A day of two parts

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Saturday, 31 March 2012, 21:07

It's been a long day at HOPE not hate campaign. While some of our research were monitoring events in Denmark, which turned out to be an embarrassing flop for the EDL and their sister organisations, others of us were finishing off our campaign newspapers for the forthcoming local and London elections.

Once again we have linked up with the Daily Mirror to produce local tabloid newspapers for some of our key target areas of the country. In addition to some of our traditional areas of the country, like Burnley and Amber Valley, we are also producing several different editions for London.

Most of these newspapers will be distributed during our weekend of action on 14/15 April but there will also be a number of other activities organised over the next few weeks.

In addition to the BNP, we are also preparing to take on the National Front, the British Freedom Party and the English Democrats. We have general leaflets being prepared for each of these organisations.

On Friday we launched an appeal to turn the Our Britain, Not Theirs poster into a billboard. We have so far received enough money for four billboards. We are discussing a deal with a couple of advertising companies that will give us a combination of billbaords and an advan so we can target some of our key communities to ensure the anti-BNP vote comes out.

Our current total stands at £2,425 but our target is £4,000 by midnight on Monday. That will give us six billboards and two advans for the final week of the election campaign.

You can donate here: http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/put-up-the-poster

Lennon leaves Denmark

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 31 March 2012, 19:02

Far more interested in getting his face on television than standing shoulder to shoulder with his colleagues in Aarhus, Stephen Yaxley Lennon aka Tommy Robinson travelled straight to the airport after he gave his speech today in Denmark.

It wouldn't be the first time he abandoned his supporters prefering the media, as Lennon will be appearing on the BBC's The Big Question tomorrow morning.

The rest of the Defence League supporters have stayed in Denmark and will be attending a party laid on for them at a farm on the outskirts of Aarhus this evening.

Clashes continue

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 31 March 2012, 17:10

Local antifascists have about 30 fascists trapped outside of Aarhus library.

Earlier there was a clash outside of the library that saw the fascists throw bottles in retaliation.

According to one source 82 arrests have been made so far.

A bus has turned up at Mølleparken to escort the EDL supporters out of the park.

Early Finish

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 31 March 2012, 16:13

As trouble mounts in Aarhus the EDL demo has been stopped 15 minutes early and they are now being forced onto their buses.

So far according to local Danish media there has been around 20 arrests, although that is unconfirmed.

A group of far right supporters have left Mølleparken on foot, without a police escort and are moving towards Magasin.

Antifascists begin throwing rocks at the EDL bus at Vesterbro Torv and the police move in making further arrests.

A turn for the worse.

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 31 March 2012, 15:14

Things have taken a turn for the worst in Denmark.

A large group of antifascists have moved down towards the river area, with the EDL and their support trying to launch an attack, the police however are sandwiched in the middle.

The police had split the antifascists into two groups and are pleaded with the EDL to disperse for their own safety.

A group of antifascists entered Mølleparken and attacked the EDL demo. Police lost control of the situation with the EDL and their Danish counterparts attempt to dodge the police heading out through Christiansgade.

So far there have been a few arrests as flares and other objects are thrown.

Lennon has arrived

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 31 March 2012, 13:47

Tommy Robinson aka Stephen Yaxley Lennon has arrived at the demo site and is being interviewed by a large number of journalists.

He is telling anyone who is listening that this is the start of an European movement.

The big guy with the goatee beard is Stuart Bates, one time BNP organiser from Birmingham and bodyguard to both Nick Griffin and now Lennon himself

Numbers..

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 31 March 2012, 13:08

It's not looking good for the EDL and their friends. Certainly a lot of glum faces in the tiny contingent of racists.

We are hearing the EDL are outnumbered 100 to one at the moment, certainly not what you would call a convincing pan-european movement..

Danish Nazi spotted

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 31 March 2012, 12:47

The EDL and their chums are starting to gather in Mølleparken. So far there no more than 50 people in total.

They are heavily outnumbered by antifascists from across Europe who have travelled across Europe to confront the EDL.

The well known Danish Neo Nazi Esben Rohde from the Danish National Socialist Movement has been spotted taking photographs of the antifascist protest.

On the buses !

posted by: SImon Cressy | on: Saturday, 31 March 2012, 11:46

It's a grim day in Aarhus.

It's cold and has been snowing and the EDL are on their way on a bus with some of their Danish colleagues.

Some nazi stickers have appeared overnight close to the demonstration site and some wag has been using Butryic acid in the Mølleparken area which smells like a million stinkbombs let off all at once.

The EDL are about 5 minutes away from the demonstration site so it should be an interesting next few hours

More news from Aarhus

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 31 March 2012, 01:26

There is a huge police presence in Aarhus city centre, the local police are stopping and searching people in the Mølleparken area.

There are large groups of men roaming all over Aarhus this evening. Earlier a group from SIAN- Stop Islamisation of Norway including the Oslo based leader Kristen Krogvik arrived on the ferry from Lärvick to Hirtshals just after 9pm.

It looks like the assembly point before the demonstration will be in the city Skanderborg, 30 km from Aarhus. The plan is to drive all the demonstrators into Aarhus in buses.

Latest from Denmark

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Friday, 30 March 2012, 16:50

The EDL's travelling circus inflicts it's poison on the good people of Denmark over the weekend, along with a collection of like minded racists from across the whole of Europe.

The EDL are attending the Counter-Jihad meeting and demonstration to take place in Denmarks second largest city Aarhus tomorrow.

Stephen Yaxley Lennon aka Tommy Robinson the leader of the EDL landed earlier this afternoon at Aarhus airport with about 15 of his followers.

A smaller group from the Norwegian Defence league have been hanging around the city, looking a little out of place.Also a group of Easter European skinheads have been seen loitering around the Mølleparken area of the city.

Earlier Mimosa DeDanann aka Mimosa Koiranen, listed speaker for the Finnish Defence League arrived at Kastrup Airport, to be met by Philip Traulsen of the Danish Defence League.

We'll be posting lots more, hopefully with some photos as and when we get it

We are on our way

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 30 March 2012, 14:13

We've had a fantastic start to our billboard appeal. We've already raised enough for one billboard and we are well on our way to a second.

Billboards are the perfect way for tens of thousands of people to see our positive message every single day. Mobile advans will enable us to take our message through the communities in which we need to get out the vote. By matching this advertising campaign with the local community newspapers we will shortly distribute we can reach huge swathes of the population.

You can donate here: http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/put-up-the-poster

Turn our poster into a billboard

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 30 March 2012, 11:03

Over the last few days 1,200 HOPE not hate supporters have sent in photographs of themselves and their loved ones in support of the Our Britain, Not Theirs campaign. There are some really wonderful images and they really reflect the kaleidoscope that is modern Britain.

Our original intention was to create a poster with these images but we have received so many photographs that we would like to create something much larger. Our options include advertising at bus stops, mobile advans and even giant billboards - but to do this we would need your support.

Can you help us turn our poster into a billboard?

http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/put-up-the-poster

Billboards are the perfect way for tens of thousands of people to see our positive message every single day. Mobile advans will enable us to take our message through the communities in which we need to get out the vote. By matching this advertising campaign with the local community newspapers we will shortly distribute we can reach huge swathes of the population.

For just £150 we can buy a bus shelter advert until election day. For £350 we can hire a mobile advan to drive around our key communities. For as little as £700 we can hire billboard on a busy street location for two weeks.

Please help us set up some billboards

http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/put-up-the-poster

Hackney weighs in

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Thursday, 29 March 2012, 20:40

HOPE not hate is teaming up with Hackney Unites to run a local version of the Our Britain, Not Theirs campaign. Simply called 'Our Hackney, Not Theirs', we are looking to contrast the vibrancy and diversity of Hackney with the type of society the BNP would like to create.

As John Page of Hackney Unites told their supporters: "Hackney is a special place and home to all communities, colours and religions. It has a vibrancy unique in London. And it is this we want to celebrate in a Our Hackney, Not Theirs poster."

We will launch this poster on Tuesday 10 April.

Over 50 people from Hackney have already sent in photos of themselves but our aim is for plenty more. Anyone from Hackney can add their picture here:

http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/get-in-the-picture-hackney

Candidates Announced

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Thursday, 29 March 2012, 17:01

Carlos Cortiglia

Details of the candidates who are to stand in the London Mayoral election and the Greater London Authority have been announced today.

Seven candidates in total will fight it out to become London Mayor, including the BNP's very own Carlos Cortiglia. More about Carlos can be read here.

A notable absentee from the list of candidates was Tess Culnane for the National Front, despite the fact that the NF announced they would be fighting the mayoral elections "Like never before" on their website back in February.

Also announced was the GLA list of London-wide candidates.

Heading the list for the BNP is the BNP's London organiser Steve Squire aka Steve Mendoza.

Next on the list for the BNP are: Dave Furness, Paul Sturdy, Carlos Cortiglia, John Clark, Robert Taylor, Giuseppe De Santis, Donna Treanor, Roberta Woods, Marie Nicholas and John Rowland Broks.

Standing for the National Front is Tess Culnane, Ian Edward and Andrew Cripps.

A couple of names on the English Democrats list raise an eyebrow, Benjamin Weald is a regular attendee for the EDL and March for England and Michael Barnbrook, the former BNP activist and self proclaimed "sleazebuster".

As of yet only 6 of the 14 constituencies in the London Assembly have announced candidates.

In Ealing & Hillingdon, David Furness will stand for the BNP, while NF chairman Ian Edward will stand for the National Front.

Enfield & Haringey see Marie Nicholas standing for the BNP

Greenwich & Lewisham has Roberta Woods representing the BNP and her one time BNP colleague Tess Culnane representing the NF.

Havering and Redbridge has the veteran anti Semite Richard Edmonds standing for the NF with Robert Taylor standing for the BNP.

Standing in the Goresbrook Ward, Taylor will also be the BNP's candidate in the forthcoming Barking & Dagenham By Election to be held on April 19th.

When a journalist turns rogue

posted by: Sam King | on: Thursday, 29 March 2012, 02:39

A name that pops up in our office from time to time is a local journalist by the name of Danny Lockwood.

Not only a journalist, Lockwood is owner and Managing Director of The Press Newspaper, based in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.

Lockwood first came to our attention in 2003 when his newly launched newspaper started giving a huge amount of positive coverage to the British National Party.

The coverage increased alarmingly when the BNP had three councillors elected in the Kirklees area between 2003 to 2006.

Writing mostly sympathetic articles regarding the BNP councillors, Lockwood even called two of them, Colin Auty and David Exley his personal friends.

With a letters page dominated by BNP members as well, you can understand why Kirklees BNP liked the newspaper as much as it did.

With the newspaper giving regular coverage to the BNP, Lockwood also pushed his own anti Islamic agenda in his “Ed Lines” column.

Eventually, Kirklees BNP imploded and the coverage of the councillors came to end, much to the disappointment of Danny Lockwood.

Lockwood continued to ramp up tensions in the Dewsbury area , In 2010 he wrote about the Cumbrian mass murderer Derrick Bird saying “If Derrick Bird had been carrying a Koran he would have been celebrated as a hero by tens of thousands, possibly more of so called “British” Muslims”.

This infuriated local Muslims who held a protest outside Dewsbury police station, demanding that action be taken against the journalist.

Lockwood realised that prejudice sells and in December 2011 released a book entitled “The Islamic Republic of Dewsbury”, rather unsurprisingly this book has become popular with the BNP and EDL and not just in the Dewsbury area.

And just this week Lockwood revealed a very interesting fact. He admitted that in January he attended a far right meeting that was held in Bradford.

This was the “Nationalist Unity “meeting that hosted members of The National Front, British Movement and the neo Nazi BPP, along with Yorkshire BNP MEP Andrew Brons who was guest of honour.

Why was Lockwood there? His book came out before the meeting so he can’t use the excuse of “research”. He certainly hasn’t written about the meeting before, so was it just a meeting of political minds for Lockwood?

A bigot sharing a dingy pub with other washed up bigots, sounds about right.

