Politicians condemn BNP for standing in Edinburgh

| Tuesday, 14 October 2008 Source: STV

Politicians in Edinburgh have united to condemn the British National Party, which has decided to stand for the first time in the capital. Opponents of the controversial far right organisation insist the BNP will find little support in the north of the city, where a council by-election will take place next month.

It is an area of Edinburgh with high levels of wealth sitting alongside significant depravation and redevelopment. Now the Forth council ward, which includes Muirhouse, Pilton, Granton and Trinity will see BNP activists vying for votes.

The contest which will take place on 6 November, has been brought about by the death of popular Labour councillor Elizabeth Maginnis, who died last month.

Unlike in England, where it has won several council seats, the BNP has had little success in Scotland. Its leader, Nick Griffin, who has a criminal record for distributing material likely to incite racial hatred, was heavily criticised for campaigning in Glasgow following the racist murder of Kriss Donald four years ago.

Griffin has also described the Holocaust as wartime propaganda, and hysteria.

The public service union Unison says it now plans to mount a campaign against the BNP.

No-one from the party itself today responded to STV's requests for an interview.