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‘Neo-Nazi gran’ hired as aide to BNP member on London Assembly
Ross Lydall3 Feb 2010
A grandmother working for the BNP at City Hall is feared to be behind plans to unite far-Right activists in advance of the general election.
Tess Culnane, dubbed a “neo-Nazi granny” by her rivals after being a member of the BNP and National Front, has been recruited as an aide by
London Assembly member Richard Barnbrook.
Opponents of the BNP believe this suggests that factional infighting has ended, allowing the party to focus on the general election and borough elections. BNP leader Nick Griffin is challenging Labour minister Margaret Hodge for the Barking seat, while the party aims to build on its councillors in boroughs such as Barking and Dagenham and Redbridge.
Mrs Culnane, a grandmother of 12 from Mottingham, who is believed to be in her seventies, is working part-time at City Hall as an agency worker.
She was a strong supporter of former BNP leader John Tyndall and has stood in London Assembly, European and council elections. She was the National Front candidate in the Haltemprice and Howden, Yorkshire, by-election in 2008 that was called after then shadow home secretary David Davis quit and then retained his seat.
In a pre-Euro election speech last year, she said she and her family had suffered vandalism and crime at the hands of black neighbours since 1969 and railed against “the tragedy that has hit my family through multiculturalism”.
She added: “Many British families are suffering the scourge of multiculturalism. The British bulldog has had its nose rubbed in the dirt long enough.”
Speaking of Mrs Culnane's role, Labour assembly member Murad Qureshi said: “In this instance the BNP has revealed its fascist underbelly, and voters should not be fooled by the party's attempts to present a more moderate image.”
Former mayor Ken Livingstone, who headed an anti-BNP conference at the weekend, said: “It is a travesty that the BNP has a seat on the London Assembly to give platform to its toxic propaganda.”
Mrs Culnane declined to answer questions but said: “I'm certainly not a Nazi — I'm a true blue patriot. If anybody called me a traitor I would be upset.”
Reader views (51)
This woman has spoken at a BPP meeting. The BPP sell swastika badges on their website (all out of stock at the moment, must be a big seller...), as well as a statue of Hitler for goodness sake. She is nothing more than Nazi scum and kudos to all for exposing her as such.
Clearly the BNP hasn't changed its Nazi ways after all. Surprise. Hopefully the electorate will see through its lies.
- J Alred Prurock, Britain, 06/02/2010 18:10
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While I accept your clarification without question Lee, Barnet, London - "...particularly preying on the weak, illiterate, uneducated and inarticulate working class communities in this country" can be read exactly as people did read it. With your further explanation it can be understood to mean other than first appearances suggest, I agree. I would suggest, perhaps, "...OR inarticulate..." rather than "...AND inarticulate..." - less room for misunderstanding that way.
As to your point, I dislike the BNP's core political perspective as much as most - but I do understand their outward appeal to ordinary people of all social strata, disgruntled voters who cannot see anything more than a downward spiraling British society for their future. Foaming at the mouth rhetoric against any and all immigrants is obviously wrong, but the problems created by the open door policies of the current government are damaging, not enriching British society, and so encouraging regular folk to gravitate towards those who appear, at least superfically, to be addressing the issue. Remember, political views are mostly perception driven rather than factual - hence the prevalence of spin doctors.
Unfortunately, 1500 characters is no where near enough space to discuss this in necessary detail. Comments made require understanding on the part of others (else why bother in the first place!)
