BNP may have to admit black and Asian members after court challenge
Griffin agrees to change far-right party's membership rules. Robert Verkaik reports
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Black and Asian Britons must be allowed to join the British National Party (BNP), it was claimed yesterday, after the far-right organisation caved in to legal action and agreed to change its membership rules.
The climbdown follows court proceedings brought by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which accused the BNP of having a constitution that discriminated against racial and religious groups.
In an order issued at the Central London county court, the BNP agreed to use "all reasonable endeavours" to revise its constitution so it did not unlawfully discriminate against sections of British society.
The decision could expose deep divisions in the party when its leader, Nick Griffin, tries to persuade the ultra-extremist sections of his organisation of the wisdom of the settlement.
Yesterday, the BNP claimed that its decision to consult on changing its constitution had meant it had "outflanked" the EHRC. In a statement issued last night, it accused the EHRC of acting "maliciously" by attempting to bankrupt the organisation with court costs. The proposals go before an emergency general party meeting next month.
John Wadham, the head of legal affairs at the EHRC, said yesterday: "We are pleased the party has conceded this case and agreed to all of the Commission requirements. Political parties, like any other organisation, are obliged to respect the law and not discriminate against people.
"It is unfortunate the BNP spent several months before conceding and dealing properly with our legal requirements. We will be monitoring the BNP's compliance with this court order on membership, and its other legal obligations, including to its constituents."
But Shami Chakrabarti, the director of the human rights group Liberty, said: "A shiny new constitution does not a democratic party make. It would be a pyrrhic victory, to say the least, if anyone thought that giving the BNP a facelift would make the slightest difference to a body with so much racism and hatred pumping through its veins."
Commenting on the decision, the Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said: "Even if the BNP complies with this judgement, its unpleasant, intolerant and racist objectives will remain. The BNP will continue to peddle hatred and fear." Richard Barnbrook, the BNP representative on the London Assembly, said he believed party members would vote in favour of a reformed constitution.
He said: "I believe the vote will go for yes, the first reason being that trying to fight this court case would bankrupt the party, and we have more important issues to deal with, including elections."
The BNP has also agreed in the settlement to freeze its membership list until the changes have been made.
The EHRC has a statutory duty, under the Equality Act 2006 to enforce the provisions of the act and to work towards eliminating unlawful discrimination. This duty includes preventing discrimination by political parties.
The Commission sent a letter to the BNP on 22 June setting out its concerns about the party's constitution and membership criteria, which appear to restrict membership to those within what the BNP regards as particular "ethnic groups" and those whose skin colour is white.
This exclusion is contrary to the Race Relations Act, with which the party is legally obliged to comply.
In its letter, the Commission asked the BNP to provide written undertakings that it would amend its constitution and membership criteria to ensure it did not discriminate against potential members on racial grounds.
Following the BNP's failure to comply with these requirements, on 24 August the Commission issued county court proceedings against Nick Griffin and two other party officials, Simon Darby and Tanya Jane Lumby. The court heard Mr Griffin would be given 10 days to submit a signed undertaking confirming the proposed changes. The case was adjourned until 28 January.
Outlawed: The BNP constitution
The British National Party has given an undertaking to change its membership rules to allow non-whites to join.
According to the BNP's constitution, which has now been suspended, membership was restricted to people derived from "Indigenous Caucasian" stock. Those who qualified as being from "indigenous British ethnic groups" included the "Anglo-Saxon folk community" and the "Celtic Scottish folk community".
A revised constitution is to be presented to members next month.
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Comments
More than you and your hatemongers, Margaret.
This doesn't stop them from still being racists but now they will be classed as closet racists and it would be harder to officialy call them racists as they could say :- We are not racists look at our new rules.
They would still use immigration and other current polices to try to win seats.
But behind closed doors and in secret meetings the BNPs core values will never change, If the courts didn't force them to accept people of colour, then they would allow people of colour in, they are and always will be racists.
Nick Griffin and BNP management think they are very clever but i know how the little racist think.
By bowing to the courts it shows how incredibly clever, flexible and dangerouse the BNP will become as now they will probably use stealth racism to get more of a political grip and if they ever got power or a majority every one knows they would drop this false cloak of not being racists. They would show their true colours probably change the laws to ban every coloured person from their ranks and they probably would repatriate british coloured people.
Thats how clever and how extremely dangerouse the racist BNP could become. They will do any thing to gain power even if that means them being hypocrits and going against their own rules and values until they get power.
No coloured person in their right mind would join the BNP.
your example of not being able to join a womens only swimming club is abit silly as you could just as well say you are being discriminated for not being able to use the womens toilets
If through growing xenophobia the BNP ever takes over the British government, one can only feel sorry for Britannnia. After Europe having had a Hitler, a Mussolini a Franco and other local fascists, people seem to have a short memory, or the young generation has to learn a bitter lesson.
Are the Scots a race, a people or a nationality? Is it wrong for them to want independence, or put Scottish interests first?
Other racial and religious groups attempt to restrict their members being involved with non-members but escape censure.
It seems that free speech and democracy are suspended when the BNP are involved!
Well, Manny, as I understand it the SNP's goal is Scottish independance, they would like Scotland to be a seperate country. Britain is already a nation.
The obvious difference is that they haven't attempted to rid Scotland of non-Scottish citizens since being elected...
there not scared to say things !! there not scared to offend people when things need to be said !!
there is not one person i know personaly who agrees with this goverments mass migration policie !!!
this country is swapped with third world and eu imagrants !
seems to me the only people who agree with it ! are people with vested intrests! orr people who are not affect by it !!
dont be scared people!! your not a racist for wantin england for english people ! that includeds second gen imagrant brits and mixed race brits to!!
