Hearing delayed

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 12 August 2009, 11:20

Yesterday took me to two of the key battlegrounds in the 2010 campaign – Stoke-on-Trent, as previously reported, and then Barking & Dagenham. In the evening I attended a meeting of black African church and community leaders. We discussed the threat of the BNP and how they had the power, together with other groups in the borough, to stop the racists next May. It was an initial meeting but a number of things were agreed which will hopefully be put into action over the coming few weeks. Dagenham MP Jon Cruddas popped in to say hello before heading back to another community meeting he was attending.

Today was meant to see Richard Barnbrook’s Standard Board hearing into his false claims that the borough had experienced several knife murders. However, the event was called off for reasons I’m not sure I’m allowed to discuss here. This is the second time Barnbrook has cancelled the hearing, the first called off because the BNP member was suffering from a ‘stress’ related illness.

These are not good times for Barking & Dagenham BNP. Barnbrook has been largely anonymous in recent months (and he’s also been the subject of increasing internal BNP criticism). Group leader Bob Bailey is awaiting a day in court following his alleged drink driving offence (and driving without insurance etc) just before the European Elections. Now I have learnt that another local BNP councillor, Lawrence Rustem, has resigned from several council committees after seemingly falling out with his party leadership.

While I’m enjoying the obvious problems Barking & Dagenham BNP is currently experiencing, there is certainly no room for complacency. They pose a serious electoral threat in 10 of the borough’s 17 wards and there is a real danger that unless we get our act together then they could become the largest single party on the council or even take total control. This brings me back to last night. Mobilising the black African community is just one element of a multi-pronged strategy. Another, discussed in a separate meeting yesterday, is about really getting into the faces of BNP councillors and making sure local people know just how bad they really are.