- Rogan, Irving, 04/02/2010 16:36
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After reviewing some of the feedback below in reference to my quote “preying on the weak, illiterate, uneducated and inarticulate working class communities”, for the benefit of those misinformed readers who I may have also touched a raw nerve, if they would be kind enough to read this quote again very carefully word for word, they will see that this is obviously NOT the same meaning as quote “preying on the weak, working class communities who are ALL illiterate, uneducated and inarticulate”, and so should be able to deduce the former is a subgroup of the latter, not the other way round! I have nothing against working class people and most of my close friends are working class too however some readers who possibly are, to use these words again, illiterate, uneducated, or inarticulate (notice I have omitted the use of the descriptor “working class”) have, for their own reasons, appeared to have chosen to interpret it as such! Therefore, apart from the above either intended or unintended interpretation or misinterpretation of the above phrase by some readers, and NOT by me, I think everything I have stated in my last message is indeed fact and not fiction or hearsay! Can we PLEASE therefore remain calm and grown up and not resort to some kind of playground name calling! If I am wrong on any of the other points I have raised, then instead of conveniently remaining mute on this issues, can these other readers please feel free to correct me on any of points I have raised so we
- Lee, Barnet, London, 04/02/2010 15:03
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Combat 18, anyone remember them or what they did? Bombings and beatings, and they were in their own words the 'spearhead' and 'bodyguard' to...the BNP. Nazis in suits are still nazis even if their voters are just racist simpletons and non ideological.
- Dan, London, 04/02/2010 13:48
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So this none story is news? Let me know at your ealiest convience when they start goose stepping.
- Aiddy, london, 04/02/2010 11:23
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Why are people querying that she's a neo-nazi when there's a photograph of her addressing a BPP meeting? The BPP are neo-nazi - the meeting she was at discussed holocaust 'revisionism' - that is, holocaust denial.
- Mark, London, 04/02/2010 10:57
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Sorry to bring this intellectual debate down a peg, but looking at her, I think she looks completely evil. Just look at her eyes...they belong in a horror film! I can hear the music from 'THE OMEN' in the background and a crow flying nearby!
- V, South London, 04/02/2010 10:22
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People always conveniently forget the Brixton, Brick Lane and Soho bombings carried out by a right wing, white supremacist, terrorist thug. Ordinary Londoners were horribly maimed and killed! People conveniently forget the BNP supporter found with a deadly arsenal of weapons in his house. Luckily he was caught before he could carry out a terrorist outrage. People conveniently forget the murderers of Baby Peter were White supremacists as well as paedophiles. Do you still think its alright for the racist BNP, who deny the holocaust, support Hitler and share platforms with white terrorist organisations to be in the London Assembly? They are evil and traitors to this country!
- Veritas Noire, Purley, 04/02/2010 09:36
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A badge of honour! A slagging by Red Ken!
- Archie Ponsonby, Thrapston, England, 04/02/2010 06:42
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"When the BNP are getting smeared by the media it proves the BNP are doing something right".
ALL publicity is good publicity!
- Joanne, york, 04/02/2010 01:53
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By any measure the BNP are far-left; invoking state intervention as a solution, rather than intervention being the problem; but this Granny should be free to exercise her effort in any direction of her choice.
The nasty fascists are the "No-platform" brigade, wrapped in woolly Fabian ideology.
Granny seems content to have her efforts judged at the ballot box.
- Michael, Worcester, 04/02/2010 01:13
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Oh dear, Sally from Luton is ruffled that anyone should besmirch the name of the IRA:-
"What does the IRA have to do with people who suffer racist abouse and attacks" - Sally, Luton UK
Yes, well of course any right minded person is bound to agree with you that being blown to smithereens is infinitely preferable to being a called a nasty name by someone. By the way, white people are victims of racist abuse and violence aswell but for the left wing multiculturalist obsessed media, reporting these incidents just isn't sexy.
- David Moon, East Sussex, UK, 03/02/2010 22:50
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If she is a neo-nazi, I must be the Easter Bunny.
Nationalists are not racist, far from it. They just wish to preserve the Nation and letting in 192 different cultures (with their sub-cultures) to set-up shop and think everything will be fine is foolish.
Multi-culture and the deliberate and unsanctioned diversifying of Britain is a failure for us peasants who have seen our boroughs resemble some third world abyss (success for those that wanted to 'corporatize' Britain though).
Sure we should let people come here but we should have maintained the "China White" inspired "dress-code" instead of the "come one, come all" approach currently promoted.
Diversity was doomed to fail. It literally means division. How can we be united if we are divided???