The EDL love Lockwoods book

Islamist extremists give evidence for Anders Breivik

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 28 March 2012, 21:45

Norwegian killer Anders Breivik will be receiving support in his court case from three Islamist extremists. Among them is Mullar Krekar, the Kurdish founder of radical Islamic group Ansar al-Islam, who on Monday was sentenced to five years in jail for making death threats against Norwegian officials.

Breivik, who killed 77 people last July, is pleading not guilty on the basis that he was forced to carry out the attacks to save the country from Islamist takeover. Krekar and two other Norwegian Islamist extremists are believed to have been called by the defence to admit that their aim is for the Islamist takeover of Norway. Krekar, always keen for publicity, has announced that he is only too willing to attend.

The defence is also likely to call a number of anti-Muslim activists and commentators to give evidence about the dangers of Islam.

Photos are pouring in

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 28 March 2012, 13:54

Speech Debelle's email to our supporters has had a great impact with another 183 people sending in photos in the last two hours. We are now almost at 1,000 photos in total.

To add your picture click here:

http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/get-in-the-picture

Here are just a few more people backing the Our Britain, Not Theirs campaign.

Celebrities sign up for OUR Britain

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 28 March 2012, 11:24

Speech Debelle, Eddie Izzard, Meera Syal and Fiona Phillips have all signed up to the Our Britain, Not Theirs campaign.

They will be adding their photos to the 800 people who have so far responded to our appeal to make a giant poster. Singer Speech Debelle has this morning also sent out an email to our supporters urging them to send in more photographs.

You can add yours here:

http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/get-in-the-picture

The first arrive

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 28 March 2012, 09:07

Our Danish friends told us last night that the first Defence League supporters had begun to arrive in Copenhagen ahead of the demonstration in Aarhus on Saturday. The demonstration, expected to be attended by 2-300 people, will signal the formation of a European network of Defence Leagues.

EDL leaders had hoped to initiate such a network at their rally in Amsterdam in September 2010 but so few people turned up Lennon and co were just talking to themselves.

Aarhus is an interesting venue as it is the heart of the Danish nazi scene. However, even here they are likely to be met with a much larger anti-Nazi demonstration, with protesters from Norway, Sweden and Germany planning to join up with locals and anti-Nazis from Copenhagen.

According to our Danish friends about 40 people from England, Finland, Russia, Poland and Germany had arrived in Copenhagen and were staying in a hotel close to the main police station.

EDL supporters jailed for vicious attack.

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Wednesday, 28 March 2012, 02:33

Dale Oakley

Four Yorkshire EDL supporters were jailed this week for a vicious attack on two Asian teenagers.

Leeds Crown Court heard how the four yobs, Dale Oakley, Jordan Williams and Melvin Watts all of Dewsbury, and Josh Foster of Tadcaster attacked the two teenagers in revenge as Foster and Williams, had been beaten up by an Asian group at an earlier date.

However, neither of the victims was involved in the initial attack on Foster and Williams.

Williams struck one of the teenagers with a stick while Watts, slashed one of them in the face with a knife he had brought from home.

Melvin Watts, 19, was sentenced to five years in a young offenders’ institute for wounding with intent and possessing an offensive weapon.

Josh Foster, 18, was sentenced to 15 months in a young offenders’ institute for wounding and racially aggravated assault.

Dale Oakley, 21, was sent to prison for 18 months for wounding and racially aggravated assault.

Jordan Williams, 18, was sent to a young offenders’ institute for 18 months for wounding, racially aggravated assault and possessing an offensive weapon.

One of the thugs, Dale Oakley has a very interesting background as both his parents are well known Nazis in the Dewsbury area.

In 2005 both his parents were jailed for stirring up racial hatred on a far right website.

Jeremy Oakley and wife Jacqueline were sent to prison for 18 months and 9 months respectively after admitting posting hate material on the White Nationalist Party website.

Jeremy Oakley was a member of the BNP, Combat 18 and the White Nationalist Party whilst his wife Jacqueline was the organiser of the women’s division of The White Nationalist Party.

Obviously the hatred in the Oakley family has been passed down through the family.

Jackie Oakley, speaking at a WNP meeting

Jeremy Oakley

The odd couple

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Monday, 26 March 2012, 21:09

Khaw and Jones about to enjoy a pint of race hate?

Claire Khaw’s a strange one. She’s the Chinese woman who ended up in the BNP and for a while along with Nick Griffin, thought that Nick Griffin was the greatest thing since sliced bread. She used to like to live on the edge and hang around with such high brow BNP non-entities as Jeffrey Marshall

The two of them apparently share a hatred of sick children.

While Marshall learnt to be more careful about declaring his hatred, Khaw could not and following a serious threat of violence from some female party members, decided to quit the BNP last year after another one of her infamous outbursts about sick and disabled children.

Khaw describes herself as a “civic nationalist”, though I would prefer the term “collaborator” to describe somebody of her disposition. Undeterred by being run out of the BNP and allegedly losing herself the role of London’s Mayoral candidate for the BNP, Khaw settled down to life with a different group of Holocaust deniers and neo-Nazis.

She was until last weekend a regular at the meetings of the New Right, or IONA as one half now likes to call itself. By all accounts, there was quite a large “elephant” in the corner once all the Nazis and race haters got together with her in the room.

And so at 06.30hrs last Saturday as Khaw was no doubt dreaming of another excellent day in the company of Holocaust deniers and neo-Nazis later that day, she received a text message. The message told her that she was not welcome to attend the meeting. Who knows why? Khaw was looking forward to attending too. This was after all, the “big one”. She was crestfallen.

Pondering it later, Khaw wondered whether the decision could be “racially motivated”. I kid you not! Not only that, it got worse for her. As the Nazi meeting in question was being cancelled the organiser of the secret meet was apparently texting everybody that it was Khaw that had tipped us off about the meeting.

Now she’s really not happy. Never mind the possible racism, she’s actually been accused of doing something decent as well!

Khaw actually thinks that it was the presence of her and Dave Jones “two very important persons” and not the international guests at their great expense that led us to get the meeting cancelled. Obviously, she is a very important person, Jones is too. In fact, he’s the biggest swastika waving, bearded idiot in the entire village of Todmorden.

The two self-styled “VIP’s” spent a lovely day out in London just to prove how important they are and even took photos of each other. What a sight it must have been to see “Desperate Dave” in his swastika t-shirt walking along London’s streets together with a Chinese woman who is persona non grata at secrer Nazi meetings either because she’s red or most likely, in their eyes, because she's Chinese.

I feel a little sorry for Claire, personally. Not because for some strange reason she likes to spend time in the company of people who hate her, but because Dave Jones is an absolute bore according to his Nazi colleagues. Maybe that’s why they’re both banned from future meetings.

Jones: Fashionable fascist?

Photos still coming in

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Monday, 26 March 2012, 14:58

I'm still getting photos being sent in for the Our Britain, Not Theirs poster. I've lost track of the exact number but we have had well over 700 sent in.

You can add yours here:

http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/get-in-the-picture

Talking of photos, yesterday I asked for photographers to help us in our work. Eighteen photographers, from across the country, have contacted me so I would just like to say a big thank you to all of them and I will be contacting them directly over the next day two.

In the meantime, I will leave you with a few more photos that have been sent in.

Way off mark

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Monday, 26 March 2012, 13:37

The British National Party is claiming that it is on 7% in the latest London Mayoral poll. It is using this boast both to motivate their memebers but to also fundraise.

Of course, not everything is quite what it seems. The poll the BNP is referring to is an internet poll for a group of 40 London local papers and is still active (http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/9600004.London_Mayor_election_campaign_officially_begins/). Anyone can go on the internet and vote - as many times as you like.

The poll is still open and 'Others' are currently on 46%, while Labour's Ken Livingstone is on just 12%.

In terms of accurate, professional polls, the Evening Standard put out a YouGov poll in which the BNP is currently polling at 1% - some way below the BNP claim. (http://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/document/vrobpzwo69/Copy%20of%20Results%20120315%20London%20Mayor.pdf)

There is, however, no room for complacency. The BNP is a ‘brand’ name and in a low turnout election their share of the vote is likely to rise.

Photographers wanted!

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Sunday, 25 March 2012, 10:56

HOPE not hate is looking for photographers to help us with our work.

As part of the Our Britain, Not Theirs campaign, we are organising a series of photoshoots in different parts of the country to celebrate the diversity of our supporters and the country at large.

You might be a professional, semi-professional or just a keen amateur. It doesn't matter as long as you can take a decent photo and support our cause.

We always need photographers, whether it is for a project like this, covering a BNP or EDL event or simply to provide stock photos to cover stories we might run. We will be grateful for any help you can give us.

If you think you have what it takes then please drop me a line at nick@hopenothate.org.uk

Nazis defeated, curry completed.

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Sunday, 25 March 2012, 10:54

The New Right: Out in the gutter where they belong

“We come here every week, this is outrageous” and out into the sunshine went another Nazi brandishing his collection of Nazi books. He was shuffling in desperation, waiting for someone or something to come to his aid. Thankfully, he didn’t compare his predicament to that of some kind of deemed “anti-social” element living in Nazi Germany in the bygone days he ideologically longed for. The pub had called the police to help throw them out.

Out on to the pavement in Praed Street in Paddington London, they gloomily filed. For nearly two hours their secret phone number had been blocked by antifascists and their secret meeting plans ruined. From across Britain and Europe a whole host of Nazi sympathisers had travelled for the secret meeting. While they moaned and complained, the Hope Not Hate team sat inside the pub with their European colleagues, blogged and kept an eye on them.

The staff at the Fountains Abbey pub were apologising and protesting their innocence. They were apologising to the dozens of angry antifascists and locals who were dialling the pub’s telephone and also to the “New Right”, the collection of Nazis fanatics and Holocaust deniers whose secret meeting we had ruined. The Nazis protested and even begged, but despite having been regulars, this meeting, billed as their biggest and best ever, was off. We’d even sat in the pub where their meeting was supposed to be and watched their great plans come crashing down.

We’d followed them from across the country and then across London for two days. We had a fair idea where the meeting was going to be, we knew they’d been there before but we had in fact overestimated them. They were as predictable as the stiff right armed salutes that greeted some of them as they arrived at the airport on Friday and at Paddington train station on Saturday. Strange men, as they always are; heads constantly burrowed into books dwelling on and supposedly debunking genocides, or reading books suggesting and encouraging further genocide.

The “New Right” are not the Boys from Brazil and nor are they some kind of secret ‘Odessa’ organisation either. They’re mainly ageing Jew Haters, Holocaust deniers and Hitler admirers who either never quite made the big time in the British far-right, or if they did, they were thrown out once it became impossible for them to stop their stiff right arms shooting up into the air when it was least opportune. But at least they’re honest. They may not have had an original political idea between them since they first began worshipping that dreadful Austrian artist, but under the stewardship of ‘young’ Jeremy “Jez” Bedford Turner who likes to hang around at Pall Mall’s Army Club, they have begun to recruit vulnerable young men under the wings, filling their heads up with hatred at meetings becoming too regular for comfort.

For the “New Right”, open anti-Semitism, Hitler worship and Holocaust denial is somehow classier than the Mosque burning, flag waving and rampant racism of the EDL and the BNP. And that’s the way it was always supposed to be in the good old days. No wonder employees of Iran’s Press TV have been made so welcome at previous meetings.

Elsewhere, the “crack” goons who make up the EDL splinter group the “Infidels” were threatening to hold another one of their almost phantom demonstrations, this time in Bolton. We doubted they were. On the case was our team in the North West who were in contact with our friends in Scotland who were monitoring the movements of a contingent of fascists while a good crowd of antifascists were gathering in Bolton. And then, not long after the pubs opened in Hyde, Tameside, the usual fascist faces appeared there. They were also showing up in and around Heywood while a few of the bizarre ‘Combined ex-Forces’ (cxf) were being arrested on their way into Bolton.

