BNP faces legal threat over asylum leaflets

| Wednesday, 2 June 2004 Source: Financial Times

The British National party is facing the threat of legal action for potential incitement of racial hatred during its election campaign.

In a move that could prompt similar action in other parts of the country, the Northumbria police force said it was consulting the Crown Prosecution Service over the legality, under the 1986 Public Order Act, of BNP leaflets on asylum seekers. Tim Shilton, chief superintendent, said the leaflets were "packed with inaccuracies the effect of which is to raise community tensions".

The leaflets state that asylum seekers are given free mobile phones and benefit cheques to buy cars, and are "jumping the queue" for social housing, which would otherwise be available to UK nationals.

In an initiative, supported by numerous community groups, the police said there was a need publicly to "put the record straight". Mr Shilton added: "The danger is that the deliberate and cynical spreading of such myths will lead to resentment, in- creased community tension and possibly the criminal targeting of vulnerable groups."

Church and community leaders have been urging people not to vote for the BNP in next week's council and European elections, but the CPS said it was the first such case to be referred to it during the campaign.

The initiative is being closely watched by asylum and other community support groups in areas such as Leeds where Mark Collett, one of the leading figures of BNP and an election candidate, has been issuing similar leaflets.

The Refugee Council welcomed the police statement saying parties had a duty to treat the asylum issue "with sensitivity". "We deplore any party that uses misinformation, scare stories, and downright falsehoods about asylum seekers and refugees in any election, particularly if it amounts to whipping up racial hatred," it said.

Kevin Scott, a BNP regional official, said the police statement "seemed like a Labour party leaflet". "I think it is scary that the police are being used like this. We are sure it is legal and stand by [our] comments."

Separately, the government was urged by the Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia to consider bringing in new or amended race relations legislation to cover prosecutions against those accused of anti-Muslim prejudice.