BNP'S candidate faces union probe

By Ian Turner | Tuesday, 8 June 2004 Source: Bristol Evening Post

A POSTAL worker is under investigation for standing as a candidate for the British National Party in this week's European elections.

Bruce Cowd, a postman from Bridgwater, is one of seven candidates standing for the right-wing party in the South West constituency in Thursday's poll.

Union leaders confirmed that Mr Cowd is the subject of a disciplinary inquiry by the Communication Workers Union. The BNP said today it understood its candidate was to be expelled from the union "as soon and as quietly after polling day as possible".

The BNP said Mr Cowd was the victim of "political persecution" by the CWU. The union has already clashed with the BNP after encouraging postal workers in the Bristol area not to deliver the party's election material.

Kevin Beazer, regional secretary for the CWU, said the union was investigating whether Mr Cowd's election campaign was in breach of union rules, but no decision had been taken to throw Mr Cowd out of the union.

Mr Beazer said: "Mr Cowd is being investigated by the national disciplinary committee to see if he has breached union rules.

"If there is sufficient evidence that Mr Cowd has broken the rules of the union, then he will be called to a hearing of the disciplinary committee.

I have been given no indication from anyone at CWU headquarters that the investigation has been completed or that any decision has been made concerning Mr Cowd."

BNP spokesman and fellow South West candidate, Robert Baggs, said: "Mr Cowd has not broken any union rules and therefore any action against him by the CWU is clearly politically motivated and can only be regarded as political persecution.

"Mr Cowd is entitled under British law to stand as a candidate for whatever lawful political party he wishes and political persecution of the type planned by CWU extremists is a clear breach of his rights under the European Convention of Human Rights."

Mr Baggs said lawyers acting for Mr Cowd could seek compensation through the courts if he faced disciplinary action by the CWU.