We rung the local antifascist group in Bolton who were planning to have a march, to tell them that it looked like the Infidels were dispersing across the North West. Not by plan, but simply by their usual poor organisation. No-one who actually spends anytime following the Infidels around was surprised by this. A good dozen EDL/BNP members arrived drunk not long after midday in Hyde not even sure where they were supposed to be! Infidel leader John “Snowy” Shaw was for some daft reason elsewhere when he read that we had posted his daft plans on our blog. Thinking that we are as thick as he is, he then issued a public statement on his group’s Facebook page an hour later saying that he was actually planning to go Bolton after all. But he was actually in Heywood and a tiny number of his followers were in Hyde and another number were in Bolton having a rough old time of it on their own. Another inexplicable schoolboy error for Shaw. Poor “Snowy”, one does wonder what induces him to get it so wrong all the time. Needless to say, by the time his dwindling, drunk and confused supporters were being arrested in Bolton, Hyde and Heywood a lot of other people were asking the same question.

Down in London, as a crestfallen Jonathan Bowden (formerly of BNP fame) stood miserably in the street and a collection of European fascists mingled with angry English skinheads, “Jez” Turner was desperately trying to save face in front of his European guests and find another venue. Given that there is a split in his organisation, it was the sort of day he could have done without. Had the “other side” tipped us off? And what with him promising that there would be a second hand book stall at his meeting, was he going to be lumbered with a few dozen soiled copies of Mein kampf. He was shaking with rage.

Having blogged from inside the pub for most of the afternoon and it having been made clear that their meeting was now ruined, it was time for us to leave. It was still a lovely afternoon and what with drunken fascists being locked up and humiliated (as usual) up north and forty odd (very odd) Hitler worshippers standing around looking very upset in London, the occasion dictated a hot curry and a warm pint of English beer. The angry Nazis, finally realised that we had been there the whole time and wanted to get frisky with our photographers. No luck there either, gentlemen.

It rounded off a good couple of days work by everyone on our excellent team. Curry tastes even better when you know some racist is having a terrible day. We recommend eating a lamb madras at a table and not on your lap in a car park in Kent.

Later, someone asked why we did not allow these Nazis to have their meeting. After all, it is a free country and a democracy, isn’t it? And why did we not go and debate with these nasty Nazis instead of harassing them. Why did we not try and convince them of our way of thinking? Had we never heard of Voltaire, that witty French philosopher who spoke of dying to allow others to say things he didn’t like.

Yes, we have. But he would never have said it if he'd seen the gates at Auschwitz.

Standing up for OUR Britain

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Sunday, 25 March 2012, 08:44

An incredible 734 people have responded to our appeal for photographs for the Our Britain, Not Theirs poster. There have been a couple of hollywood celebrities thrown in and a few blanks but the overwhelming majority have been our supporters sending in photos of themselves and their families and wanting to be part of our campaign.

I'm still hoping to get 1,000 photos in but we will only keep this appeal live for a few more days as we will need to get on and make the poster.

You can send your picture here:

http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/get-in-the-picture

About half of those who sent in photographs have also sent messages of support. Over the course of the day I will be putting some up. I have to say that reading replies and notes from our supporters is one of the most enjoyable parts of my job.

Here are a few:

Hina, from West London, sent in a photo with the following note: "The freedom to live in the land we reside in with the ability to feel safe and secure, without the fear and worry is something we are all entitled to without hate and discrimination."

Jacqui, from West Sussex, sent in a photograph of her daughter: "My beautiful daughter. British: she's English, Irish, Jewish, Polish & Indian. Need I say more?"

Erica, from Surrey, wrote: "The wonderful mix of cultures and traditions is what makes this country so good to live in. We all evolved from the same source, and, as good descendants, we have diversified and made life much more interesting."

Simon, from Huddersfield, writes: "Good luck on your upcoming local & London elections campaign."

Guru Singh, from Leicester, writes: "We are one world, one humanity."

Rob, from Manchester, sent in a photo of himself and his grandson and said simply: "Keep Britain safe!"

Jo, also from Manchester, writes: "I'm proud to live in a country which has a long, long history of embracing and absorbing invaders, refugees, workers and all newcomers who have made the UK such an exciting, vibrant, multicultural community. Long may it change and grow."

Anthony, from Liverpool, says: "As a Genealogist, I know from one DNA test that my genetic make-up comes from a huge range of different races and cultures. It is a certainty that everybody in the world originated in the continent of Africa. The sooner all people realise this fact the sooner we can start to live in peace.

Update from the North West

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 24 March 2012, 15:42

Apparently there are 40 Infidels in Heywood near Rochdale along with approximately 15 EDL/BNP in Hyde.

So far there has been 5 arrests, although I'm not certain if this includes the two arrests from earlier.

Members of the CxF are annoyed with Infidel leader John "Snowy" Shaw, accusing him of setting them up 

More from Infidels

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 24 March 2012, 14:28

Liam Pinkham

Just a correction, we said that two infidels were arrested in Hyde, it was actually Bolton we are now hearing.

One of those arrested was well known Neo Nazi Liam Pinkham from Liverpool.

Meeting is off!

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Saturday, 24 March 2012, 14:14

Fountain Abbey: Now Nazi free (pics later!!)

And they're not happy! They've been turfed into the street in all their moronic Nazi glory

Couple of thugs tried to attack our photographers, but they're (our guys) now on their way for a well earned pint.

Thank you to everyone who made it clear to the pub and to the Nazis, that we want Hope in our pubs, not Hate!!

Me and Bernie are gonna sneak off for a lunch time curry.

Nazi boy arrives

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Saturday, 24 March 2012, 13:47

Jones: Just arrived at London meeting

Dave Jones, who likes to stroll around his farm looking like he does in this picture, has just arrived at the "New Right" meeting at the Fountains Abbey pub in Paddington.

The pub's South African owners claim that the meeting has been cancelled, but there is no sign of that yet.

D'you think Dave is someone who believes in freedom of speech?

There are people standing outside with Hitler t-shirts on and one rather odd man reading and quoting from a book on the SS.

I wonder what the doctors, staff and nurses from the St Mary's Hospital opposite who drink in there normally will think about this?

Infidels arrested.

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 24 March 2012, 13:42

Hearing that two Infidels/Cxf were arrested by police as soon as they arrived in their minibus in Hyde.

Infidels aren't very happy to say the least.

Not so clever, Snowy

posted by: Sam King | on: Saturday, 24 March 2012, 12:58

Infidels: They forget we're not as thick as them...

We rumbled their plans over an hour ago when our intel team spotted certain drunks hanging around in Hyde and not in Bolton where they said they would be.

Snowy thinks he has pulled the wool over antifascist eyes, but he must know by now we're one step ahead of them!!

Two coaches from Scotland have been pulled over by the police and the Nazis thugs are standing by the side of the road.

Pub panic sets in.. your calls are working

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Saturday, 24 March 2012, 12:42

Nice Pub: They need to get these Nazis out.

The staff at the Fountains Abbey had no idea they were hosting neo-Nazis and Holocaust deniers.

They have now called the police to the venue as the panicked Nazis have nowhere else to hold their grotty meeting. My colleague Bernadette and I are enjoying a nice glass of red and taking in the nice sunshine coming through the window here.

Is that Troy Southgate who just arrived? There's a good dirty dozen of them in here now!

Keep up the polite pressure.

Exclusive! Secret Nazi Meeting Exposed

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Saturday, 24 March 2012, 11:57

Nice Pub: Rotten customers

The hard line neo-Nazi "New Right" are having a secret meeting this afternoon in the Fountains Abbey pub, Praed St, Paddington, London.

Speakers from Sweden including Oma Filmersson are there as well as Baron Jonas de Geer of Livonia "The Anti-Modernist Movement" wil be delivering speeches.

There will also be plenty of Holocaust denial books available and plenty of British Nazis too.

They ask their followers who do not know where the venue is to call 07982569254 for details of the venue.

The pub is totally unaware of who has booked their venue. Ring them politely to protest who is using their venue on 0207 723 2364

Change of plans for Infidels...

posted by: Sam King | on: Saturday, 24 March 2012, 11:23

Some members of the North West Infidels appear to be in Hyde and not in Bolton as advertised today. Our spotters tell us that a number of them are milling around a pub there.

Snowy may think he is being clever by sending antifascists on a wild goose chase, but as he can only get 30 people to his national demos it seems this may have been his cowardly planning all along.

Chelsea take on antisemitic minority

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 23 March 2012, 15:46

Tomorrow Chelsea play host to Tottenham in a what will be an even more chanrged local derby. With both clubs chasing a Champion League's place there is likely to be even more tension, and potentially hostility, between the fans.

Chelsea FC has taken a bold step to address a minority of its supporters who have tarnished previous encounters by their antisemitic chanting. We applaud the club for this stance and we hope their fans display good-natured rivalry without the racism.

Here is part of the Chelsea statement:

"Tomorrow (Saturday) we face our north London rivals Tottenham, a team with whom we have a long-standing and passionate rivalry. Every game against Spurs brings with it an amazing atmosphere, however, for a minority of fans the game also brings hatred and a deeply unpleasant and unwanted level of anti-Semitic abuse which has no place in football.

"Last year we launched the Y word campaign. The film, which features both Frank Lampard and Ledley King and can be viewed above, was made to specifically tackle anti-Semitic abuse. We would ask that all fans take the message of the campaign on board and realise that these words have no place in society and cause huge offence.

"The Y word is a race hate word. It is not an excuse to chant anti-Semitic abuse because Tottenham supporters use the word as a form of identity."

You can read the full statement here:

http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10268~2690123,00.html

600 and rising

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 23 March 2012, 14:08

We have just been sent our 600th photograph for the Our Britain, Not Theirs poster. Our latest target is 750 by midnight so if you haven't sent us a photo please do.

http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/get-in-the-picture

North East Infidels embarrassed

posted by: SImon Cressy | on: Friday, 23 March 2012, 13:37

Paul Duffy

The North East Infidels have been left red faced at their latest attempt to hold a meeting.

A meeting had been announced weeks ago by the EDL splinter with the intention of "supporting" their fellow Infidels currently being held in prison.

NEI organiser and former Heroin dealer Paul Duffy was said to be mortified by such a poor attendance, especially as there are more Infidels in prison than attended the meeting.

The meeting,held last Saturday at the Washington Football Club was a complete disaster, with only seven people turning up out of the 120+ invited.

Weekend of Action plans

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 23 March 2012, 10:14

Much of our focus today is putting together the final touches to our plans for our big weekend of action on the 14/15 April. We already have activities arranged for Burnley, Pendle, Tameside, Halifax, Leeds, Doncaster, Rotherham, Amber Valley, Nuneaton & Bedworth, Thurrock, Broxbourne and Three Rivers. These are our key areas where the BNP is either defending a seat or where they pose a serious threat.

In the case of Leeds, Three Rivers, and Broxbourne we will be facing more of a threat from the English Democrats.

There will also be a large number of events across London, all of which will be revealed early next week.

In conjunction with the Daily Mirror we are doing a series of tabloid newspapers, localised to our key areas. Hackney Unites have ordered 50,000 and our group in Barking and Dagenham are taking 30,000.

Let's meet the target by midnight

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 23 March 2012, 08:51

An amazing 521 people have so far sent in photographs of themselves for the Our Britain, Not Theirs campaign. We are still looking for more photographs and we've set ourselves a target of 750 by midnight tonight.

Can you send in a photo:

http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/get-in-the-picture

Just to recap: As part of our plans for the forthcoming local and London elections, the HOPE not hate campaign is planning to produce a giant poster to reflect the differences in values between our Britain and that of the BNP - and it would be great if you could send in a photo of yourself.

Last night we added some different photos to our montage. More people have sent in photos since it was produced but I thought it would be good to show some different faces.

EU funding rules tightened

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 23 March 2012, 05:56

The Labour MEP Derek Vaughan, who sits on the EU Budget Committee, drafted and successfully passed the amendment (12a) below to the EP's rules on the funding of transnational political parties.

This should make it impossible in future for these funds to be granted again in the 2013 budget and working is still on-going to claw back the money given to the three fascist MEPs (including BNP leader Nick Griffin) for this year.

12 a. Notes the conditions set out in the regulation concerning the financing of political parties;¹ is concerned that "the principles on which the European Union is founded, namely the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law" are not being fully respected; insists that the granting of European Parliament funding should only go to those parties that rigorously uphold the founding principles of the EU and the Charter of Human Rights; asks therefore for the rules to be revised accordingly

¹ Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4th November 2003 on the regulations governing political parties at European level and the rules regarding their funding (OJ L 297, 15.11.2003, p. 1).

