BNP to consider non-white members

[Jelakins]

Nick Griffin faced legal action over the BNP constitution



BNP leader Nick Griffin has agreed to ask his party to amend its constitution so it does not discriminate on grounds of race or religion, a court heard.

The UK's equalities watchdog had argued the BNP broke the Race Relations Act by restricting members to "indigenous Caucasian" people.

The court heard Mr Griffin had agreed to use "all reasonable endeavours" to revise its constitution.

BNP members will be presented with the changes at a meeting in November.

Mr Griffin was not at the hearing at Central London County Court on Thursday morning.

But Robin Allen QC, counsel for the commission, said Mr Griffin had agreed to present party members with a revised constitution at its general meeting next month and the party had agreed not to accept new members in the meantime.

The BNP agreed to use "all reasonable endeavours" to revise its constitution so it did not discriminate on what are termed "protected characteristics" in clause four of the Equality Bill - which include race, gender and religious belief.

But BBC correspondent Andy Tighe said it remained to be seen whether Mr Griffin could persuade his party to allow the change.

John Wadham, of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: "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."

A BNP spokesman told the BBC: "We have got to comply if we want to stay in the game. Of course it's not right, it's an infringement of our rights."

On the BNP website Mr Griffin had asked supporters to help fund the "horrendous" bills for the legal case and accused the commission of "trying to bankrupt us".


Courtesy of: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8308582.stm

[Jelakins]

Propa pissing at that report.....!!!

What - just because he wants money to pay for his court case????

[Jelakins]

And its all in the run up to this event (which I for one am eagerly looking forward to!!)

BNP leader Nick Griffin to face Bonnie Greer on Question Time



The black playwright and author Bonnie Greer is to take on the British National Party leader Nick Griffin on the BBC One programme Question Time next week.


Greer, who was born in America but became a British citizen in 1997, told The Times that she would appear on the panel on October 22. It is understood that the programme is to be recorded at the corporation’s West London headquarters.

The costs of policing the event could run to tens of thousands of pounds. Anti-fascist protesters have said that they have plans to blockade BBC Television Centre, in White City, to prevent Mr Griffin from entering the building.

The local authority, Hammersmith & Fulham Council, has told the corporation that either the Metropolitan Police or the BBC should pick up the bill for security. Corporation sources were adamant that it would not spend the licence fee on policing, saying that it was a matter for the Met.

Greer, 60, will be joined on the panel by Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, and a Conservative politician whose name has not yet been confirmed.

The BBC has begun discussions with the council over maintaining order. Stephen Greenhalgh, the council leader, said that it was up to the BBC whom it invited to appear on its programmes. He added: “Our principal concern is the safety and security of residents in the borough. If there is likely to be a demonstration we will liaise closely with security services and all relevant authorities.”

Simon Darby, the deputy leader of the BNP, said he had hoped that the location would be kept secret to prevent protests. “All the lefties are going to kick off, aren’t they? They always do,” he said.

Unite Against Fascism told The Times that if thousands of protesters turned up there were plans to blockade the BBC building. A rally is also planned for the night before the event in Central London. Anti-fascists plan to leaflet BBC workers on the day itself, as they arrive at the White City building in the morning, urging them to stop work for the day in protest.

“If we get hundreds, the aim will be to just protest against his presence,” a spokesman, Anindya Bhattacharyya, said. “We are getting a massive response from students — we are expecting a lot of people. What we don’t want is for this to go smoothly and for Griffin to get a pat on the back and take his place in polite society. We will make sure that the heat is on Griffin, as well as on the BBC for inviting him.”

The BBC has already faced criticism over its policy towards the BNP after the party’s success in the European elections. In recent days it has been pilloried for interviewing two prominent party members on Radio 1, and introducing them only by their first names.

“Mark and Joey”, as the BBC described them, are actually Mark Collett, 28, the BNP’s publicity director, and Joseph Barber, 24, who runs the party’s record label, Great White Records. The corporation has received more than a hundred complaints about the interview, in which the pair said that the England footballer Ashley Cole, who was born in East London, was not “ethnically British”.


