveniently forgotten about!!
3) Although the British National Party, as any fool can see, triumphed in Barking and Dagenham, and emerged from the fight fitter, wealthier, bigger and more beloved than ever before, this tissue-of-falsehoods-masquerading-as-fact has chosen instead to concentrate on a few selective (so-called!!) “facts” such as my failing to win our best chance of a Parliamentary seat, and our losing every one of our Borough Councillors in the Ward. No. Instead, the (so-called!!) “filmmaker” (a certain Laura Fairrie – who certainly seemed to be telling a “Fairrie-Tale” here!!) made the somewhat bizarre editorial decision to concentrate on Mrs Hodge's “winning” the Seat. Something I suspect will have been of very little interest to her Viewers!!
4) A Mr Richard Barnbrook is shown claiming to somehow “represent” the BNP in Barking and Dagenham. As even the most cursory reading of our Party's recent history will tell you, Mr Barnbrook is, in the opinion of many, a drunken, mentally-deranged, traitorous fifth columnist long known to have been in the pay of the secretive and all-powerful Searchlight Cult. I hardly think it likely that a sagacious and vigilant Leader such as myself would ever have allowed a dangerous lunatic like that within a day's march of our party. To suggest otherwise is clearly misrepresentation.
5) The Eating. I am portrayed, more often than not, as someone who eats all the time. I am constantly portrayed, in the (so-called!!) “Film” as tucking into enormous plates of cake, bacon cobs and assorted comfort food. As anyone who spends any amount of time with me at all will know, there are, in fact, several minutes each week when I am not eating. Did Ms Fairrie choose to show this? She did not!!
6) Repeatedly, I am shown as a somewhat lonely, even pathetic figure. Such a portrayal is nothing but pure fiction! In fact, it can be noted that, throughout our enormously successful and ultimately triumphant Campaign, I was surrounded by close allies and firm, lifelong friends: Eddie Butler, Lawrence Rustem, Charlotte Lewis, Michael Barnbrook, Simon Darby and many, many others. All of whom continue to regard me as a dear, dear friend and mentor.
These, then, are my complaints. I trust you will investigate and swiftly find in my favour. I look forward to being awarded a substantial sum by way of compensation.
Cash would be handy.
Yours Sincerely...
To: Ofcom / Audience Complaints Department
Dear Sir,
I wish to register my complaint about the wholly biased, partisan and unpatriotic documentary “The Battle of Barking” broadcast on More 4 at 10pm on Tuesday November 30th.
When I was initially approached by the Production Company, Dartmouth Films, with a view to allowing television access to the British National Party's finely-honed election organisation, I was assured that any resulting film would be fair and unbiased.
How wrong I was!
My complaints are as follows:
1) Although the clear favourite to win the Election, I was repeatedly undermined in the film by unfavourable comparison to my rival, Mrs Margaret Hodge. For example, I was described as “Chairman of the BNP”, while she was repeatedly given the attribution “MP for Barking”. I was also, incidentally, described as someone who had previously shown no commitment to Barking, while Mrs Hodge was allowed to make an entirely unjustified claim to somehow “care” about the constituency on the spurious grounds that she has somehow “represented” it since 1994.
2) At one point in the (so-called!!) “documentary”, the highly respected local politician, elder statesman and scion of the London BNP, Mr Bob Bailey, is portrayed as someone who would beat an opponent to the ground and kick him repeatedly while he was down. I ask you, in all seriousness: If a similarly senior politician from the Labour Party – say Mrs Hodge, or John Prescott - had thrown a punch during an election campaign, do you think the Mainstream Media Elite would have shown any interest whatsoever? Of course they wouldn't – it would be swept under the carpet and conveniently forgotten about!!