HOPE not hate would like to extend a big thank you to all those MEPs, from a range of parties, who have campaigned on this issue.

A big thank you

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Thursday, 22 March 2012, 20:45

I'd just like to say a big thank you to everyone who has sent in photos of themselves for our Our Britain, Not Theirs picture.

So far over 450 people have sent in photos. Really incredible. Our aim was originally for 500 photos but we will probably pass that tonight so now we are raising our target to 750.

To add your picture, go here:

http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/get-in-the-picture

The BNP's anti Semitism continues.

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Thursday, 22 March 2012, 16:37

Jeffrey Marshall

I wrote just last week about how anti Semitism is never too far away from the British National Party.

Just a week later and I have yet another vile example of how the BNP is still the same hate filled party of old.

This time it is the East London organiser and activist Jeffrey Marshall, a name probably familiar to some Hope not Hate readers.

In 2009, Marshall was embroiled in a scandal over his call for children with disabilities to be killed.

When David Cameron’s son Ivan passed away in February 2009, Marshall went onto an internet forum writing: “We live in a country today which is unhealthily dominated by an excess of sentimentality towards the weak and unproductive. No good will come of it.” Cameron’s son had cerebral palsy and was described by the Camerons as their “beautiful boy”. David Cameron said that Ivan had brought “joy and love to those around him”.

Not content with attacking Mr and Mrs Cameron and others mourning Ivan’s death, Marshall stated that although it would be “a kindness” to kill children with disabilities, this was not the same as advocating such a measure as compulsory state policy. “But so what if it is?” he asked. “At least we would all know where we stand. There is actually not a great deal of point in keeping these sort of people alive, after all.”

Sick stuff I'm sure all right minded people would agree, yet Marshall has never had a problem when it comes to offending people.

Marshall's victim this time is Anne Frank, one of the most renowned and most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust, her diary has become one of the world's most widely read books.

In 1945, Anne Frank perished at the hands of the Nazis in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, aged just 15 years old.

Marshall, posted a sick joke to his Facebook profile, mocking Anne Frank, writing "Funny at first".

I've included a grab of the posting below.

Marshall attempted to wriggle out of his sick comments in 2009, I'm sure he will try to do the same again in 2012

Sick Joke

250 photos already in

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Thursday, 22 March 2012, 15:50

Over 250 people have already sent in photos of themselves for our giant Our Britain, Not Theirs poster.

Just to recap: As part of our plans for the forthcoming local and London elections, the HOPE not hate campaign is planning to produce a giant poster to reflect the differences in values between our Britain and that of the BNP - and it would be great if you could send in a photo of yourself.

http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/get-in-the-picture

Get in the picture

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Thursday, 22 March 2012, 14:07

As part of our plans for the forthcoming local and London elections, the HOPE not hate campaign is planning to produce a giant poster to reflect the differences in values between our Britain and that of the BNP – and we are calling on our supporters to be part of the picture.

Our aim is to create a poster containing hundreds of faces of our supporters and in this multiracial collage we will celebrate our Britain and be able to contrast it with the racist hateful country that the BNP would like to create.

The HOPE not hate campaign can be proud of our work in helping to defeat the BNP in many of its heartlands but our slogan has become something far more important in that it encapsulates a vision of how we in society should respect one another. HOPE stands for decency, tolerance, fairness and togetherness. Hate represents division, fear, intolerance and superiority.

Please send us a photo of yourself that we can add into the bigger picture

http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/get-in-the-picture

Appreciate the grievance, deal with the extremism

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Thursday, 22 March 2012, 12:30

As reports come in that Mohammed Merah has been killed in a fire-fight with French police I do want to look at one issue which arose yesterday, namely the reaction of some antiracists to the killings.

In an article on the Stop the War Coalition website, Lindsey German claimed that the killing of three black French soldiers and four Jewish people could not be dismissed as an “isolated hate crime” or the “deed of one fanatic.”

On that, I totally agree.

However, she goes on to write: “No one can justify such attacks, but the shootings in south west France are the terrible and disastrous outcome of the West's war policies and anti-Muslim racism.”

Of course, behind every atrocity like this there is always a grievance – real or not. The perpetrator will justify their actions because of an injustice or to achieve a wider ideological goal.

And grievances, of course, do exist. Sometimes these are big international issues and sometimes they might be smaller, more personal ones. I’m not disputing that and I’m also fully in agreement that Western foreign policy has angered a lot of people, particularly in the Muslim communities.

But let us not also fail to understand the role of hate groups and the dangerous ideology they peddle. Reports coming from France suggest that Mohammed Merah was a supporter of Forsane Alizza (FA – the Knights of Pride), a group that appears to have links to the UK-based al-Muhajiroun/Islam4UK network.

Mohammed Merah did not appear out of nowhere. He didn’t wake up one morning and decide that he was going to take out his anger and grievances on those he blamed. Rather, his worldview and anger was partially created by his long-standing affiliation to Islamist groups, which included involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Mohammed Merah sought out a friendly environment and Forsane Alizza provided him with an ideology.

There have been many British people who have trodden a similar path to Mohammed Merah. According to one recent report, 15% of all Muslims convicted of terror-related offences in the UK since 2001 have been linked to al-Muhajiroun. While there is no evidence that this group has orchestrated terrorist attacks, it has certainly been a gateway to terrorist groups.

We should also be clear that groups like al-Muhajiroun are hate groups. Their attitudes to women, Christians and Jews are totally reprehensible and have no place in a decent tolerant society. Let us not forget that it was al-Muhajiroun supporters who were behind the foul homophobic leaflets distributed in Derby. Unfortunately, too few antiracists have been willing to speak out against them or appreciate their danger. Some of the very same people who say that we should ignore this miniscule group were active in opposing Combat 18 – a group that was far smaller and had far fewer links to terrorism.

Yes, of course, Sarkosy and others have used inflammatory and anti-Muslim language in the Presidential campaigns. Yes, the French Muslim communities have been subjected to years of racism and discrimination. Yes, people are angry at French foreign policy. But let’s also remember that extremist groups of all types are a key part of the problem. People might be angry but these hate groups wind them up and encourage them down a violent path.

And no sense of grievance can justify the antisemitic attack on Jewish schoolchildren. It also wrong that the Jewish victims are denied victim status by some.

Why should we just look at the grievances of Muslim extremists and not be interested in the grievances of far right extremists? Real or not, they too are motivated by a sense of grievance but we ignore that to focus on the racist mindset which motivated them. We have to balance grievance with the ideology that motivates people.

To read our report on al-Muhajiroun buy a copy of HOPE not hate http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/subscribe/

Butler in hot water ?

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Thursday, 22 March 2012, 10:03

Eddy Butler

We are hearing rumours that Eddy Butler, the ex BNP elections guru spent most of yesterday in a police station in London following an alleged attack on the BNP's London organiser Steve Squire.

According to sources, Butler was charged with actual bodily harm following the incident and has been placed on conditional bail.

He is allegedly not allowed to contact Squire in any way or enter the London Borough of Enfield.

Butler, who unsuccessfully challenged Nick Griffin for the BNP leadership back in 2010 and who was subsequently expelled from the BNP has recently joined the English Democrats.

We will report more as we hear it.

Opposing all extremism

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 21 March 2012, 08:33

French police surround a house

It appears that the French authorities believe that they have cornered the man who they believe is responsible for the killing of three French soldiers and four Jewish people.

The BBC is reporting that the French Interior Minister, Claude Gueant, has said that the 24-year-old Frenchman from Toulouse claims to belongs to al-Qaeda and that he acted in "revenge for Palestinian children" and French military operations abroad.

Another report claims that the man, who has an Algerian mother, has made several visits to Pakistan and Afghanistan.

If true, then this hopefully brings this killing spree to an end. The debate and fallout will, however, continue.

It is interesting to read the live feed on The Guardian website, which a few minutes ago claimed: "Analysts say the shootings could transform the election debate and possibly tone down the populist rhetoric."

I think the reality will be quite different.

Marine Le Pen has instantly jumped on the news that the alleged killer was an Islamist and has already begun to link the issue to immigration. This, and the threat of Islamist extremism, will only be talked up in the coming weeks.

Over the last few days President Sarkosy has moderated his language and spoken out against 'hate' - ignoring the fact that he has been whipping it up over the last few weeks. While he might try to stay on this moderate theme for the next couple of days, with talk of bringing communities together, it surely will not be long before he too begins to play the race card again.

Let us be clear about where I - and I hope everyone at HOPE not hate - stand on all this. These were hate crimes carried out by an extremist following an extremist ideology. We must condemn his actions just as strongly as we would have condemned the man if he had been a neo-Nazi. Anti-racists and anti-fascists cannot stay silent on this. Islamist extremism is a threat and can do as much to damage the cohesion of communities as far right extremism.

However, there will be some who will take glee in the fact that the killer is an Islamist and use it to justify their own anti-Muslim hatred and prejudice. This is both wrong and dangerous and it must be confronted.

I will obviously write more about this over the coming days but in the meantime we should recognise that the Far Right are going will try to make political capital out of this and they must be confronted. One extremism does not justify another. We must speak out against them all.

HnH welcomes a new patron

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Tuesday, 20 March 2012, 20:46

I'm delighted to announce that Speech Debelle is to become our latest HOPE not hate patron.

Mercury Winner Speech Debelle is joining a growing list of patrons, which include Meera Syal, Fiona Phillips, Simon Rimmer, Billy Bragg, Levi Roots, Eddie Izzard and Beverley Knight.

Her new album, Freedom of Speech, came out to rave reviews in February.

Speech Debelle on the HOPE not hate bus in 2010

Football's reaction shows the decency of people

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Tuesday, 20 March 2012, 14:08

The outpouring of shock, concern and support across the country for Fabrice Muamba, the Bolton midfielder who suffered a cardiac arrest during the FA Cup game against Spurs, has been both amazing and uplifting.

Everyone was shocked by the horrific images of Fabrice needing CPR on the pitch but this appears to have turned to partial relief as he has shown signs of improvement. Obviously there is still along way to go and the long-term damage of his heart stopping is still unknown but for now there is something to cheer.

When former Spurs boos turned football pundit David Pleat talked about the decency of the 'football family' he could have well been talking about society at large. To virtually a man, woman and child, Britons have rallied round in sympathy and support.

The story is even more inspiring when we learn of Fabrice's own background. The son of a political advisor to the President of Democratic Republic of Congo, he was forced to flee the country at the age of 11 as his family were hunted down during the civil war. He came to Britain without knowing a word of English but within a few years he was captaining his newly adopted country at Under-19 level.

Football fans have rallied to Fabrice in an outpouring of concern and compassion. After months of negative headlines about racism in football, let us cheer the real humanity of British sports fans and society at large.

Fear and loathing in France

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Tuesday, 20 March 2012, 07:30

France is gripped with a sense of panic and foreboding as the authorities hunt the killer of three paratroopers and a teacher and three children at a Jewish school.

While there is still no indication as to the perpetrator, one media report in France is claiming that the attacks could be the work of one of three neo-Nazis who were booted out of the parachute regiment a few years ago after being caught posing in front of a swastika flag.

I have no idea whether this is correct or not and obviously people need to caution about jumping to conclusions. What I would say though is that the fear gripping French society, and especially minority communities, is palpable. I remember only too well the fear the London nailbomber David Copeland spread during his brief bombing campaign in 1999. I also remember the anxiety caused during the 2005 terrorist attacks on the London transport system.

Whoever carried out these attacks we should also look at the rising hate language used in the French Presidential campaign. As President Sarkosy courts the far right vote in a desperate bid to cling onto power, he too has fuelled hatred and fear.

Of course now, as a result of these shootings, Sarkosy is denouncing "hatred" within society. If he had any decency he should admit his own part in stoking tensions in French society.

Making a difference

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Monday, 19 March 2012, 10:26

HOPE not hate activists were out in many parts of the country at the weekend, delivering the first of several pieces of literature in our key wards. We have identified 12 wards in which BNP councillors are up for election, the party won in 2008 (the last time these seats were up) and where the far right vote was above 20% last year.