To allow them to propogate their evil ideology on Question Time is scandolous.
i guess the japanese are nazis ???
and the italians ?? who have a new right wing govermant very very very tough on imagration !
facts are they are the only party who are sayin how people feel ???
and shouting nazi nazi nazi isnt goin to put people off :)
Yet of course it will make no dfference to what they preach behind closed doors, and it will be from these enclaves that the poison will continue to leak out. Then again all kinds of blocks need to be put in place to try and abate the toxic waste that comes from the BNP.
Can you explain to me how less than 3% of the popultion of this country is going to "colonise" Britain?
see its not as simplisic as this i know but to sum it up !!
a party who looks out for us the british people !
or a party who looks out for them !! cheap! third world ! work horses !! the 21st century slave trade !!
VOTE BNP !
Question 1: what kind of black, white or other-race person wants to join these nutters? Oh, sorry, I see I've answered myself.
Question 2: Does one have to be black to join the black police officers association?
The problem with the PC set and do-gooders is that they are continually finding ways to try to eliminate the English white person. The BNP will correct its constitution but no amount of threatening behaviour from the Government its affiliated puppets (IAF) or invented publicity will weaken its cause to maintain a presence in the name of indigenous British people.
"The NBPA is open to all in policing on application, there is no bar to membership based on colour."
http://www.nationalbpa.com/
This was not an Opinion but a news item and the number of postings from (clearly) members and supporters of the BNP venting their venom and hatred is very frightening. It might not be so bad if they were educated with a considered point of view. Take, for example, nomore2777. He (I presume) cannot spell, does not understand grammar or syntax, cannot even string together two sentences, he expects us to take note on his views and to act. Where was he educated, this pillar (or should that be pillock) of the community?
Clearly an alert went out to these members of the BNP to close ranks and to look at a newspaper obviously not of their usual daily digest. Verbally assault and metaphorically bash anyone not of their views. Thank God we are not face to face. But they lack the intelligence and education to conduct any form of discussion that opposes their views. Ignore them, you cannot, but do not even try to rationalise their views. I am not sure whether to criticise the editor for continuing this blog to continue or whether it should never have been allowed to happen.
On balance he/she has been correct so far. These obnoxious specimens of the BNP are showing themselves up for exactly what they are, uneducated thugs. Listen to them and remember their real positions when you next have the opportunity to vote. And, be thankful, you will still have the democratic right to exercise your right to vote. If the BNP ever got in, remember Hitler, their idol.
i dont do p.c or liberal cowardly tollerance !! i just call a spade a spade ........ and if you dont agree with me ill bash you over the head with it haha........... thats was a joke btw :P
and there we go again
'I am not sure whether to criticise the editor for continuing this blog to continue or whether it should never have been allowed to happen.'
allow what to happen ? people to have there views ???
Gotta love the British court system. Great to see those BNP *** are also subject to legislative regulatory control.
People seem to forget that Nick Griffin has pursued funding from Gaddhafi, Farrakhan and many other muslims around the world in order to create his 'pure' nation. Let us question him on why he would be willing to accept anything from people he has such a vitriolic, irrational hatred for.
Mosques do allow non-muslims to enter, providing people follow their rules. Synagogues, Gurdwaras and Mandirs do also. For example, Gurdwaras provide free meals to anybody who enters providing they cover their hair and remove their shoes, this has been a great help in many struggling communities. Do check facts before making statements people.
I would encourage people to ponder all the benefits they derive from living in a multicultural society. This is a time when we are progressively heading further towards globalisation and it is vital to the future of our great country that we adapt and stay at the forefront of technology, infrastructure and academia. We can only achieve this through utilising the best qualities of all our citizens.
Before somebody labels me as a 'liberal', know that I am totally against uncontrolled immigration. Migrants should have to prove their usefulness to the nation before we accept them, people of high value should be given priority (doctors, lawyers, professors etc.). A yearly cap on asylum seekers and refugees must be implemented so as not to strain the nation. Welfare, tax breaks, stipends and luxurious payments to the unemployed must be drastically scaled back. We cannot continue to allow people to stay at home because they have no incentive to work. These people would fill up the jobs at the lower end of the scale, reducing the market for illegal immigrants and helping to curtail immigration while reducing the unemployment rate.
The problems our nation faces lie within our own borders. There are too many people who see no reason to work and the penalties for employing illegals are not strong enough. We do not need radical overhaul of the government with a lunatic party but the progressive tightening of our welfare system and the reallocation of funds from benefits and ridiculous programs like Trident to infrastructure, education and healthcare
Help to make Great Britain, Great again. Do not get bogged down in petty arguments that belong to days gone by
what benefits ?
multiracial yes ! i agree with you on pickin the best imagrants to benifit our country best doctors professors ect ! but what we have now is a open door pyramid scheme!
and a goverment who is that scared to offend other cultures to ready to accomadate other cultures that it is destroying its own !
to scared to offend other people its alienated its own people !
other than that a agree with alot of what you said actually was a good post !
It doesn't pay to pic on Jews anymore. Whereas singling out another group really does.
We've been here before haven't we? Remember the anti-Muslim Sikhs?? Maybe they disappeared because they weren't too comfortable hanging out with their fellow voters, missing turbans and all that..