3) Although the British National Party, as any fool can see, triumphed in Barking and Dagenham, and emerged from the fight fitter, wealthier, bigger and more beloved than ever before, this tissue-of-falsehoods-masquerading-as-fact has chosen instead to concentrate on a few selective (so-called!!) “facts” such as my failing to win our best chance of a Parliamentary seat, and our losing every one of our Borough Councillors in the Ward. No. Instead, the (so-called!!) “filmmaker” (a certain Laura Fairrie – who certainly seemed to be telling a “Fairrie-Tale” here!!) made the somewhat bizarre editorial decision to concentrate on Mrs Hodge's “winning” the Seat. Something I suspect will have been of very little interest to her Viewers!!
4) A Mr Richard Barnbrook is shown claiming to somehow “represent” the BNP in Barking and Dagenham. As even the most cursory reading of our Party's recent history will tell you, Mr Barnbrook is, in the opinion of many, a drunken, mentally-deranged, traitorous fifth columnist long known to have been in the pay of the secretive and all-powerful Searchlight Cult. I hardly think it likely that a sagacious and vigilant Leader such as myself would ever have allowed a dangerous lunatic like that within a day's march of our party. To suggest otherwise is clearly misrepresentation.
5) The Eating. I am portrayed, more often than not, as someone who eats all the time. I am constantly portrayed, in the (so-called!!) “Film” as tucking into enormous plates of cake, bacon cobs and assorted comfort food. As anyone who spends any amount of time with me at all will know, there are, in fact, several minutes each week when I am not eating. Did Ms Fairrie choose to show this? She did not!!
6) Repeatedly, I am shown as a somewhat lonely, even pathetic figure. Such a portrayal is nothing but pure fiction! In fact, it can be noted that, throughout our enormously successful and ultimately triumphant Campaign, I was surrounded by close allies and firm, lifelong friends: Eddie Butler, Lawrence Rustem, Charlotte Lewis, Michael Barnbrook, Simon Darby and many, many others. All of whom continue to regard me as a dear, dear friend and mentor.
These, then, are my complaints. I trust you will investigate and swiftly find in my favour. I look forward to being awarded a substantial sum by way of compensation.
Cash would be handy.
Yours Sincerely...
Labels:
Barking and Dagenham,
Margaret Hodge,
Nick Griffin
New BNP appointments will not stop party sinking
Disillusioned British National Party activists are ignoring most council by-elections and achieving little in the few places they do stand. In October the party fought just two by-elections, obtaining 6.2% and 2.9%.
The party did relatively better with 9.3% in a Walsall by-election on 11 November, but the following week Peter Tierney, who recently completed a sentence of 100 hours of unpaid work for a violent assault, managed only 4.7% for the BNP in Croxteth ward, Liverpool.
With little else to do, BNP activists continue to set up stalls in town centres to gather signatures for its supposed “Bring our boys home” petition, in reality the party’s autumn recruitment drive, as its leader Nick Griffin openly admitted. So far there has been no sign of the campaign moving on to its next stage, which was to include a “whirlwind tour” of the UK by the party’s misnamed “Truth Truck” advertising lorry and a mail shot to “opinion formers” with a special “Bring Our Boys Home” brochure. One can only assume that Griffin’s appeal early in October for £22,000 to fund these activities was either a sham or a failure.
Instead, the BNP leadership is busily shuffling the deck chairs before the party ship sinks and filling posts vacated by the large number of officers who have left or been pushed out. Last month Griffin, an MEP for North West England who made himself London regional organiser in August on the basis that “I pass by while on the way to Europe anyway”, appointed Steve Squire as deputy organiser in the capital.
However, Griffin accident-ally revealed his true plans on Twitter: “He’s now deputy RO but I hope to confirm him as full one in January. In meantime, treat him as being in charge”. Bob Bailey, well known drunk and failed BNP councillor, is the party’s new London elections officer.
Unimpressive
Squire comes with an unimpressive track record. In the council elections in May he stood in Enfield Lock and came tenth out of ten candidates with 6.3%.
In the BNP’s Eastern Region Pat Richardson, the party’s last representative on Epping Forest district council, was appointed membership secretary at her first regional council meeting, which she attended with Rod “Mr Angry” Law, a Loughton town councillor.