Eleven activists, from the Amber Valley region, leafleted the bulk of a ward in Heanor on Saturday and another group did most of Hapton-with-Park, in Padiham, Burnley. Yesterday, a group of activists defied the rain to deliver leaflets in one of our key wards in Nuneaton.

There were new activists in each of the three areas, mostly brought in by the local meetings we had held in these areas last week. More local organising meetings are planned over the coming fortnight.

We have already had one email back from a local resident in Hapton-with-Park thanking us for our leaflet. "I received a leaflet from yourselves and have signed up for the campaign.

Admitting to having voted BNP for the last few years, the person wrote: "I also think it is time my views changed as I have two very young children and I want them to grow up in a world free from prejudice as no matter the colour of your skin we all bleed and feel pain the same.

"Anyway, thanks for the leaflet and if nothing else you have four new converts."

A cracking letter and I know our local organiser up in Burnley, Jason Hunter, is over the moon about it. It is little things like this which make what we do seem so worthwhile.

A Crapper Life

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Sunday, 18 March 2012, 21:36

George Crapper: stud for hire with a bouncy castle thrown in

The latest begging email from the BNP tells me that their London activists are “hard at work” and I could do them a favour by digging deep to ensure they get the £5000 required to ensure their candidate is standing for election to be London Mayor and not attending sex parties, for which he is is most notorious for.

Obviously flogging sex movies and rusty old boats on the internet is not enough to keep London BNP afloat so perhaps they could ask George Crapper to get behind their campaign.

“Gorgeous George” as he prefers to describe himself has been making a nice few bob recently hiring out bouncy castles to unsuspecting families from his home in Sheffield as well as expanding his bourgeoning security and Satanist interests.

Crapper, who unsurprisingly prefers to call himself “George Edwards” was exposed in one of today’s red top newspapers as a failed applicant for Olympic security duties. Despite bragging endlessly to anyone who would listen that he was going to be a security guard at the forthcoming games as recently as last week, Crapper was actually turned down weeks ago when the security firm that was hiring guards ran a check on his activities. Crapper still has a death threat posted to Nick Clegg on his website.

Not only has he worked as a self-appointed security guard for BNP chief Nick Griffin, Crapper has formed his own “Nationalist Security” team and offered his services to the cranky CxF, the self declared neo-Nazi paramilitaries with a penchant for not just threatening to murder the Prime Minister, but also apparently, lifting funds from charities that care for real soldiers (more on that later...!)

Crapper was recently at Nick Griffin’s side during his trips to both Hyde and Heywood wearing a stab vest and a silly grin as he walked behind and beside Griffin.

When he is not at Griffin’s side however, Crapper prefers to trawl the net desperately trying to meet people like him desperate for sex. If they’re really desperate, they can also hire him as a male masseuse or indeed, “escort”. Though be warned, he’s not at all interested in a trip to the movies and a nice meal afterwards.

In one posting we will not show, an aroused Crapper posts a picture of his genitalia on line with the message “ready for action” underneath.

He also moans about women who like to go “Dutch” at dinner or those who may be wanting to chat to him!

His colleagues in the BNP have not responded well to Crapper’s exposure in today’s paper. Paul Telford from BNP security has threatened to “chin him” for embarrassing the “boss” (Griffin). Most are wondering what the response will be from Martin Reynolds, the other sex-swinger and degenerate who is supposed to be Griffin’s personal security guard.

Whatever the response is, they had better get in quick. Judging by the disgusting pic Crapper posts of his genitalia, he won’t be “ready for action” for long.

George Crapper: Male Escort

Infidel member jailed for threatening hospital staff

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 17 March 2012, 19:37

Shane Martin

A member of the North East Infidels has been convicted and jailed after he threatened hospital staff at South Tyneside maternity unit.

Shane Martin from Jarrow threatened staff and visitors to the unit after being asked to leave by security.

Armed with a martial arts weapon, Martin attempted to gain access to confront an individual he had had an earlier row with.

Martin, who was drunk at the time of the incident, continued to attempt to gain access, while women who were giving birth could hear his violent antics.

Whilst security staff waited for the police to arrive, Shane Martin made threats to kill them all.

Police attended the maternity unit and recovered a set of nunchucks that Martin had thrown into a bush.

Judge John Milford jailed Martin after hearing he was on bail for offences of criminal damage at the time of the incident.

Martin, of Summerhill, Jarrow, was imprisoned for eight months after he pleaded guilty to having an offensive weapon and threatening behaviour.

The North East Infidels are an EDL splinter formed by John "Snowy" Shaw after a violent fallout with the EDL leadership.

2012 campaign kicks off

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Saturday, 17 March 2012, 07:25

Our 2012 election campaign really kicks off this weekend with a series of leafleting sessions in key wards across the country. Our initial focus is on those wards in which the BNP is defending. A successful election cycle from our perspective could leave the BNP with just two borough councillors and one county councillor.

Our big weekend of action is going to be over the weekend of 14/15 April. Over those two days the HOPE not hate campaign will be linking up with local acitivists to deliver our tabloid newspapers.

We have already got plans for activities in Burnley, Pendle, Tameside, Calderdale, Leeds, Rotherham, Amber Valley, Nuneaton & Bedworth, Sandwell, Three Rivers and Thurrock. There will also be a large number of events across London.

HOPE not hate supporters in other areas will also be encouraged to organise local activities. We have produced a new anti-BNP leaflet and we will shortly be bringing out leaflets targeting the English Democrats and the British Freedom Party.

Paul Weston and Andrew Brons hold secret meeting.

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 17 March 2012, 01:19

Andrew Brons & Paul Weston

It seems Paul Weston, leader of The British Freedom Party has attended a secret meeting with isolated BNP MEP Andrew Brons and former BNP Economic spokesman Andrew Moffat held in a spirit of "Nationalist Unity".

Brons has also recently published a long and rambling article by Weston on his BNP Ideas website.

The MEP has held meetings with a whole host of individuals from a variety of far right organisations including The National Front, The England First Party and the openly Nazi British Peoples Party.

British Freedom under the leadership of Weston formed an alliance with the English Defence League in November last year, with the possibility of EDL activists standing as candidates under the BFP ticket this summer.

It is not clear if EDL leader Stephen Yaxley Lennon is aware of the meeting of minds between Weston and Brons, but it is unlikely to be something Lennon would advocate, following his recent demand that EDL supporters stop carrying BNP placards at the EDL's demo in Hyde just last month.

Nick Griffin must be feeling glum

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 16 March 2012, 11:50

A few weeks ago BNP leader Nick Griffin was crowing at obtaining funding from the European Parliament for Alliance of European Nationalist Movements (AENM), the fascist grouping he had set up with an MEP from France's Front National – which has since left the group – and Hungary's Jobbik party. He is probably not so smug now.

Yesterday there was a meeting of the Council of Presidents and the first item on the agenda was the AENM's funding. Not only has the President asked the Commission prepare a motion to improve the current regulation on party financing but it has also agreed to look into the possibility of reclaiming the money allotted to the AENM.

While everyone agreed that respected, political parties must comply with the fundamental criteria of democracy. On the initiative of Hannes Swoboda, the Conference of Presidents decided to launch the procedure under Rule 210 of the Rules of Procedure to verify the compliance of certain European political parties with the European principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.

In addition, the President proposed the establishment of a Group of Wise Persons who would be entrusted to watch over the tenets of European party financing.

It seems that even Griffin realises that his chances of being able to keep his share of €289,266 is diminishing by the second.

EU investigation under way

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Thursday, 15 March 2012, 12:38

I've just received news that there is now a full investigation into the funding that the BNP was to receive from the European Parliament.

As previously reported, the BNP (and some of their fascist friends) had been awarded €289,266 of EU taxpayers' money after they had formed a new alliance within the European Parliament. Since then, HOPE not hate has been working behind the scenes with politicians from across the political spectrum to get the decision reversed and there now appears to be a growing momentum to at the very least relook at the issue.

During its meeting today, the Conference of Presidents decided, on the initiative of S&D Group leader Hannes Swoboda, to launch the procedure to check whether a political party at European level is committed to observing the EU principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law.

While there is still some way to go to reverse the funding decision we are moving in the right direction. At the very least MEPs will hopefully be able to set a precedent to prevent funding in future years.

Pressure is mounting on EU

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Thursday, 15 March 2012, 07:34

Last month I reported that the BNP (and some of their fascist friends) had been awarded €289,266 of EU taxpayers' money after they had formed a new alliance within the European Parliament. Since then, HOPE not hate has been working behind the scenes with politicians from across the political spectrum to get the decision reversed and there now appears to be a growing momentum to at the very least relook at the issue.

At the centre of the challenge is that the BNP, the Front National and the Hungarian fascist party, Jobbik, do not comply with the criteria set down for political groups within the EU to receive this money - namely that their views are counter to regulations governing the funding of European political parties.

In article 3 on the conditions for funding (EC 2004/2003), it clearly states that a political party applying for funding: "must observe, in particular in its programme and its activities, the principles on which the European Union is founded, namely the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law."

The BNP quite clearly do not uphold these principles. In its constitution non-whites are considered second-class citizens and the party has repeatedly called for preference to be given to "indigenous Britons" (which through its own interpretation can only be whites) in regards to employment, housing and schools.

Labour MEPs, to their credit, have been at the forefront to exerting pressure to get the funding decision reversed, but they have been joined by Swedish Social Democrats and many others. UK Liberal Democrat Andrew Duff to has also written to Martin Schulz, the EP President, expressing his concerns.

The British Labour MEPs have even discussed calls for the 2012 funding of pan-European parties to be stopped - which would include funding for their own political alliance - if this decision is not reversed.

Much of the pressure is being put on Martin Schulz, the European Parliament President and his officials who appear to have taken the decision to fund these three fascist MEPs without any consultation and it appears with very little, if any, legal advice.

Today, we are formally writing to Martin Schulz to express our concern. I hope to report more on this in the coming days.

Palestinian activists denounce Atzmon

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 14 March 2012, 08:01

I was interested to read this blog (http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/palestinian-writers-activists-disavow-racism-anti-semitism-gilad-atzmon) in which a number of leader Palestinian activists denounce Gilad Atzmon.

HOPE not hate spoke out strongly against Atzmon last autumn, after he was invited to perform at a left-wing festival in Bradford.

At the time I wrote: "Gilad Atzmon is an antisemite and flirts with Holocaust Denial and Holocaust Deniers."

Atzmon and his small band of supporters attacked me for being a Zionist (and plenty more besides). Of course this was nonsense because I was not making a statement on Atzmon's views on Israel/Palestine but merely reflecting a wider view on his racist and antisemtic stereotypes and associations which if said by Nick Griffin or David Irving would have been pounced on by some of the very same people who criticised me.

Anyway, quite rightly, these leading Palestinians believe that Atzmon's views are both repugnant and do nothing to further their cause.

Old racist habits die hard

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Tuesday, 13 March 2012, 17:27

As the Republican nomination battles moves to the deep south, Public Policy Polling has conducted some research in Alabama and Mississippi. The results are both depressing and scary.

In Mississippi only 12% of Republican voters think Obama's a Christian, while 52% think he's a Muslim and 36% who are not sure. In Alabama just 14% think Obama's a Christian to 45% who think he's a Muslim and 41% who aren't sure.

When asked about interracial marriage the results are even more depressing. A shocking 29% of Republican voters in Mississippi think 'interracial marriage should be illegal' while 21% in Alabama think likewise.

You can read the full report here:

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2012/03/other-notes-from-alabama-and-mississippi.html

A cause for concern?

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Tuesday, 13 March 2012, 10:25

The Christian establishment is backing a campaign, run by hardline anti-gay evangelical Christians, which calls on the Government to halt its plans to allow same-sex marriage.

A petition against the Government’s plans is being organised by the Coalition 4 Marriage (C4M), which set up three months ago, and now appears to have the backing of the mainstream Christian leaders and 12 MPs, including nine Conservatives and two Labour.

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey, now Lord Carey of Clifton, backed C4M, saying the plan was a "hostile strike" on marriage. But last weekend a letter was read out in every Catholic church from the most senior English Catholic, Rt Rev. Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster who together with Most Rev. Peter Smith, the Archbishop of Southwark, urged all Catholics to sign this petition.

