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The British National Party will be forced to admit black and Jewish members under the Government's new Equalities Bill, ministers revealed today.
Commons leader Harriet Harman said the new legislation would make it illegal to have a "whites-only" political party in the UK.
Under the BNP's constitution, membership is "strictly defined" as "indigenous Caucasian".
Ms Harman said the bill will outlaw such restrictions in a bid to stop "apartheid-style" politics being imported to Britain.
She told the Commons: "We have all been shocked and horrified by the fact that two great regions of this country - the North-West and Yorkshire and Humberside - are represented by the British National Party - a party who have in their constitution a provision that you cannot be a member if you are not white.
"In the Equality Bill passing through this house, that constitution will be unlawful."
Ms Harman said she hoped the Tories would now stop opposing the bill because "it prevents us having an apartheid political party in this country".
She said: "I think all of us should agree there's no place for a party in this country to have an apartheid constitution."
Reader views (21)
If you can't beat them ban them!! lol what a dumb law
- Heather, Nebraska, 23/06/2009 01:04
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Well it sure is nice to see that Ms Harman is so concerned about protecting her political career from future competition. Now, if only she would get to work trying to help solve the country's problems I would appreciate it. And one of the problems I'd like to see solved is GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION AND INCOMPETENCE!!!
- Cj, London, 20/06/2009 05:33
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"I think all of us should agree there's no place for a party in this country to have an apartheid constitution."
Is this woman for real? Is she really suggesting that there is no place in Britain for freedom of association?
She is clearly a threat to the freedom of the people of Britain. She should resign postehaste
- Russ, Boston, MA, 19/06/2009 02:55
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How will they determine a persons racial purity in order to enforce this law? After all what makes someone non-white?
- Steven Slater, Rochford, Essex, 15/06/2009 13:56
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Don't worry about the BNP. The thing to really worry about is a government who promotes the likes of Mandelson to the Lords so he can interfere in the running of our country. It's a disgrace - and the British voters WILL remember.
- Saxon, Cowes, 13/06/2009 23:22
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If ethnic minorities want to pay to join a party that wants to halt immigration and offer voluntary repatriation then that is fine by me. The more funds that the BNP receive, the better for all.
- Steve, Harrogate, 13/06/2009 09:30
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This story is nonsense. Any attempt to challenge the BNP's membership criteria will be thrown out of court.
- David Bey, London, 12/06/2009 21:49
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Brilliant. This will; lead to some fun!!
- Richard, Cheltenham, 12/06/2009 11:34
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when will this illegitimate government stop passing laws? They do not have a democratic mandate and the EU laws spring to mind as well. This labour dictatorship must end
- Neil, London, 12/06/2009 11:15
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How many bodies are there designed purely to serve an ethnic or cultural minority. Some, such as the BBC's 1Xtra, are compulsarily public funded. In any case, the BNP already have Jewish members, at least one prominent half Turkish-Cypriot member, and reportedly several black people were on the leaked membership list. Banning political parties you don't agree with is a lousy piece of Government - why not fight them directly by offering the BNP voters (most of whom are not fascist or even racist) some policies they can support on immigration, crime, the EU, international trade and banking - just SOMETHING to show that ordinary people are listened to and acknowledged. I did not vote BNP due to the possibility of a nasty fringe lurking under the mainline policies I agree with, but I certainly didn't vote Labour.
- Martin, Eastbourne, England, 12/06/2009 10:34
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Why is that LABOUR can bring legislation stop the BNP,BUT CAN'T GIVE FATHERS EQUALITY TO SEE THEIR KIDS!!!
All this LABOUR GOVERMENT do is protect themselves, they lie about there expenses, they can't be trusted".
- Jepordy, Hereford, 12/06/2009 10:12
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Well there are nearly 2,000 other so called 'racist' parties and groups that will need to be treated the same:
The Black Police Association is just one of them. Are they going to allow whites into a a black association and non muslims into the Muslim Association of Britain?
Where does it end? The big 3 just cannot stop licking their wounds. The horse has bolted and they are still trying to close the stable door. Never mind.
- Karl Chappell, carlisle, 12/06/2009 08:53
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The BNP are a group of convicted criminals who are racist and anti-Semitic. Not only do they hate blacks, Asians and Jews, but they're also homophobic. They believe that climate change is a myth and they deny the holocaust. I mean hello? How can anyone with a brain vote for a bunch of bigots. And good on Britain, ban the BNP!
Surprise, surprise, Donna from Croydon (of all places) is complaining.
And as for Jeff, what colour are Jews? And as a matter of fact, a minority of radical Sikhs may vote for the BNP but they cannot become members.
- Sam, Manchester, 12/06/2009 03:56
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Just another bogus law the Labour party will enact. It should be iilegal for the Labour party to make laws to stop the growth of their political opponents, this is communism!
- Dirk Diggler, Soho, London, 12/06/2009 01:52
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This shows the level of general ignorance about the BNP. The BNP HAS JEWISH MEMBERS!! In fact, they even have a JEWISH COUNCILLOR! Oh, and lovely Pat is the Epping Forest Council Leader too.
Interesting to note that the Labour Party has a Black Socialist Society within its own ranks, and we look forward to Ms Harman speaking out about the name and membership of that body as well. Perhaps she will force THAT membership to open its doors to white folk..
- Caroline, Shropshire, 12/06/2009 01:12
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So what about the Association of Black Police Officers, then..? How come no one's tried to outlaw that..? It's remarkable that a government 'opposed to fascism' should be trying to criminalise the constitution of a perfectly legitimate political party.. I mean, if that isn't 'fascist' then I don't know what is..! The BNP make many valid points and in many respects make a great deal of sense - it's a crying shame that the mainstream reaction to them is a knee-jerk "oh my gosh that's awful!"
- Graeme, Ipswich, UK, 12/06/2009 00:29
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Thank goodness this awful upper class harridan will not be in office long enough to impose yet another incursion into our traditional freedoms. And please tell her that the BNP already have a very popular Jewish councillor.
And will she ban the Muslim Lawyers Association and the Black Police Officers' Association?
- Rhory Fraser, London, 11/06/2009 22:18
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Harmen is whistling in the wind we have many ethnic members
- Dee, london, 11/06/2009 17:53
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This is so Stalinesque, a party comes along and becomes a real threat to the corrupt staus quo, so what does the Government do ? Try's to ban it.
- Donna, Croydon, 11/06/2009 17:19
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This wont affect the BNP. They already have Jewish members and an ethnic-liaison committee that has Sikh members.
- Jeff, London, 11/06/2009 17:18
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Why waste government time on such inconsequential trivia?
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, 11/06/2009 16:55
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