UNCOVERED - The BNP democracy and elections

The British National Party claims to favour a democracy. Indeed they see themselves as its only advocates in a system where it is in tatters. Another lie. Over the years a number of BNP leaders have given us an insight into their idea of democracy.

John Tyndall, who founded the BNP, once said, “with the numbers of murderous asocials and perverts on the increase, as a result of our sick society, there will be an unanswerable case when the day for the great clean up comes, to implement the final solution against these sub-human elements by means of the gas chambers” (Spearhead 1965).

In 1976, Tyndall told the East London Advertiser, “When we get to power our opponents will be swept away like flies”.

Current leader Nick Griffin told Wales on Sunday in 1997, “The politicians, those in charge of the mass media, police chiefs and others responsible for creating this multi-racial hell hole must face trial and pay the ultimate penalty”.

Griffin’s contempt for the political process was evident when he told supporters in 1996 that the BNP needed to be seen as “a strong, disciplined organisation with the ability to back up its slogan, ‘Defend Rights for Whites’, with well directed boots and fists. When the crunch comes, power is the product of force and will, not of rational debate”.

He went on to add, “It is more important to control the streets of a city than its council chamber. If that is the sort of ‘unreasonable’ attitude that journalists and opponents try to use against us at election times, it shouldn’t bother us”.

The BNP’s scorn for democracy is clear through its disregard for election rules.

In May 2002 one of its candidates in Sunderland stood for election despite having a recent conviction for fraud which disbarred him from standing

In May 2001, six BNP council candidates in Burnley were excluded after it was discovered that several of the people who were supposed to have signed the nomination papers denied doing so.

Deception also played a role in a council by-election in Three Rivers, Hertfordshire in November 2000. Several people who signed the form nominating BNP member Ian Edwards later complained that they were unaware of what they were signing. This included an 80-year-old Labour Party member.

In 2000, BNP member John Haycock was elected unopposed to a parish council in Bromyard. He was sacked from the council nine months later for non-attendance. More contempt for democracy.

Colin Smith, a key member of the BNP gave an address in Beckton, despite actually living in Bexleyheath. In May 1998, Smith stood in two local council elections simultaneously, using separate addresses to meet the residence requirement in each case.

During the passage through Parliament of the Representation of the People act 2000, Home Secretary Jack Straw specifically noted the BNP abuse in his speech introducing the Bill.

In the House of Commons 50 MPs signed an Early Day Motion condemning the BNP’s actions. It read, “This house deplores the unlawful action of the racist and fascist British National Party in once again breaching the Representation of the People Act”.

One candidate, Paul Henderson, stood under a false name. In Scotland, where the BNP fielded eight candidates, seven were not living at the addresses given on their nomination forms.

In the June 1999 elections, the BNP lied and cheated its way to a five-minute party political broadcast and the free delivery of 15 million leaflets by the Royal Mail. As many as 15 BNP candidates, out of a total of 79, gave false addressed on their nomination forms.

The BNP use dirty tricks. In November 2002 they secured their fourth councillor when Robin Evans won Mill Hill ward in Blackburn. Their campaign was based on deception and lies. In one leaflet a picture of Finsbury Park mosque was printed, with a caption stating that Muslims there celebrated the September 11th attacks. It neglected to tell voters that this mosque was in London.

Another ludicrous claim – that Asians were likely to become the majority in Blackburn within 10 years – was aimed at stoking up fear based on misinformation. In fact the non-white population stands at one-fifth in the town.

Forgery was even attempted when the BNP produced a leaflet purporting to come from the Liberal Democrats. Under the title “Caring for Ethnic Minorities” the leaflet urged people to vote Lib Dem if they wanted more money spent on Asians and asylum seekers. The leaflet is now under police investigation. A similar dirty tricks campaign was used in the Mixenden by-election in Halifax.

Even when the BNP do manage to take a seat on the council, their disrespect for the political process is obvious. In Halifax and Burnley, BNP councillors failed to attend the crucial budget meeting that sets council tax and spending for the coming year. This was in spite of promising voters that they would fight for tax cuts. In Burnley, all three councillors were absent from the most important meeting of the year.

These facts prove the BNP’s total disregard for democracy. Democracy would, after all, be swept away if the BNP ever gained power.

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