The C4M petition currently stands at 167,000 names and is receiving huge media attention. What is less known is that Coalition 4 Marriage is a front for "evangelical" radical campaigning Christians. In encouraging their followers to sign the petition, the leaders of the Anglican and Catholic churches are basically handing over their data to support the broader campaigns of these groups, unknown to their unsuspecting flock.

Among those on the board of C4M re:

* Don Horrocks, the head of public policy at the Evangelical Alliance.

* Norman Wells, Director of the Family Education Trust that campaigns against sex education in schools.

* Andrea Minichiello Williams, Christian Concern For our Nation

* Sam Webster, solicitor at the Christian Institute.

Coalition 4 Marriage operates from 5 Park Road, Gosforth Business Park, Newcastle. It's neighbour, at number 4, just happens to be the headquarters of the Christian Institute.

The Christian Institute is a Christian evangelical pressure group which promotes a Conservative Christian viewpoint based on the belief of Biblical inerrancy. It has campaigned against gambling, euthanasia and abortion. It is probably best known for its outspoken campaigning against gay rights. It calls for the retention of Section 28, raising the age of consent for gay men and opposition to the Civil Partnership Act.

In 2001 the Christian Institute was criticised by the Charities Commission, for breaching rules limiting overt political campaigning by charities, after "publishing a 100-page report, Homosexuality and Young People (1998), which argued against reforming anti-homosexual law with no reference at all to a Christian view."

One of the patrons of the Christian Institute is Baroness Cox, who in 1987 co-founded the Committee for a Free Britain, a right-wing Conservative pressure group which backed the Poll Tax, supported the Contras in Nicaragua and used anti-gay material during their anti-Labour campaign in 1987.

In May 2004 she joined three other Conservative peers in signing a letter published by the UK Independence Party urging voters to support it in the elections to the European Parliament, for which she was stripped of the Conservative whip. She now sits as a crossbencher.

Cox has been a vocal opponent of Islam and in February 2009 she and then UKIP leader Lord Pearson invited Dutch Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders to show the anti-Islam film Fitna before the House of Lords.

Another C4M trustee is Andrea Minichiello Williams, of the Christian Concern for Our Nation (CCFON). Williams is on record as stating the Human Fertilisation Bill was “the work of the devil”, that homosexuality is sinful and that abortion should be illegal. The CCFON put out a press release celebrating the defeat of Dr Evan Harris, the Liberal Democrat MP in Oxford West and Abingdon, whom the Christian right had labelled “Dr Death”.

People should of course have the right to support or oppose the Government’s same-sex marriage plan and of course religion plays an important part in society and can help create more cohesive communities. However, in this case the leaders of the Christian churches are feeding this activism directly into radical groups, with no further oversight in what direction C4M and its parent organisations take. Pointing mainstream Catholics and Anglicans in the direction of radical "Christian" Islamaphobia and virulent homophobia is irresponsible.

At the very least the Christian leaders should demand a public assurance from C4M that the data gathered in this campaign will not be used to further the aims of their parent groups.

A busy Monday

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Tuesday, 13 March 2012, 06:35

Yesterday was a really busy day for all of us at HOPE not hate. In the morning I attended the Connected Communities Policy Workshop hosted by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) in collaboration with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). There were really interesting presentations by David Robinson (Sheffield Hallam University) on predicting and promoting community relations and by Matthew Goodwin on our current knowledge on the far right.

Most of the event was spent in small groups, both looking at some of the challenges about confronting extremism at a local level and then a more positive discussion about what could be done.

I found the event really interesting and thought-provoking. We made some great contacts and hopefully some of these will turn into some practical joint working in the near future.

In the afternoon Ruth Smeeth and I addressed a meeting of Labour MPs around the theme of extremism in England. There was a far-reaching discussion which included the current state of the BNP, the connection between racism and economic insecurity, feelings of nostalgia and lost identity and possible dangers of rising English nationalism ahead of a vote for Scottish nationalism.

Throughout the day I was heartened to continue to receive really positive feedback about our new HOPE not hate magazine. The Holocaust Educational Trust tweeted: “Received our first copy of the new @hopnothate magazine today – it looks truly fantastic.”

A got a lovely message from my old friend Jason Hunter, from Burnley. While he pointed out a slight mistake in my piece on Burnley – where I claimed that they had delivered 20,000 leaflets and newspapers where it should have read - 295,576 (yes, Jason has kept a record of them all), he was complimentary about the magazine as a whole. “HOPE not hate is a force of nature not a point in time,” he told me. “The article is great and so is the mag as a whole. Can’t wait to read the lot.”

It was an equally busy day for the rest of the team. Our HnH organisers were attending events in London and Nuneaton, while Matthew was up in Northampton, speaking at an event organised by the local REC.

Anti-Semitism and Brighton BNP

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Tuesday, 13 March 2012, 01:46

Anti Semites together: Jonathan Hall with Nick Griffin

Let’s face it, anti Semitism is never too far from the British National Party

Nick Griffin himself received a conviction in 1998 for distributing material likely to incite racial hatred following statements made denying the Holocaust in The Rune, an anti Semitic quarterly of which Griffin was the editor.

During his trial Griffin made the notorious statement: "I am well aware that the orthodox opinion is that six million Jews were gassed and cremated and turned into lampshades. Orthodox opinion also once held that the Earth was flat … I have reached the conclusion that the 'extermination' tale is a mixture of Allied wartime propaganda, extremely profitable lie, and latter witch-hysteria."

In recent years Griffin has attempted to tone down his hatred of the Jews, with the BNP even having a Jewish councillor, Pat Richardson in Epping Forest to add some weight to the claims that the BNP are no longer anti Semitic.

However, scratch the surface and the hatred will always return.

Jonathan Hall, who until recently was the BNP’s Brighton organiser as well as the West Sussex regional organiser.

Hall quickly became unhappy with how the BNP operate, accusing South East regional organiser Nick Prince of interfering in the running of his Brighton branch.

Hall’s temper quickly boiled over and used Facebook as a way of venting his spleen.

Hall posted “Nick Prince will not have a SE region to manage within two weeks”

He continued “c**ts like Prince and his dirty Jewish greasy fucking hair sneak up on us all”

Finally he added “If Nick Prince doesn’t resign soon I’ll make it my mission to fuck that Jewish greasy prick…..Hitler had a purpose with the Jews, he lost out when hit came you Yid c***ts like Prince. Only shame he didn’t gas his folks and put us out of our troubles”

Soon after Hall resigned as Brighton organiser.

Anger & Disgust

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Monday, 12 March 2012, 12:05

Paul James

I don’t get upset very often and at the same time there isn’t much that shocks me anymore.

In the past 24 hours I have experienced both of these emotions and now I am left with two more, anger and disgust.

Having watched on television the horrific scenes from Afghanistan where a U.S. soldier turned “rogue” and slaughtered 16 innocent Afghan civilians, some of which were children deeply upset me, as I am sure it did most of our readers and supporters.

I have young children, and the thought of those murdered, similar in age to my kids made me realise just how lucky I am.

Surely everybody would condemn the killings? These were innocent men, women and children, some of which were under the age of six.

And that’s when the anger and disgust kicked in, members of the EDL and the cranky CXF find the whole disgusting story something to crow about.

Paul James of Liverpool CXF posted just a few hours ago on Facebook “Got to love an American soldier. He had the right idea. An eye for a eye. Time to get a lads home and nuke Afghanistan!”

James, in recent weeks has become very close to the North West Infidels and recently took part in a rooftop protest in Bury with NWI leader John “Snowy” Shaw.

James comments on Facebook were quickly endorsed by Leicester EDL activist Lee Tams.

Tams wrote “NUKE UM ALL AFGHANISTAN, IRAN AND IRAQ, I CAN LIVE WITH THAT AND FK INNOCENT CIVILIANS THEY DON,T GIVE FK BOUT THEM WHEN THEY BLOWING UM SELFS UP WIPING OUT EVERY FUCKER”

Tams, who works for Leicester City Council as a road sweeper later wrote

“THEY ALL NEED WIPING OUT IT,S ONLY WAY FORWARD”

Words fail me, but it is days like this that reaffirm why I strongly believe in Hope not Hate, the words say it all.

Lee Tams

Free thinking Stokie

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Sunday, 11 March 2012, 09:40

I've been asked to plug this blog:

(http://freethinkingstokie.wordpress.com/)

I've had a quick look at it and it seems like something we should support.

What do you think?

The world of trolls, attack dogs and blogs

posted by: Matthew Collins & John P | on: Saturday, 10 March 2012, 20:20

Dalgleish & Griffin: "Fancy a curry later?"

It's been a funny last 24 hours in the world of blogs...

Last night, one particular blog allegedly run by two of London's "finer" BNP members Steve Squire and Bob Taylor, decided to publish a couple of naked pictures of Claudia Dalgleish (she of Nick Griffin "curry shame") and threatened to expose more of her past this evening.

Today, former BNP leadership challenger and now officer of the rival English Democrats Eddy Butler, appeared to have posted a "goodbye I surrender" message on his notorious anti-Griffin blog, before taking all of the content down again.

What's the big deal you may ask? Well, it is alleged that Dalgleish and Butler are involved in a relationship. Butler has certainly led the way in airing not just Dalgleish's allegations against Griffin, but indeed has published no fewer than three other sexual "smears" against leading BNP figures. He's never been sued and has never had to apologise for publishing them, either. He certainly knows where the proverbial bodies in the BNP are buried.

Steve Squire, who is the person allegedly behind the publication of naughty pictures of Ms Dalgleish is of course, the former partner of Ms Dalgleish (she who was also one of the notorious BNP "attackdogs".)

Before becoming such close friends, Butler was quite often the victim of the infamous BNP "attack dogs" who Dalgleish claims acted under the direction of Nick Griffin personally, to launch savage internet attacks on the repuatations of dissenting past and present BNP members.

Squire is not only the London organiser of the BNP, but is also expected to be number one on the GLA list for the BNP in the forthcoming London elections, where he stands a minor chance of being elected.

Butler's supporters are claiming that it is Squire that has broken the law and hacked into Butler's blog to post a message that briefly appeared today in Butler's name. Butler's people believe it is part of a revenge by Squire and on behalf of Nick Griffin himself, given what damage has been done to their reputations (and not to mention their broken hearts) by Dalgleish and Butler.

Later tonight more details will emerge that could put the nail in other coffin for a high profile BNP candidate.

Say what you want about the BNP, but they certainly do not appear to be short on sex, drugs, blogsites, rude pictures, different names, stalkers, law breakers etc, etc.

The BNP "attack dogs" seem to have rabies. I believe the police are investigating.

John P blogs here:http://www.anti-fascists-online.com/2012/03/world-of-trolls-attack-dogs-and-blogs.html

HOPE not hate addresses Labour councillors

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Saturday, 10 March 2012, 19:01

My colleague Ruth Smeeth addressed a session about fighting the BNP at the Labour Local Government Association conference today. The session was chaired by Cllr Wendy Simon from Liverpool and also addressed by Cllr Mohammed Pervez, Chair of Stoke City Council.

Much of the focus was on the activities of the English Defence League, but there were also discussions about community cohesion and the leadership role of local Councillors.

HOPE not hate works with all parties but we are also aware that the majority of BNP strongholds are in traditional Labour-supporting communities.

The new HOPE not hate magazine was distributed to every delegate and Ruth told me that it went down very well. People liked the mix of investigation and positivity. Several people took out subscriptions on the spot and many others promised to take the magazine back to their local groups.

In the meantime, we've made the Voting to Violence pamphlet available to buy:

http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/shop/voting-to-violence

Just 57 hours to go....

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Saturday, 10 March 2012, 15:02

Our special subscription offer for our new HOPE not hate magazine ends in just 57 hours.

For the past few days we have been offering a year's subscription (six editions) of our new magazine for just £15. Hundreds of people have already taken up this offer but for those who have not yet filled out the forms they must do so by 23.59 on Monday as that is when the offer ends.

The HOPE not hate magazine contains exposes and investigations of hate groups with more positive stories about how communities are coming together. In our first issue we reveal the secret rich backers of the BNP - many of whom choose not to be party members precisely because they want their identities to remain hidden.

