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BNP facing injunction over membership policy
23.06.09
The BNP could face a legal injunction over a potential breach of race discrimination law relating to its membership policies, it was announced today.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission said it had demanded that the party took action to address its constitution and membership criteria, employment practices and provision of services to the public and constituents.
The BNP was asked to provide written undertakings by July 20 that it will make the required changes or it could face a legal injunction.
The Commission said it believed the BNP's constitution and membership criteria may discriminate on the grounds of race and colour, contrary to the Race Relations Act.
The party's membership criteria appeared to restrict membership to those within what the BNP regarded as particular "ethnic groups" and those whose skin colour was white, according to the Commission.
"This exclusion is contrary to the Race Relations Act which the party is legally obliged to comply with. The Commission therefore thinks that the BNP may have acted, and be acting, illegally.
"The Commission has required the BNP to provide a written undertaking that it will not discriminate contrary to the Race Relations Act in its employment and recruitment policies, procedures and practices," the EHRC said in a statement.
"The BNP's website states that the party is looking to recruit people and states that any applicants should supply a membership number. The Commission thinks that this requirement is contrary to the Race Relations Act, which outlaws the refusal or deliberate omission to offer employment on the basis of non-membership of an organisation. The Commission is therefore concerned that the BNP may have acted, and be acting, illegally."
The Commission said it was also concerned that the BNP's elected representatives may not intend to offer or provide services on an equal basis to all their constituents and members of the public irrespective of race or colour, in contravention of the Race Relations Act and the Local Authority Model Code of Conduct.
John Wadham, the Commission's legal director, said: "The Commission's statutory role includes a duty to investigate possible breaches of discrimination law and take action where appropriate.
"The legal advice we have received indicates that the British National Party's constitution and membership criteria, employment practices and provision of services to constituents and the public may breach discrimination laws which all political parties are legally obliged to uphold.
"We await a response from the BNP to our letter before deciding what further action we may take. Litigation or enforcement action can be avoided by the BNP giving a satisfactory response to our letter."
Reader views (19)
I've already grown tired of the BNP trying to play with the grown ups. Last week I read of "bog pigs" on a BNP blog. Not the first anti-Irish comment that I've read on a BNP website. Another one mentioned the "scum of Ireland" That was on the BNP website itself in the comments section.
The reason I point this out is that I think the gloves should come off and the debating should begin with the BNP. Then we won't have to wait too long for them to reveal themselves as the same old sectarian "Billy boys" that they have always been. There isn't a single policy on their website that isn't so vague as to be utterly meaningless.
Let them speak and they will screw up big time. Now it's Islam and the EU they hate. It used to be the blacks, Marxists, IRA and the Jews that had first billing.
Ultimately whatever you do don't let these bulls****ers make out they are victims of oppression or martyrs for free speech.
Let them talk, let them be found wanting only to be laughed at and shooed away back under the rocks they came from.
If not, the alternative to talking is bloodshed.
Think on that.
- Londoner, London, England
Perhaps this useless government should look at the reasons why the BNP are gaining so much support rather than acting like a bunch of power mad communist dictators who think the answer is to ban everything they don't like or agree with,this move is going to backfire on them very badly.
- Stephen, London
Two statements found on the NBPA website:
1/. "The definition of 'Black' does not refer to skin colour. The emphasis is on the common experience and determination of the people of African, African-Caribbean and Asian origin to oppose the effects of racism."
2/. "There is no bar to membership based on colour."??????
What a complete joke that is and you think the BNP discriminate on the basis of colour? It is pathetic, nobody can defend that stance.
That can easily be likened to anti-hunt demonstrators being invited to join a hunt. It is sardonically sarcastic.
NBPA Ethnicity = African, African-Caribbean and Asian origin.
BNP Ethnicity = Indigenous Scottish, Welsh and English origin.
There is no difference. Ban one organisation you have to ban the other.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
"Women and Freemasonry" likened to the BNP - wow! You really had to stretch for that to fit, didn't you! (Oh yeah, and you stretched the truth a bit too, to do it). Nothing like having ignorance passed on as fact to make a fool of yourself is there....
- Rogan, Irving
Sylvia howard from Epping said in relation to the BNP
" All the media, politicians, and left wing rabble just don't know what to do next."
