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Police officer 'is member of BNP'
20.11.08
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A serving police officer facing investigation after being included in a list of British National Party members has been named by Merseyside Police.
Steve Bettley was included in a list of thousands of BNP supporters which was leaked on an internet blog. His name was part of the main entry of a family member.
Merseyside police confirmed it is investigating whether serving officer Pc Bettley has links with the party.
A spokesman said: "We understand that the British National Party names a Steve Bettley for an alleged association with the party. Whether Merseyside Pc Steve Bettley was, or is, a member of BNP is subject to an ongoing inquiry.
"Chief Constable Bernard Hogan-Howe has reiterated our position that membership of the British National Party is totally incompatible with the duties and values of Merseyside Police. We will not accept a police officer or police staff being a member of BNP."
Officers are banned from joining or promoting the BNP because it would damage race relations, according to the Association of Chief Police Officers.
Merseyside Black Police Association (MBPA) said: "Due process must be allowed to take place and we appeal for calm in that respect. MBPA also supports Merseyside Police to ensure the safety and security of those who it feels may be at risk as a result of being associated with the BNP as a result of the publication of personal details on to the internet. We condemn any and all unlawful acts and will assist Merseyside Police to hold those to account who perpetrate such behaviour."
Leader Nick Griffin pledged to take court action against those behind the leak.
He said: "It was entirely wrongly used without authority by a very small group of previous party members who were expelled late last year who then passed it on, to who we simply don't know. All we can say is that if we find out who it was and they are one of those covered by the High Court injunction, then they are going to prison."
Mr Griffin claimed that members had received threatening calls as a result of the list's publication - calls he said were part of an "established dirty tricks campaign" from the Labour Party.
Reader views (21)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
Suspended for being a member of the *wrong* racist organisation. If he was in the BPA, he could get away with murder.
- Jane, London.
Your Police force under a Labour government ladies and gentlemen, scouring a list for members of an opposition party. History will judge the people responsible.
- K Barson, London, UK.
Merseyside Black Police Association (MBPA); and how is membership of this association not racist? The BNP are a legitimate party and this witch hunt will only backfire on the left fanatics that exposed this list. More and more people are sharing thge same views as the BNP and any with hunt will only anger more people to join the party.
- Brandon Thomas, London UK
I wish people would get some facts before commenting. The BPA is a support network for Black and Minority ethnic staff, however anyne within policing can join. The BPA has only been going 9 years, unlike the Christian Police Association which has been around since 1883. Religousis? I think not
- L M Hallam, London
Do the police consider The Black Police Association to be racist too I wonder or is this just another ZaNu Labour under hand attack on their political opponent and on democracy with the police force assisting the offender in the interests of the Chief constables pension pay out?
- Derrick, Nottingham
I am not raceist,you can ask my asian neighbours,but 30 years ago i was kicked to the ground,four months pregnant,for being open minded and buying a NFP paper.I will never forget what the so called leftys did to me and my unborn child.Debby.
- Debby, leicester
Firstly Raminder, Northolt. Please read the MACPHERSON report, and then maybe you will understand the definition of institutional racism and not use it in the wrong context. It means that the institution has policies and procedures which discriminate against an ethnic minority, for example the height requirement of 5’10” was institutionally racist because certain minorities did not usually grow to this height. It does not mean an institution populated by bigots, as ignorant axe grinders would have people believe.
Secondly, while I don’t agree with the policies of the BNP, I do not believe that you should be fired if you have committed no actual offence, other than against common sense, which would prevent you from joining the party in the first place.
- Gary, London
IN a democracy no political party or group can be banned,it is patently obvious that this country is no longer ademocracy but a pretence and only if you agree with the majority(imposed view).by what strain of democracy do we have the black police association and the muslim police association daring to speak on behalf of british people,perhaps you should ask people who fly the flag of St George all over east london and essex there views
- Brian Williams, Barry,South Wales
It should be illegal for the BNP to be a political party. If "officers are banned from joining or promoting the BNP because it would damage race relations, according to the Association of Chief Police Officers," then it proves that the BNP's existance
incites racial hatred and is therefore breaking the law. Abolish the BNP now! A true EnglishMAN is man enough to love England without hating others.
- Truth And Right, Mt.Sinai,Earth
so how can this be democracy and equality .......
members of a minority group present in the UK that has a minority violent element who we are at war with in foreign theatres are positively encouraged to join the police force and yet members of another minority group in the UK who are British and also have a minority (and less threatening) violent element are actively banned from joining the police force.
I may not agree with much of what the BNP says or does but they are as entitled to express their view as anyone else in this country.
- Paul, Bedworth, Warks
Could someone in the police service please explain to me how a BNP member can be sacked from his job as a policeman and yet we have many police officers with criminal records going about their business without any hassle?
- Peter B, Chelmsford, England
I really hope that whoever the idiots were who did this are found and that if anyone loses his or her job because of this they take them to the cleaners and sue them for loss of earnings and anything else they can think of.
- Dennis, Taplow, U.K.
I have to agree. No matter what your views on the BNP this is still a democracy and people should have the freedom to express their views. The BNP is not a criminal organisation and has not been banned as such so on what grounds are people prevented from joining?
- Mark, London
For an establishment that is institutionally rasist, I am suprised that only was police officers name was on the list!
- Raminder Bhalla, Northolt
Keith Londsdlae, Doncaster
I couldn't have said it better myself.
- P I Staker, London
I don't support the BNP, but it does seem that the Powers That Be are frightened of the BNP and do everything possible to hijack and undermine them and their members. Their members should be allowed to belong to a LEGAL political part without fear of discrimination ...afterall, people with different religions and beliefs to mine have jobs on the front line and it doesn't appear to affect their jobs ... so I'm told. Why should they be different?
- Kim, Lancing, West Sussex
"How strange. All links to this list and it's contents, appear to have been severed.By whom?"
Presumably by the hosting ISP, who would be in open-and-shut breach of the Data Protection Act in continuing to make the list available after it had been pointed out to them. (They could plead innocence up to that point, but no further).
- Michael, London
It is not and never has been the "duty of the Police to enforce equality." How does one "enforce" equality anyway?
The BNP is a legitimate political party and any person that wishes to become a member should be free to do so without fear of sanction. That is a right enshrined in Billy Liar's Human Rights Act in its mimicry of the ECHR, a fact that the left-liberal hand wringers amongst you seem to have conveniently forgotten.
Police officers are free to join political parties with the proviso that they do not take an ACTIVE part in politics (i.e. canvassing/standing for election). They are forbidden to join the BNP, but free to join the Black Police Association, an overtly racist organisation, but one that is approved of by NuLiebour and the PC brigade, so that's all right then.
If we allow censure of the BNP and its members by the left liberal elite, where do you think it will end? Who will be next, will it be you?
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
"... serving police officers were not allowed to be members of the BNP."
But they are allowed to join the racist BPA?
- Frank, Home Counties, England
"Whilst 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." Prohibiting people from supporting a legitimate political party is no better than commumism. This has not been accepted by any one other than the far left, hence how bias it really is.
- Brandon Thomas, London UK
How strange. All links to this list and it's contents, appear to have been severed.By whom? this smacks of Dr David Kelly.
- Mikey, Tring