Courtesy of: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/p ... 71898.ece#

[Jelakins]

Sky+ set and ready to record this!

There are calls for the show to be stopped!!

My pen is poised to write a strongly worded letter to Peter Hain - the Welsh secretary who is threatening to take the BBC to court if they allow Griffin to appear....


Peter Hain turns to BBC Trust over Nick Griffin's Question Time spotWelsh secretary writes to Michael Lyons as last resort after director general rebuffs appeal to block BNP leader





The BBC Trust is expected to consider cabinet minister Peter Hain's call for British National Party leader Nick Griffin's appearance on Question Time to be blocked before the programme is filmed on Thursday.

A BBC Trust spokesman today confirmed that the corporation's regulatory and governance body had received an appeal from Hain, the Welsh secretary, saying that Griffin should not appear on Question Time because the BNP is not a "lawfully constituted political party".

Hain has written to the BBC Trust chairman, Michael Lyons, as a last resort after having yesterday's letter calling on Mark Thompson, the director general of the BBC, to block Griffin's Question Time appearance rebuffed.

"The trust has received an appeal from Peter Hain," said a spokesman. "We will now decide whether or not it would be appropriate to hear this appeal. If it is appropriate, the appeal will be heard in a timely manner."

It is understood that if the BBC Trust does hear the appeal, it will occur before Question Time airs on Thursday.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/oc ... n-bbc-hain

[LadySizzla]

i enjoyed the show immensley. that buffoon got wiped off the stage by intelligent people - whatever their race. Mr Griffin has tried to make a legitimate political party out of thuggery and given the stage he crumbled. the only stage he is comfortable with is white shaven headed thugs agreeing with his every word. the man has probably never been realisticaly challenged until that nite. not even by his wife. hes a prick and has dug his own grave. thats the beauty of free speech and non-censorship cz the public make their own minds up given all the information.

[Batty_gyal]

Can someone dumb down the BNP party for me??? I'm not up on British politics but this looks horribly scandelous and pretty nasty from what I've read so far. I'm gathering this is an extremly prejudice and racist political party??

[Batty_gyal]

Wow..I've heard others say their is alot of racism in the UK...but I had no idea it went as far as a legit political party!! Thats horrible!!

[LadySizzla]

i dunno thats a good talking point. is it as bad as the US? remember all my other angels live in london. its multicultural there.?where i live people make 'politically incorrect' comments all the time. not sure if all of england has the same attitude.

[Jelakins]

Its quite funny actually - following his appearance on Question Time, and his pathetic display, there is apparently now a leadership battle about to ensue in the BNP.

The members are not letting Nick know where the ballots are being held as he will cancel their membership.

Even his own people don't like him!!

Well done QT!!

But... the battle rages on.. he is but one man - its the whole Party we need to get rid of!

Sizz - hopefully when I finally get to Durham I won't have any problems....???

[LadySizzla]

Its quite funny actually - following his appearance on Question Time, and his pathetic display, there is apparently now a leadership battle about to ensue in the BNP.

The members are not letting Nick know where the ballots are being held as he will cancel their membership.

Even his own people don't like him!!

Well done QT!!

But... the battle rages on.. he is but one man - its the whole Party we need to get rid of!

Sizz - hopefully when I finally get to Durham I won't have any problems....???

i would certainy hope not, i dont think so....but i have seen it and heard it when they think no-ones listening

[Jelakins]

Its quite funny actually - following his appearance on Question Time, and his pathetic display, there is apparently now a leadership battle about to ensue in the BNP.

The members are not letting Nick know where the ballots are being held as he will cancel their membership.

Even his own people don't like him!!

Well done QT!!

But... the battle rages on.. he is but one man - its the whole Party we need to get rid of!

Sizz - hopefully when I finally get to Durham I won't have any problems....???

i would certainy hope not, i dont think so....but i have seen it and heard it when they think no-ones listening

Oh well - we'll just have to do a HI-5 with their head between out hands!!!!