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DeliciousPolice act over BNP membership list
Wednesday, November 19, 2008Police, teachers, paratroopers, guards, royal marines, district nurses, librarians and clergymen are among the 12,000 or so members of the British National Party whose details have been revealed in an internet blog by a disgruntled former employee of the party.
And it is to the police that the BNP has turned to carry out a full investigation into the matter.
Party leader Nick Griffin said: "We'll be asking the police to investigate. Having spent a lot of money to secure our members' privacy we are disappointed that it's been breached."
The police themselves have called in independent investigators to look into claims that a serving officer is on the list.
The Association of Chief Police Officers’ workforce development spokesman Peter Fahy said: "Membership or promotion of the BNP by any member of the police service, whether police officer or police staff, is prohibited. This is because such membership would be incompatible with our duty to promote equality under the Race Relations Amendment Act and would damage the confidence of minority communities. While the policy may have been controversial at the time it was enacted, in 2004, it has since been accepted by all staff and staff associations and remains unchallenged thus far."
The list, which included home addresses, telephone numbers, employment details and hobbies (including steam railways, line-dancing, paganism and witchcraft), has been removed from the original blog but is available on other websites. Some BNP members are said to be worried that they could lose their jobs or face other reprisals. Some people have claimed that their names have been added to the list incorrectly out of malice.
BNP deputy leader Simon Darby said publication of the list by the party’s opponents was "a compliment, a sign of how worried people are about how well we're doing".
Whatever happened to democracy? I don't support racism but if the BNP stands for patriotism then perhaps members are in it for that?
Publishing this data is like witch-hunting and I thought/hoped the UK had moved on from persecution tactics. Whatever next? Stoning? Sending BNP members to the lions?
R Melville - Dorchester
The autonomous Trade Union Solidarity is concerned by the hysteria stoked up by sections of the media over the leak of a BNP membership list. Reports that such members were "living in fear" and that they "faced the sack from their jobs" amount to victimisation.
General Secretary of Solidarity Patrick Harrington said: "These individuals have the same employment and human rights as everyone else, namely not to be discriminated against. As a Trade Union we don't discriminate on political grounds and have members of different parties or nonel. We offer advice and represent them all at various levels.
"Anyone named on this list who is concerned that they may be harassed by their employer should contact us. Our Union has decided to extend immediate protection to anyone joining now without any qualification period. We will defend your rights if you encounter any difficulty. We warn Bosses that any illegal actions against a member of our Union on grounds of their political views or association will get an immediate and effective response from our Brotherhood. We believe the legal position is clear."
Jeannie Trueman - Solidarity Trade Union
I think that the ban by the Police and Prison Service on membership of the BNP is illegal. Under the European Convention they have the right to freedom of association unless it can be shown that it is both necessary to our democracy and a proportionate response to ban them. At the very least that is very questionable and should be tested in Court. Well done to Pat Harrington for defending Human Rights for all (even members of the BNP!).
Colin Drakemore - Belfast
Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights guarantees freedom of belief. Our country signed it and incorporated the principles in it into our own law. As Pacifism (Arrowsmith v. United Kingdom, 1978), Veganism (H v UK, 1993) and anti-abortionism (Knudsen v Norway,1986) have been ruled to come under it I don't see how being a member of the BNP wouldn't. I think that the Police ban breaches Article 9.
Pat Harrington - Edinburgh
The shocking truth is that under "New Labour" (old Labour re invented to gain power at any price....and comprised of some ex members of the Communist/Marxist parties)) the ordinary everyday man and woman, the young and the old, are having their civil rights eroded by stealth. We live in a democracy...it is the right of any person to belong to a legitimate political party in the UK without fear of persecution. I would love to see someone take ACPO on in respect of this "illegal" nonsense. How can we promote equality when the rights of the white majority are being deliberately ignored? surely ACPO have missed the point?
michael Pierce - UK
"Membership or promotion of the BNP by any member of the police service, whether police officer or police staff, is prohibited. This is because such membership would be incompatible with our duty to promote equality under the Race Relations Amendment Act and would damage the confidence of minority communities." so said Peter Fahy for ACPO. Yet the Police Service openly support and put their official seal of approval on such discriminatory organisations as The Black Police Officers Association and The Lesbian and Gay Police Officers Association. Surely, if membership of the BNP is prohibited for the reasons stated by ACPO then membership of any association that has its' membership decided by their ethnic or sexual orientations should also be prohibited for the same reason. What is politically acceptable on the one hand should also be extended to all members of the Police Service, staff or police officer.
J Morris - United Kingdom