Also in a new role is Kieren Trent as Eastern regional press officer. Trent was one of a group of BNP activists who helped Bailey attack three young Asians in Barking and Dagenham just before polling day last May. BBC video footage showed a clearly visible Trent landing blows and kicks to someone on the ground. No charges were brought.
In North Wales a new organiser and fundholder (treasurer) relaunched the party’s Wrexham branch just six months before the Welsh Assembly elections next May. In 2007 the BNP came within 2,580 votes of winning a seat in North Wales in the regional list part of the election, which is fought under proportional representation. Lack of funds and a haemorrhaging membership will make it hard for the party to improve on that result.
Meanwhile Griffin has launched yet another appeal for donations to continue his legal battle with the Equality and Human Rights Commission over whether the party had complied with a court order in March to remove racially discriminatory clauses from the party’s constitution. Griffin absented himself from a High Court hearing on 8 and 9 November after being admitted to hospital with suspected kidney stones, though recovered rapidly to join a large BNP group on a two-night trip to Belgium for Armistice Day.
“Simply lying”
His current barrister, David Reade QC, argued that there was no case for the party to answer as the court order was ambiguous. Robin Allen QC, appearing for the EHRC, accused Griffin of “simply lying” when he said he did not know the terms of the order. He described Griffin as a “persistent offender” who had repeatedly failed to comply with various orders to change the constitution.
Judgement was reserved and there will now be a further two-day hearing in December. If the BNP loses, it is likely to face crippling legal costs, adding to its debts, which are believed to be at least £600,000 so far.
It would appear, however, that Griffin has given up the fight in his failing legal action against four former BNP employees who rebelled against the party leadership in December 2007. His withdrawal from the case against Steve Blake, Kenny and Nicholla Smith and Ian Dawson is expected to leave the party with tens of thousands of pounds in legal costs. The BNP has still not paid the substantial settlement it agreed with Michaela Mackenzie in front of an Employment Tribunal in June.
One piece of better news for the beleaguered party leader is the return to the fold of Richard Edmonds. Griffin booted the veteran nazi off the BNP’s Advisory Council in summer after he revealed the huge sum – £160,000 a year – that the party was paying its unpopular management and fundraising consultant James Dowson.
Edmonds was refused entry to a BNP meeting in Dagenham, east London, in August and in September attended a “Reform Group” conference held by Eddy Butler, the unsuccessful challenger to Griffin’s leadership. But by November Edmonds was the guest speaker at a BNP meeting in Somerset where he urged: “Everyone needs to support the BNP as Britain needs it more than ever and before it’s too late”.
Griffin needs all the support he can get, even that of an old Holocaust denier, and has presumably forgiven Edmonds’s indiscretion since his own big fallout with Dowson, which has meant a rapid exit of the party’s call centre out of Belfast to Nuneaton. Griffin’s closest henchmen are constantly bickering with each other as Clive Jefferson, promoted far beyond his capabilities, struggles to carry out his myriad party roles.
Andrew Brons, Griffin’s fellow MEP, continues to employ Butler on his European Parliamentary staff, while Butler sits on the sidelines exposing and attacking Griffin’s mismanagement of the party. Brons has recently been running a “consultation” on possible changes to the BNP constitution, to which Butler has contributed at length. Brons has put forward options for “fairly modest reforms” and “more far reaching reforms”, but it is not clear whether the proposals will ever be put to the members or whether the exercise is designed only to give the appearance of democracy in the fascist party.
No impact
Although Butler maintains his belief that the BNP can be rescued from Griffin’s deathly grasp, some of his erstwhile supporters launched a new rival party at the end of October. The British Freedom Party has made no impact so far and has distinguished itself only by appointing its second national treasurer in less than a month. John Savage, about whom the BFP boasted it was “probably the first time in decades a nationalist party has a qualified accountant as its treasurer”, resigned “during the early hours” of 6 November after an intem-perate article by Lee Barnes appeared on the BFP website.
