BNP election leaflets spark police probe

| Thursday, 27 May 2004 Source: The Scotsman

POLICE are investigating complaints about election literature distributed by the far-right British National Party across Scotland.

Officers in the Capital were talking to the Crown Office after receiving a complaint about one of the leaflets.

Similar complaints in Glasgow have led the Crown Office to ask police to provide "further information" about the leaflets.

Other forces in Scotland are also believed to be investigating.

Glasgow charity Positive Action in Housing said they received 55 complaints about the leaflets, which show a Union Flag being burnt by men of Arab extraction above claims of an "asylum time bomb".

Director Robina Qureshi said: "We believe these leaflets are racist lies and propaganda which breach the incitement to racial hatred offences under the Public Order Act. They have been leafleted in all areas including multi-racial areas with visible minorities and refugee communities. We believe they could encourage assaults or breach of the peace which could stir up racism and constitute incitement to racial hatred."

The BNP is fielding seven candidates for the six Scotland-wide seats available for the European Parliament elections.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders police said: "We can confirm we have received one complaint from a member of the public about the leaflets and are currently speaking with the Crown Office regarding this."

Scottish secretary of the BNP Kenny Smith denied the leaflets were inflammatory.

He said all literature distributed was checked by a legal team, adding: "Nothing in the leaflets is inflammatory or inciting racial hatred, all we are doing is simply stating facts we have everything to back up."

Meanwhile, in a separate move, it emerged that the BNP has been told by the BBC and Scottish TV to make changes to an election broadcast tonight, removing a reference to a murder case.

Mr Smith insisted the broadcast, due to be aired on the BBC and Scottish TV tonight, was not cut but "slightly altered" for legal reasons.