Veteran robbed of his medals on Armistice Day accuses BNP of hijacking his ordeal for their own gain

George Gill claims his image and quotes were used without permission

George Gill did not give permission to the BNP to use his image or his quote, and had no idea he was the subject of a recruitment poster, calling it "disgusting" (BNP)

An army veteran who was attacked in the street and robbed of his medals on Armistice Day has claimed the British National Party has hijacked his ordeal for the party’s own gain.

George Gill, 69, was attacked while walking through Lund Park in Keighley, West Yorkshire, on Tuesday, when he was walking to a Remembrance Day service.

The group of youths, described by police as “Asian”, stripped him of his beret and his poppy and stole his medals in the attack.

Two males, one aged 15 and one 16, have since been arrested on suspicion of robbery by West Yorkshire police and released on bail.

But since the attack, Mr Gill’s image and his story has been used by the BNP to form a recruitment poster for the party.

The poster then reads “Enough is enough” with a call for people to join the party.

Mr Gill had spoken to local media about his attack but claims not to have spoken to the BNP about his ordeal.

He told Keighly News that he knew nothing about the poster “at all”, calling the use of his image and story “shameful”.

“They are wrong to do it. It they are trying to stir up trouble, it is wrong. I don’t want anything to do with it. It causes so much friction,” he told the paper.

Simon Darby, a spokesperson for the BNP told the paper that the party may well have spoken to the veteran.

He said: “We stand by it. Someone needs to campaign for him and stand by him,” adding that several organisations had used Mr Gill’s picture.