You can subscribe at the special rate of £15 here:

https://www.hopenothate.org.uk/subscribe/

The fascists are feeling our heat

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Saturday, 10 March 2012, 12:15

Jones: Definitely not a stereotypical Nutzi

It’s been a busy few weeks for assorted British Nazis, some of whom look like they’re going to be assaulted British Nazis before long.

In February we had the wife of Patrick Harrington, “Mish Bondage” up in court against MEP Andrew Brons citing of all things, religious discrimination in an employment case which one suspects, has more than a little to do with the BNP’s internal feuding.

This was followed by news that Nick Griffin’s former consiglieri Jim Dowson, normally found outside of family planning clinics handing out vile leaflets to pregnant women, was going to join the fray and back a Belfast businessman charged with blackmail after alleged “Loyalists” threatened Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP over £50,000 he allegedly owes. The two former best buddies could even face-off in a Carlisle court as early as next Monday!

In financial desperation, Griffin dropped the BNP’s laughable proscription of the EDL the morning that both groups found themselves in Hyde on the same day in late February. Unmoved by Griffin’s cry for help, the EDL leader “Tommy Robinson” responded by removing all BNP flags and placards from his march. He was not amused.

If Griffin looked a little down in Hyde, he tried to liven things up by declaring himself as the “head of a liberating army” as he went to Heywood just up the road, to surround himself with young children. He availed himself and the people of Heywood to the dubious charms of Adam Walker while he was at it.

If Griffin looked a little more morose than usual it probably had a little to do with him refusing to talk to various newspapers who rang him during the day looking for a comment about the way Griffin likes to polish off a lamb Madras. We all found out the next day exactly how he does that, and half the country spat out its collective breakfast.

As Griffin stoically refused to comment on the story, his loyal lap dog Simon Darby went into overdrive to deflect the embarrassment by blogging relentlessly instead about how many cheap meals he manages to make for himself, curry was strangely off the menu.

Not to be outdone “Tin pot” Tommy Robinson (that’s not his real name by the way Channel Four) got himself filmed whilst drunk on television threatening to kill people while extolling his admiration for the Norwegian terrorist Anders Behring Breivik. Griffin finally tweeted to say he would never get drunk on TV, even if he does abuse a friendly curry in a car park in Kent.

We’ve long known that the BNP & EDL were violent lunatics just waiting for a race war to ignite, but so too are the fringes of the far right. The tiny BPP got the hump with us when one of their number had his doors kicked in by armed police after we showed a photograph of him, their candidate in the forthcoming elections, standing under a swastika flag holding a rifle.

We then proudly published a report into the real danger of far right violence From Voting to Violence? Far right extremism in Britain. Written by Dr Matthew Goodwin and Professor Jocelyn Evans. This research really goes a long way to help us understand the motivations and views of far right supporters.

In what was a busy week for us, this came only a few days after the launch of our new magazine, full of investigations and analysis and an excellent exposé of the BNP’s secretive Trafalgar Club.

Just to continue our rather excellent few weeks, we side stepped the jingoism surrounding the BNP’s proposed London Mayor candidate Carlos Cortiglia’s alleged views on the future of the Falkland Islands, and instead exposed him as another naughty boy, indulging in adult activities. How very unBritish..... And believe me, we kept it as tasteful as we could.

In between that, we have to apologise for not mentioning that the NF managed only 3 votes (three!) in an election for Leigh-on-Sea Town Council or how despite running around with a swastika and rifle, “Desperate” Dave Jones of the BPP responded to having his house raided by the police by putting out a leaflet in Todmorden where he beautifully captured the fall-out from his activities by declaring “You see I am not playing up to the stereotype of right wing nationalists”. I suppose that is true, the last time a BPP member had his doors kicked in it was in a search of child pornography.

The BNP has fought back a little. Simon Darby has made light of our report into far right thuggery and says he will “Get that chef and choke the life out of him” in you guessed it, a blog about his stomach. This was something of a light moment in the lives of the under attack BNP, publishing pornographic pictures of a certain woman who “shared” a curry with Nick Griffin, their other trick, could be one BNP missile that comes back twice as hard and damaging.

New pamphlet now available

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Saturday, 10 March 2012, 11:43

From Voting to Violence? Far right extremism in Britain is now available to buy from HOPE not hate for just £5, including postage.

Written by D Matthew Goodwin and Professor Jocelyn Evans, this pamphlet goes a long way to help us understand the motivations and views of far right supporters. Most interestingly, it has some frightening results about the attitudes of BNP (and to a lesser extent UKIP) members towards violence.

The study found that a hardcore of far-right supporters in the UK appears to believe violent conflict between different ethnic, racial and religious groups is inevitable, and that it is legitimate to prepare even for armed conflict.

We officially launched the report at Chatham House, on Thursday night, and it has received attention on Channel 4, The Spectator, the Observer and The Guardian.

The report should be essential reading for all anti-fascists. Understanding the motivations and views of far right activists can only help us defeat them.

From Voting to Violence? Far right extremism in Britain can be bought from HOPE not hate for £5.

BNP Mayoral Candidate in Sex Scandal

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Friday, 9 March 2012, 12:57

Carlos Cortiglia

Now is not a good time for secrets if you’re in the BNP. If you are in the BNP still, consider yourself as at the bottom of the barrel. And that proverbial barrel is being well and truly scraped.

For a good few years now the BNP has been able to keep Carlos Cortiglia at arm’s length. He’s bubbled along quite nicely in the background. A bilingual broadcaster who used to work for the Uruguayan government, Carlos has bided his time in the party while others seemingly less qualified or talented were groomed before him for front-of-camera cameos and electoral humiliations.

Now it is Carlos’s turn for the big time. It seems he is the BNP’s preferred sort of ‘Johnny Foreigner’ and once Nick Griffin has anointed you one of his chosen people the sun will shine upon you for a good fifteen minutes. Carlos has been prepped for the best part of a year to be the BNP’s candidate in the forthcoming Mayoral elections. It’s a tricky dilemma one might think; in days gone by, Carlos Cortiglia would’ve been on some kind of BNP sponsored “cruise” ship out of the country if they could have had their way. But these days the BNP have to take what they can get, and Cortiglia does not seem too bothered about being in a party full of race haters. He joins a select few of what one BNP official once described as their “favourite wogs”.

The BNP even hoped that their selection of Cortiglia would win them some much needed publicity, but we’re guessing it’s not the sort of publicity they are about to actually get.

Cortiglia is noted for his previously expressed opinions about the Falklands conflict. Indeed, it’s even alleged that Cortiglia offered to fight for Argentina against Britain during the Falkland’s War in 1982. What with it being the thirtieth anniversary of the conflict this year, it was always going to throw up controversy and adverse publicity of some kind even if Cortiglia claims that this story is the result of some poor translation of his old comments. Griffin it seems was none too bothered about Cortiglia’s alleged ‘treachery’ and Carlos Cortiglia has been getting on with his preparations unmolested by jingoism and flag burning.

Until now! Something has gone wrong and Carlos is now feeling the heat. In BNP land the leadership has found themselves in a bit of a flap and Carlos has been feeling the heat. Journalists have been sniffing around and it is not about Cortiglia’s alleged promise to face off with 3 Para at Goose Green.

Cortiglia posted a large volume of messages to “Adult” groups on what was known originally as Usenet and what was eventually taken over by Google Groups. Among the groups frequented by Cortiglia were several involving Swinging. A few postings were made in his own name; most were made using some of his old email addresses. If you cross match the various postings it becomes clear that they are all made by the same person.

As ever, it’s sex. Carlos who uses the nickname “Kiska” was not just an alleged gun for hire, he was a stud for hire - advertising his wares and his body on the internet for anyone interested.

It appears that some in the BNP have got wind of all this and apparently in Nick Griffin’s BNP, that’s just not British.

International Women's Day

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Thursday, 8 March 2012, 13:37

Today is International Women's Day and my colleague Ruth Smeeth has written a blog about the day means to us:

International Women’s Day 2012

Today marks the 101^st anniversary of the first International Women’s Day and thousands of people across the world will be coming together to mark this important event. People all over the globe are meeting to not only campaign for a better future for women but also to celebrate the campaigns that have been won over the last century and the remarkable women that secured the changes we now take for granted.

In the anti-fascist family I think we should use this special day to mark the role of women in our own movement. From Joan Lester MP, the first female editor of Searchlight Magazine, to Narmada Thiranagama, an incredibly inspiring woman who is one of HOPE not hate and the labour movement’s strongest advocates.

The HOPE not hate campaign has built on this wonderful legacy and our women supporters outnumber the men 2 to 1. The successes of the HOPE not hate campaign that we have achieved together, demonstrate just what women can do when they come together, which is one of the reasons I am so proud to be associated with HOPE not hate.

Today should also be a time for us to reflect and thank the women who helped us get where we are and those that help us every day. As for many of us, my role models were women, but they weren’t household names. Rather I am who I am, because of my mother and my grandmother. Two of the most inspirational women I have ever met, who shaped not only my politics but also my dedication to my community. My mum was a trade union activist throughout her career and my grandmother was part of the resistance at Cable Street in 1936. And it was my history teacher, a young woman who had just started teaching, who took me to my first counter-BNP protest , when I was 12. These women along with many others I have met along the way have taught and guided me and it is their example which I seek to emulate.

There is a massive job of work to do in Britain and across the world to bring gender equality, especially as we face the realities of the current economic situation, however I think we should also celebrate quite how much women have achieved in the last century.

For more information about International Women’s Day 2012 visit - http://www.internationalwomensday.com

Declining homophobia in schools

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Thursday, 8 March 2012, 07:50

It is easy to dwell on the hate in society but every now and then I read something positive that makes me think that society is changing for the better.

The latest issue of The Economist carries an article which claims that homophobia is less rife amongst teenagers than it once was. The article refers to a new book, “The Declining Significance of Homophobia”, by Mark McCormack, a sociologist at Brunel University, who spent a year with 16- to 18-year-old students in three schools—an ordinary comprehensive, a tough college dominated by working-class youth, and a religious school. He found that while prejudice still continues it is not on the scale it once was.

The Economist backs up his research by data from the National Centre for Social Research and the National Opinion and Research Centre, which found that less than 30% of people in England thought that sex between same-sex people is "always or mostly wrong". This is down from over 70% in the mid-1980s and way lower than public opinion in the United States.

“It was a different world 15 years ago,” Ruth Hunt of Stonewall, told The Economist.

Homophobia still exists in society and the lives of many people are badly affected by bullying, prejudice and even violence. But while we should do everything we can to challenge this prejudice, from whatever quarter it comes from, let us also recognise and celebrate that attitudes are changing for the better.

You can read the full Economist article here:

http://www.economist.com/node/21548961?fsrc=scn/tw/te/ar/itsgettingbetter

Redbird has wings!!

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Wednesday, 7 March 2012, 23:25

"Redbird"

Few people on the HNH team manage to blag their way into as many gigs, football matches, book launches, kebab shops and wine tastings as my colleague Matthew Collins!

Today a parcel arrived at the office for him while he's been in Italy working on a story. Naturally we opened the parcel in his absence and a very pleasant surprise for us it was too.

Those of us lucky enough to catch the Billy Bragg gig in Manchester last year for Hope Not Hate were mesmerised by a rare appearance over this side of the Irish Sea by Briana Corrigan-the former singer with The Beautiful South (she sung on their number one song 'A Little Time'.)

Briana has the sort of voice that when you hear her sing, you just naturally freeze in awe. Is it pop-opera, is it country-folk, or a bit of all of the above and a little more?

It’s all of the above, actually. To see a copy of her new album meant that we just had to give it a play and of course text Matthew to say we're going to give it away on our Facebook page, because there are plenty people more deserving of a chance to own this album than him!

Briana's new album "Redbird" is crisp and emotional, melodic and haunting in places. Briana is political, too; A genuine antidote to manufactured and commercial personality.

"Redbird" has an intelligent, adult passion. Briana lit up the Manchester Academy all too briefly for us last year, lending her voice to our campaign while she was working away on "Redbird". Having heard some brief excerpts in Manchester, we knew it would be worth the wait.