- Jack'D Ripp'D, Peckham, Africa Central, 03/02/2010 22:41
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I have to correct you. Ken Livingstone was not heading and anti-BNP conference it was about combating the right, which included how to stop the Conservatives (check out who spoke there, plenty of Muslims and hard left, not one Tory).
- Rob Walker, Wellingborough, UK, 03/02/2010 22:35
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Good voters of Barking and Dagenham and Redbridge, the traditional politicans have not fairly protected your interests. But putting the BNP in will hold back your economic and social development,companies will be less likely to put in much needed investment. What would Clement Attlee and Winston S. Churchill tell you, reject the BNP. What we need is Labour, Tories, LibDems & Greens Leadership to start a fair immigration policy. A cross party team is now working on this and listening. NO to the BNP.
- Andrew, London, 03/02/2010 22:26
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There must be an election coming up, because the media are begining their smear campaign
- Steven, Birmingham, 03/02/2010 22:04
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Does Ken Livingstone have a problem with democracy? The BNP has a platform on the GLA because the people of London elected to put them there to represent them.
- Michaela Mackenzie, Bristol, 03/02/2010 20:50
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This is a non story, so what if this lady wants to do part time temping.
- Ted, Croydon, 03/02/2010 19:52
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Lee, Barnet - Who's this Mr Griffiths you talk about? Whoever he is, I bet he would object to your scornful, racist description of the white working class as weak, illiterate, uneducated and inarticulate. And so, as a working class bloke with a History degree, do I. What a nasty ill-informed snob you are!
- Dave N, Lancaster UK, 03/02/2010 19:32
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Re: Jonny's comment '...of Red Ken sitting with Gerry Adams and the rest of his mob in the 80's'...would this be the same 'mob' that now has the largest popular and democratic vote amongst the nationalist community in the north of Ireland and holds substantial positions of power?
- Sensible Opinion, N5, 03/02/2010 19:30
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Why do BNP members go on the defensive when questioned about the Holocaust; some of the say; "It never happened", the others say "I would question the numbers who died"
and they expect to lead decent people?
- Tom Feely, London, England, 03/02/2010 19:25
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Wouldn't it be great to see, just once, a newspaper that prints a fair report about the BNP? This story is plain ridiculous. Why is she a Nazi? Has she been marching through the streets kicking and shouting? Oh sorry, that's the UAF. How come there are no reports about them? Truth is the media has been cowed by the powers that be, just like we have been, at least until now.
- Sylvie, Epping Essex, 03/02/2010 18:05
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There are far more dangerous things to worry about than the BNP granny.
I wonder who cooked this rubbish up ? don't tell me it was Boris ! Cameron ! Brown ! Livingstone !.
- Davey_Bouy, Chertsey, 03/02/2010 17:41
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What a patronising, middle class idiot "Lee" from Barnet is I wonder why he feels free to describe any other faction of society as "weak,illiterate, un-educated and inarticulate, appart from the working class.
I come fom the South Wales valley's and believe me Lee from Barnet, the working class in the UK have sufffered under thirty years of Tory then New Labour rule. The fashion of backing the "free market" and globalisation has destroyed communities and cohesion here.
I regularly work with and for the "weak minded" working class and they have valid reasons not to vote for either Labour or the conservatives at the next election, which leaves them with who exactly. The political elite abandoned the workig class thirty years ago, leaving a vacuem, I am not surprised they have turned to te BNP and to the far left.
Why do you not do yourslf and your obviously superior intellect a favour and live on income support for a couple of years an see how you feel. You never know Lee you may learn something!
- Katie, Swansea, 03/02/2010 17:37
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Londoner, London: "I love the irony of Livingstone's prejudice against people he accuses of prejudice."
Hmmm, the BNP is, according to its constitution, avowedly racist, I don't think it's predjudiced to figure that members of it are also racist.
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- Prj45, London, 03/02/2010 17:36
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Sorry, what exactly has this "Neo Nazi granny" done to deserve such a title? Just more ultra left rhetoric that does not address the real concern that one million British citizens (and growing) are supporting the BNP, most of them are not racist, just ordinary people fed up with the state of affairs in the nation.