Barnes had advocated hanging Abu Hamza, whereas Savage pointed out that under British law he first had to be tried by a court and found guilty. Unlike others in the BFP who are “spellbound” by Barnes, Savage instantly recognised him for the lunatic he is.
“For some strange reason which I am unable to quite fathom,” wrote Savage, “Mr Barnes, who has never joined the British Freedom Party, seems to have a great deal of dominant influence and hold over my former colleagues in the party. However … arguing with him is like trying to push back a tornado with one’s hands. He will not give any quarter nor listen to any other viewpoint or argument other than his own …
“I regret that the British Freedom Party is not at all the party I thought I was involved with in setting up. Mr Barnes seems to have now ensconced himself so deeply into it that no other opinion is possible.”
In true fascist tradition the BFP quickly wrote Savage out of its short history. An announcement praising the appointment of its new treasurer Michelle Marshall, not an accountant but a former assistant adjutant in the Royal Air Force, made no reference to her predecessor.
Sonia Gable in Searchlight
The party did relatively better with 9.3% in a Walsall by-election on 11 November, but the following week Peter Tierney, who recently completed a sentence of 100 hours of unpaid work for a violent assault, managed only 4.7% for the BNP in Croxteth ward, Liverpool.
With little else to do, BNP activists continue to set up stalls in town centres to gather signatures for its supposed “Bring our boys home” petition, in reality the party’s autumn recruitment drive, as its leader Nick Griffin openly admitted. So far there has been no sign of the campaign moving on to its next stage, which was to include a “whirlwind tour” of the UK by the party’s misnamed “Truth Truck” advertising lorry and a mail shot to “opinion formers” with a special “Bring Our Boys Home” brochure. One can only assume that Griffin’s appeal early in October for £22,000 to fund these activities was either a sham or a failure.
Instead, the BNP leadership is busily shuffling the deck chairs before the party ship sinks and filling posts vacated by the large number of officers who have left or been pushed out. Last month Griffin, an MEP for North West England who made himself London regional organiser in August on the basis that “I pass by while on the way to Europe anyway”, appointed Steve Squire as deputy organiser in the capital.
However, Griffin accident-ally revealed his true plans on Twitter: “He’s now deputy RO but I hope to confirm him as full one in January. In meantime, treat him as being in charge”. Bob Bailey, well known drunk and failed BNP councillor, is the party’s new London elections officer.
Unimpressive
Squire comes with an unimpressive track record. In the council elections in May he stood in Enfield Lock and came tenth out of ten candidates with 6.3%.
In the BNP’s Eastern Region Pat Richardson, the party’s last representative on Epping Forest district council, was appointed membership secretary at her first regional council meeting, which she attended with Rod “Mr Angry” Law, a Loughton town councillor.
Also in a new role is Kieren Trent as Eastern regional press officer. Trent was one of a group of BNP activists who helped Bailey attack three young Asians in Barking and Dagenham just before polling day last May. BBC video footage showed a clearly visible Trent landing blows and kicks to someone on the ground. No charges were brought.
In North Wales a new organiser and fundholder (treasurer) relaunched the party’s Wrexham branch just six months before the Welsh Assembly elections next May. In 2007 the BNP came within 2,580 votes of winning a seat in North Wales in the regional list part of the election, which is fought under proportional representation. Lack of funds and a haemorrhaging membership will make it hard for the party to improve on that result.
Meanwhile Griffin has launched yet another appeal for donations to continue his legal battle with the Equality and Human Rights Commission over whether the party had complied with a court order in March to remove racially discriminatory clauses from the party’s constitution. Griffin absented himself from a High Court hearing on 8 and 9 November after being admitted to hospital with suspected kidney stones, though recovered rapidly to join a large BNP group on a two-night trip to Belgium for Armistice Day.