Famous last words.
- Londoner, London, England
Read the following two statements, one is legal, the other is not:-
1) Applications are encouraged from female and ethnic minority candidates and any applications from those groups will be shortlisted.
2) Applications from white men are encouraged and will be forwarded for selection.
Why is this??? I disagree completely with statement two. I also have issues with option one. Why is there the need to say such a thing. Surely all candidates should be considered on their merits (or lack of them). If you're applying for the job of fitness instructor, why should you be shortlisted because you tick boxes if you have nil fitness experience or are a salad dodging heart attack risk. Just foolishness.
As for the BNP, i have no wish to join this organisation, neither do most people i know. This will probably make no difference to their membership and employment, why would anyone want to work for them? Ditto old mens clubs had to open their doors to women, why would anyone not an octogenarian pipe smoking tory WANT to be a member anyway.
As said elsewhere, this is so blatently a political stunt that it proves this government has actually got no idea of how to get itself out of the mire into which it has been piloted.
- Tom, London
'it also raises the question as to why the National Black Police Association is not covered by the same legislation???'
Membership of the NBPA is open to all in policing on application
There is no bar to membership based on colour.
Then why does it use the word 'Black' in its title? The inference is clear.
- Paul Baker, Newbury, Berks
To Nowan King, Do you normally project your own prejudices onto people? The Race Relations Act in its current form should be scrapped and a proper Equalites Act brought in its place so that all forms of discrimination are outlawed not just those practised by one group upon other groups or upon members of their own group.
- Jim, London
The Race Relations Act should be scrapped!
- Vince, London, West London
I see Vince. And I guess you'd like to see a system of apartheid brought in, mass-execution of non-whites....in othe words, NAZI RULE? Your sentiment is spoken like a true BNP bigot.
- Nowan King, London
There will be backlash over this. People will see this for what it is, the Labour party trying to get rid of them before the election. They know that we are on the brink, and they are running out of bad headlines to scupper them with. This is so obvious as to be funny. The BNP must think it's Christmas. Harriet Harman is not the sharpest knife in the drawer. All the media, politicians, and left wing rabble just don't know what to do next.
- Sylvia Howard, Epping Essex
Is this government trying to tell us there are no groups or associations in the UK that strictly cater to minorities and ignore the white population? What about operation black vote, a Labour funded organization that stricly targets black people to vote, wouldn't that fall under the same scrutiny as the BNP? This Labour government must stop the witch hunt against the BNP and maybe concentrate on its own matters, like the expenses scandal and the Labour MP convicted last week of being a paedofile (jailed for 7 years). Banning the BNP and maiking laws to restrict them is no better than communism.
- Dirk Diggler, Soho, London
The Race Relations Act should be scrapped!
- Vince, London, West London
Why should non whites want to join BNP for goodness sake ?
The whole thing is ridiculous.
Do turkeys vote for Christmas ?
- Mahatma Smith, Reading
'it also raises the question as to why the National Black Police Association is not covered by the same legislation???'
Membership of the NBPA is open to all in policing on application
There is no bar to membership based on colour.
- Sally Kumas, Stepney
What it all comes down to is this:
Do the indigenous peoples of Britain have the right to defend themselves against foreign invasion, disposession and eventual extinction under illegally imposed foreign rule. The right to their ethnic identity, and to determine their own future, under their own terms, in their own ancestral homeland?
Yes or No?
- Angharad, Stoke
It will become like Women and Freemasonry, they can join but why given the position they had being banned spoke louder about the organisation
PM Brown the way to stop people voting for the BNP is not to keep gifting them these headlines it is too listen to the public, you should try it some time.
- Gary, brentwood
This could be very amusing. The BNP forced to accept as employees and members the very people it regards as subhuman and wants removed from this country. If enough ethnic minorities apply to work there the BNP could get shut down overnight. Simples.
- Adam, Harrow, UK
The BNP should be made to change its policy on this - but it also raises the question as to why the National Black Police Association is not covered by the same legislation???
- Very Very Very Angry Of The Home Counties, Home Counties
The BNP discriminating on the basis of skin colour and race.......Surely not!
- Cee, London