Also 'Former mayor Ken Livingstone, who headed an anti-BNP conference at the weekend" Please let us know where the anti Labour conference is, as many would also attend.
- Brandon Thomas, London, Uk, 03/02/2010 17:10
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Love the name.What part of Southern Ireland is she from
- Michael Campbell, londonderry n ireland, 03/02/2010 17:02
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I agree totally with Sally in Luton. Their hidden agenda as usual is down to gutter politics, spreading hate and division between people and races, particularly preying on the weak, illiterate, uneducated and inarticulate working class communities in this country. Mr Griffiths on BBC Question Time, a few months ago, spoke about the Ice Age and the original white indigenous peoples of this country. If he wants to apply this logic, he should be consistent and apply it to all places and people around the world! For example who were the indigenous peoples of Australia, New Zealand, North and South America and parts of Africa before being colonized by the white imperial powers? Also why is it convenient for British expats to settle down,live and work, in their thousands, in many parts of the world such as Spain, Dubai without any problems. We should also remind Mr Griffiths and Co when he fills up his petrol tank, where the oil is coming from! In reality if they want peoples to return to their ancestral routes, perhaps this should be applied to the everyone who left the UK since the ICE AGE too! Bottom line is there are 2 sides to every argument and you can't pick and choose the bits that suit you!
- Lee, Barnet, London, 03/02/2010 16:48
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What does the IRA have to do with people who suffer racist abouse and attacks some people on here really need to get a clue.Are you somehow justifying fanilies who are afraid to leave their homes, children seeing parents spat on and physical violence being commited against someone because they are not white.That is the reality for too many people, it is a shame that so many have are so blind to what goes on.
- Sally, Luton UK, 03/02/2010 16:12
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"Her rivals" are the sort of people who call anyone who disagrees with them "neo-Nazi". If you're in the BNP, you're a neo-Nazi; if you're concerned about immigration, you're a neo-Naz; if you don't want your country Islamified, you're a neo-Nazi. Whatever. That guilt-tripping line doesn't work with me, and eventually it will wear out on everyone else too, and then "her rivals" will have nothing.
- Stephen Palmer, Durham, 03/02/2010 16:01
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"...working part-time at City Hall as an agency worker".
In which case she's not even an employee, just a temp, so what's the big deal? Anyone can be a temp.
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx, 03/02/2010 15:57
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To Lb from Peckham
I'm white and I've lived in Peckham for a decade and have had one racist comment from any black or Asian person. I'm sure it must happens but it's not common and to say it is, is just a plain lie.
I have, though, seen a lot of black and Asian people receive verbal abuse over my 35 years living in London from white people who don't like the colour of their skin. I've seen my son who is the only white kid in his football team play in matches where white parents of opposition teams have shouted abuse at his black team mates and the kids have joined in. My kid personally has never got any such abuse in the same matches - why is that?
As much as many people on this forum would like to believe otherwise, the vast majority of racism in terms of direct abuse is white on black/Asian and not the other way around.
There are a lot of problems within large sections of the black community which it ignores - black on black crime amongst its young people, victim mentality and dependence on the state... but the idea white people are under attack in some significant way is nonsense.
- Stg, Peckham, London, 03/02/2010 15:50
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Wow - this is a good story to get the BNP readerships bums twitching in their seats! eh?
- Sonny, London, 03/02/2010 15:39
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She looks suspicious.
I wouldn't trust her!
- Steven, London, 03/02/2010 14:58
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“...plans to unite far-Right activists in advance of the general election.”
So have Livingstone’s supporters any plans to unite the Far Left? And as the BNP is further to the LEFT than New Labour on just about every economic policy you can name is it not time we stopped using “Left” and “Right”? They simply have no meaning any more.
- James J, London, 03/02/2010 14:52
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I'm confused? On what basis is she a Neo Nazi?
- Paul, Birmingham England, 03/02/2010 13:51
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Have to agree with Jw from Watford-this is a non-story.
- Jason Stone, Stratford, Newham, 03/02/2010 13:41
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“the tragedy that has hit my family through multiculturalism”.