“Simply lying”
His current barrister, David Reade QC, argued that there was no case for the party to answer as the court order was ambiguous. Robin Allen QC, appearing for the EHRC, accused Griffin of “simply lying” when he said he did not know the terms of the order. He described Griffin as a “persistent offender” who had repeatedly failed to comply with various orders to change the constitution.
Judgement was reserved and there will now be a further two-day hearing in December. If the BNP loses, it is likely to face crippling legal costs, adding to its debts, which are believed to be at least £600,000 so far.
It would appear, however, that Griffin has given up the fight in his failing legal action against four former BNP employees who rebelled against the party leadership in December 2007. His withdrawal from the case against Steve Blake, Kenny and Nicholla Smith and Ian Dawson is expected to leave the party with tens of thousands of pounds in legal costs. The BNP has still not paid the substantial settlement it agreed with Michaela Mackenzie in front of an Employment Tribunal in June.
One piece of better news for the beleaguered party leader is the return to the fold of Richard Edmonds. Griffin booted the veteran nazi off the BNP’s Advisory Council in summer after he revealed the huge sum – £160,000 a year – that the party was paying its unpopular management and fundraising consultant James Dowson.
Edmonds was refused entry to a BNP meeting in Dagenham, east London, in August and in September attended a “Reform Group” conference held by Eddy Butler, the unsuccessful challenger to Griffin’s leadership. But by November Edmonds was the guest speaker at a BNP meeting in Somerset where he urged: “Everyone needs to support the BNP as Britain needs it more than ever and before it’s too late”.
Griffin needs all the support he can get, even that of an old Holocaust denier, and has presumably forgiven Edmonds’s indiscretion since his own big fallout with Dowson, which has meant a rapid exit of the party’s call centre out of Belfast to Nuneaton. Griffin’s closest henchmen are constantly bickering with each other as Clive Jefferson, promoted far beyond his capabilities, struggles to carry out his myriad party roles.
Andrew Brons, Griffin’s fellow MEP, continues to employ Butler on his European Parliamentary staff, while Butler sits on the sidelines exposing and attacking Griffin’s mismanagement of the party. Brons has recently been running a “consultation” on possible changes to the BNP constitution, to which Butler has contributed at length. Brons has put forward options for “fairly modest reforms” and “more far reaching reforms”, but it is not clear whether the proposals will ever be put to the members or whether the exercise is designed only to give the appearance of democracy in the fascist party.
No impact
Although Butler maintains his belief that the BNP can be rescued from Griffin’s deathly grasp, some of his erstwhile supporters launched a new rival party at the end of October. The British Freedom Party has made no impact so far and has distinguished itself only by appointing its second national treasurer in less than a month. John Savage, about whom the BFP boasted it was “probably the first time in decades a nationalist party has a qualified accountant as its treasurer”, resigned “during the early hours” of 6 November after an intem-perate article by Lee Barnes appeared on the BFP website.
Barnes had advocated hanging Abu Hamza, whereas Savage pointed out that under British law he first had to be tried by a court and found guilty. Unlike others in the BFP who are “spellbound” by Barnes, Savage instantly recognised him for the lunatic he is.
“For some strange reason which I am unable to quite fathom,” wrote Savage, “Mr Barnes, who has never joined the British Freedom Party, seems to have a great deal of dominant influence and hold over my former colleagues in the party. However … arguing with him is like trying to push back a tornado with one’s hands. He will not give any quarter nor listen to any other viewpoint or argument other than his own …
“I regret that the British Freedom Party is not at all the party I thought I was involved with in setting up. Mr Barnes seems to have now ensconced himself so deeply into it that no other opinion is possible.”
In true fascist tradition the BFP quickly wrote Savage out of its short history. An announcement praising the appointment of its new treasurer Michelle Marshall, not an accountant but a former assistant adjutant in the Royal Air Force, made no reference to her predecessor.
Sonia Gable in Searchlight
Labels:
BNP,
Eddy Butler,
Lee Barnes,
Nick Griffin,
Richard Barnbrook
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