So thanks once again to Briana for supporting our campaign, and thank you for your beautiful songs. "13 Wonderful Love Songs" which opens "Redbird" will probably end up being the soundtrack to one of our videos during this year's campaign against the fascists.

You can have a wee listen to it and a free download here

Let’s hope we get to see more of Briana on tour over here too as soon as possible.

Briana at the HNH gig in Manchester last year

Doctor Who?

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Tuesday, 6 March 2012, 18:14

Dr Liz Miller was voted Mind Champion of the Year in 2008. What's her connection to the BNP?

Find out by reading the new HOPE not hate magazine

https://www.hopenothate.org.uk/subscribe/

Understanding far right supporters

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Tuesday, 6 March 2012, 13:38

The last few days have been unbelievably busy, not least because we have been sending out thousands of copies of our new HOPE not hate magazine.

We have had a terrific response and hundreds of people have already subscribed to the magazine online.

This week we are also bringing out From Voting to Violence? Far right extremism in Britain. Written by D Matthew Goodwin and Professor Jocelyn Evans, this research really goes a long way to help us understand the motivations and views of far right supporters.

From Voting to Violence? Far right extremism in Britain will be available from Thursday and can be obtained from us for £5. It will, however, be free to our growing list of Friends of HOPE not hate.

You can become one of our Friends by downloading a form here:

http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/subscribe/Friends-of-HnH-march-2012.pdf

The Conservative's race problem

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Tuesday, 6 March 2012, 12:23

The latest edition of The Economist ran a really interesting article about the difficulties the Conservative Party have of attracting voters from minority communities. While the party has 10 MPs from minority communities, all but one are from safe Conservative seats.

The article quotes from a Runnymeade Trust report which found that only 16% of ethnic minorities voted for the Conservatives in 2010. However, the article also made it clear that some of the new intake of Conservative MPs are determined to change this, including Croydon MP Gavin Barwell, who wants the Prime Minister to repudiate Norman Tebbitt's 'cricket test'.

This is all an area that I'm interested in and I will come back to it again at some future date, but in the meantime, here is The Economist article:

http://www.economist.com/node/21548940

Evening All !!

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Tuesday, 6 March 2012, 09:36

Evening All !!

This copper has been a bit of a naughty lad.

To find out what he has been up to get a copy of the new HOPE not hate magazine

https://www.hopenothate.org.uk/subscribe/

.

Marriage of convenience and hatred.

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Tuesday, 6 March 2012, 02:37

Watmough (Glasses) in Heywood at the weekend

When John “Snowy” Shaw, leader of the North West Infidels recently revealed he and his tin pot organisation would be prepared to work with any group of “patriots” he set the bar really low.

This weekend saw The Infidels return to Heywood, Rochdale to support a demonstration against alleged paedophiles called by their new found friends The National Front.

But the NF weren’t the only chums that met up with Snowy at the weekend.

Snowy has found a new ally in Kevin Watmough, veteran Neo Nazi and operator of the Redwatch website.

Redwatch publishes photographs of, and personal information about, alleged far left and anti-fascist activists. It typically targets activists in political parties, trade unions and the media. Some people appearing on the site have been victims of violence and intimidation.

Watmough has been an active Nazi since the age of 14 and has been a member of just about every far right outfit to have existed in the UK.

He now runs the miniscule British Peoples Party along with the rather odd Todmorden hillbilly Dave Jones.

Watmough was close to the convicted Nazi terrorist and paedophile Martyn Gilleard who was jailed in 2008 after nail bombs were found under his bed in Goole, East Yorkshire. Gilleard was sentenced to 11 years for terrorism offences and five years following the discovery of 39,000 indecent images of children at his flat. Gilleard was the Goole organiser for Watmough’s BPP.

Quite what Snowy hopes to gain from Watmough isn’t clear as he has very little to offer, but Watmough will see the Infidels as potential recruits into the ranks of his dying political party.

Through the keyhole

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Monday, 5 March 2012, 16:11

The woman who lives in this house, worth an estimated £1.8m, is a secret funder of the BNP.

To find out who she is and who else is giving money to the BNP get a copy of the new HOPE not hate magazine:

https://www.hopenothate.org.uk/subscribe/

A new patron signs up

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Monday, 5 March 2012, 15:44

I'm really pleased to announce that Billy Bragg, one of our greatest supporter's, has just agreed to become one of our HOPE not hate patrons.

Billy has been a long-standing supporter of our campaign and every year has been out campaigning with us. To watch Billy in action on the HOPE not hate campaign trail, click here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBtm3SpUpl8&feature=plcp&context=C337d092UDOEgsToPDskIr2y0n8MoFYHP9H7z8mTKp

He joins Eddie Izzard, Meera Syal, Fiona Phillips, Beverley Knight, Simon Rimmer and Levi Roots as a patron.

Today we launched the new HOPE not hate magazine. You can order a copy here:

https://www.hopenothate.org.uk/subscribe/

HOPE not hate is here!

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Monday, 5 March 2012, 12:59

I'm delighted to say that HOPE not hate has just arrived back from the printers and is now ready for distribution. With forty-eight pages of news, views and comment, HOPE not hate is the new bi-monthly, full-colour magazine of the HOPE not hate campaign. I hope you will consider getting a copy.

The magazine is designed to reflect the work and positivity of our campaign. It exposes the activities of hate groups in Britain and abroad but it also trumpets the resilience of communities in overcoming hatred and extremism.

The first issue of HOPE not hatecombines a great balance of exposing hate and promoting hope. We identify the secret millionaire backers of Nick Griffin's BNP and we report on how Norwegian society came together following the Anders Breivik massacres last July. We profile the radical Islamist Al-Muhajiroun network and we report from Burnley, where local people are finally looking forward to life without BNP elected representatives on their council.

The magazine costs £3.50 but for this week only we are offering a year's subscription to the new magazine for just £15.

You can get HOPE not hate here: https://www.hopenothate.org.uk/subscribe/

Playing the race card

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Sunday, 4 March 2012, 22:24

As Nicolas Sarkozy battles to save Presidency, the French leader has reverted to playing the race card in order to shore up his right wing credentials and steal a few votes from the fascist Front National.

In a speech on Saturday, Sarkozy told supporters that there should not be any special allowances for halal meat or separate swimming hours for Muslim women in public pools.

This follows a speech by Interior Minister Claude Gueant, who riled against giving "foreigners" the vote in local elections as this would open the way to halal meat in school canteens and burqa-style bathing suits in public pools.

The Socialist Party has rightly condemned Sarkozy and Gueant, accusing them of scapegoating and stigmatising Muslims.

This sickening lurch to the right is par for the course for Sarkozy. He was elected President five years ago on an equally dispicable racist campaign.

HOPE not hate will be working with others to encourage the 400,000 French citizens living in London to cast a vote against racism in April's Presidential elections.

Déjà Vu in Staffordshire

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Sunday, 4 March 2012, 16:05

Shaun Grimsley

I’ve never been to Cannock in the West Midlands, but it’s a place I feel I know well.

I have written about the local BNP group previously and now déjà vu appears to have returned to the Staffordshire town.

Alwyn Deacon, the West Midlands BNP organiser has announced that the organiser for the area, Bill Vaughan has had to stand down due to ill health.

Deacon then went onto drop the proverbial bombshell; the new Cannock organiser is a rather familiar face to Hope not Hate, Shaun Grimsley.

Grimsley is an unabashed Neo Nazi, a fact that Alwyn Deacon knows only too well, yet perhaps in desperation, he still appointed Grimsley the organiser for the town.

When Deacon was the landlord of a rather grotty pub in Nuneaton called Eliots Bistro back in 2009, I wrote about how Eliots Bistro hosted a social event by the violent and self-styled British Freedom Fighters (BFF).

The leader of the BFF, Mike Heaton, who attended the Nuneaton shindig, was later jailed in 2010 for calling for Jews to be killed on a Nazi internet forum.

Embarrassingly for Deacon, photographs were taken of the drunken BFF event which showed members of the BFF giving Nazi salutes outside his licensed premises. The incident caused some anger among BNP organisers in the West Midlands and at least one, Chris Turner of Coventry, resigned his position because of it.

Shaun Grimsley, who attended the social was the West Midlands commander of the British Freedom Fighters along with being a member of the National Front and associated with Blood and Honour, the Nazi skinhead organisation.

Having previously stood as a BNP candidate, Grimsley also has links to the English Defence League and post such delights on his Facebook page as “Hail the British Freedom Fighters, I am a Nazi HAHAHAHAHAHA 88 red scum”. The number 88 is in reference to the numerical position in the alphabet of "HH" – Heil Hitler.

Commenting about Rudolf Hess, Adolf Hitler’s failed deputy, Grimsley has written that Hess is “The man I most admire ever”.

When one of his friends made a lengthy posting about the London nail bomber David Copeland, who killed three innocent people including a pregnant woman and injured 129 others, Grimsley left the chilling note “Hero 88”.

With the BNP haemorrhaging members at a rate of knots there seems little doubt that the leadership of Nick Griffin are having to scrape the barrel when it comes to appointing new local organisers.

BFF Nazi salute outside Deacon's pub

Return of the Nazi postman

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Saturday, 3 March 2012, 20:30

Pont: delivering Nazism and tea bags to a door near you in Sheffield

Few people can forget the gormless former Sheffield postman Jordan Pont, who was sacked from his job last year after ringing BBC radio from work to moan about immigration etc, etc. You know, usual Nazi stuff.

Then came a breakdown in his budding bromance with Adam Walker, the BNP's "party manager" and Pont did not hang around any longer. Jordan went off the rails, joined the National Front and the British Movement (where for some reason the 23-year old is leader of their Youth Wing, "Young Wolf") and recently secured himself a job driving for the supermarket chain ASDA.

Pont was one of the people behind today's NF protest in Heywood, Rochdale where three people were arrested including one for a suspected racially aggravated offence.

Pont is a strange one; his late night Facebook chats with women reveal a rather brutal, disturbing and childish attitude to sex. Most of this is probably driven by his Nazism which since joining the NF, he no longer has to hide. Pont is currently having a massive tattoo of Rudolph Hess inked on his back according to one boast he recently made on one forum, but most people think it is probably a lie, like his boasts about his sexual prowess. Most of what Pont likes to boast about cannot reprinted here.

He's now planning to stand for council in Ecclesfield, Sheffield

We'll be passing a file of Pont's activities to his new employers. We hardly think ASDA will want a hard line neo-Nazi delivering their shopping to its customers.

Chums: Pont's new chums like lager and Hitler

NF in Heywood: Not a brain cell between them

What's the secret, Chris?

posted by: Sam King | on: Friday, 2 March 2012, 00:24

Barnett:Full of bright ideas.

The BNP's IT "specialist" Chris Barnett is a nervous type. Barnett has taken to warning his racial colleagues in the BNP to be careful "if you have to threaten HNH"!

Chris has been on the Facebook page of Pete "not looking for work" Molloy to warn him as much. "You don't want them knowing your IP address or even your IP range" he warns.

Surely he was not suggesting that the mountains of racist bile posted on our blog comments could be being posted by careless BNP members anonymously, is he?

Chris has been a secretive sort ever since he started doing business in Stockport. He's gone to all kinds of lengths to protect his anonymity, something that we have never been too bothered about.

Despite wanting to appear flash, suave and aloof, rumour has it that Chris has not paid the council tax on his "mansion" in Highmoor in Wigton, Cumbria.

Hardly the sort of person one would take any advice from. That's If that really is the case, eh Chris?

BNP lose another councillor

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Thursday, 1 March 2012, 23:24

The British National Party have lost one of the few councillors they have remaining.

Lewis Allsebrook who represented the BNP on Amber Valley council announced his resignation on his blog claiming he was "No longer hampered by the crazy ideological sensitivities of the British National Party, who refuse to take inspiration from anywhere but their own shallow pool of members."

He continues " I along with a sizable group of local patriots have decided to leave the shambolic local British National Party and search for a new political home."

Allsebrook was also the BNP's Councillor Representative, taking the position following Nick Griffin's failed attempt to promote his son in law, Angus Matthys to the position.