Couldnt agree more with that comment. Sadly i havent agreed with a single thing Labour have said for 14 years
And as for Livingstone sticking his nose in, that the biggest pot and kettle quote of the year so far.
Bernard, London - Both my family and myself have been the victims of racist attacks and abuse.....at the hands of black and asain people. Any comments on that type of racism or are you going to ignore that just like Labour and the rest of the left wing traitors do?
- Lb, Pecknarm, 03/02/2010 13:40
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First, is this at all newsworthy? Maybe but hardly surprising is it!
Second, and more to the point, is this the same Livingstone who gave a platform to Sinn Fein/PIRA, known murderers of our police and servicemen?
It never ceases to amaze me how hypocritical members, past and present, of the Labour Party can be. They say they stand for and uphold democracy yet will not allow the utterings of a very small minority party to be heard. Democracy involves listening to if not agreeing with/find abhorrent all views.
- Martin Luther Pre-Conversion., London, 03/02/2010 13:39
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"Livingstone, eh? What about him giving a platform to the IRA?"
He didn't, he invited Sinn Fein representatives to London for talks, around 15 years too early. It is now mainstream practice and has lead to peace. Forget your Sun 'history' and learn the facts.
- Dan, London, 03/02/2010 13:36
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this is nothing compared to the revulsion of Red Ken sitting with Gerry Adams and the rest of his mob in the 80's.
so what if the BNP get a few seats..........thats polictics.
ps - i think they are all as bad as each other and the expenses fiasco proved that.
- Jonny, London, 03/02/2010 13:03
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It is incredible and disheartening that some people want to cling onto hatred and bigotry to try and make themsleves feel better.We are all put on this earth by the same God.Maybe if the BNP spent more time actually trying to solve problems rather than creating them and trying to blame ethnic minorities for everything there would be a chance to try and create a better World.Shame on such an elderly woman who clearly has no dignity.Lets see how London and many large English cties would cope without its Ethnic communities-our health service, transport,postal services, 24 hour shops, corner shops, local government,sporting teams are dependant on large numbers of them.Grow up and get real they contribute much to this society.
- Sally, Luton UK, 03/02/2010 12:34
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I'm just trying on granny's 'reasoning'. I am white - and yet I know enough white families who suffered vandalism and crime at the hands of their white neighbours. Tragedies hit these families through... uhm, clearly multiculturalism does not fit.. shall we say "lack of culture"? On this premise - any suggestion which party I could join to help fight the malaise? 
- Legal Immigrant, London, 03/02/2010 12:29
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Its really encouraging that so many people want to blame Labour and make excuses for the BNP and thier racism.Maybe try living as a Black and Asian person and experiencing a racial attack then maybe you will not be so quick to make excuses for this bunch of hooliagns masquerading as politicians.It is a disgrace and some people should think before they utter such nonsense.
- Bernard, UK London, 03/02/2010 12:27
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No Mr Livingstone its called democracy. Regardless of if you agree with right wing or left wing politics. As another poster mentions you openly spoke to a known terrorist group the IRA!
- Lance Johnson, Canterbury, Kent, 03/02/2010 12:22
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I love the irony of Livingstone's prejudice against people he accuses of prejudice.
- Londoner, London, 03/02/2010 12:20
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Livingstone, eh? What about him giving a platform to the IRA?
- Chuck Unsworth, London, 03/02/2010 12:06
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Blame Labour and their PC policies. The electorate are in despair and anything to dispose labour.
God help everyone.
- Asw Ex-Pat, HK, 03/02/2010 12:00
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Compared to the Islamic groups represented in London politics,
whose views are far to the right of this woman, we needn't worry.
Obviously, I don't like her politics, but there is much worse around.
- Convenient Truth, Reading, 03/02/2010 11:56
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I don't really see where the story is here? A British woman is working part-time for the British National Party and red Ken and some other Marxist anti-British zealot doesn't like it. What's new?
- Jw, Watford, Herts. UK., 03/02/2010 11:44
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Labour must be really worried to resort to mud slinging.
- Peter Woods, Torre Chianca,Italy, 03/02/2010 11:42
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