BNP farce as rivals walk out

By Alan Weston Daily Post Staff | Wednesday, 20 April 2005 Source: Liverpool Daily Post

AN ELECTION meeting in which a Labour veteran was to share a platform with a British National Party candidate descended into farce last night.

The meeting in Knowsley Village attracted controversy after it emerged that Labour's George Howarth, who is defending the parliamentary seat of Knowsley North and Sefton East, would be sharing a stage with BNP candidate Michael McDermott.

Around 40 demonstrators gathered outside the hall, waving placards with messages such as "No to the BNP: the party of race hate". They were watched over by a small number of police.

It was intended there would be speeches from all the prospective candidates at the meeting, followed by a question-and-answer session with voters.

In the event, not all the candidates turned up, and the meeting was abandoned after the hall emptied as the BNP candidate stood up to speak.

Mr Howarth refused to sit at the same table as Mr McDermott. Instead, he stood a little way away and briefly outlined his policies before he, along with the Socialist Labour Party candidate Steve Whatham, left the building as Mr McDermott was invited to speak.

The Liberal Democrat candidate, Flo Clucas - who is also a cabinet member for Liverpool City Council --refused to address the meeting because of the presence of the BNP candidate.

She said: "My dad spent two to three years as a prisoner in Poland and there is no way I'm giving credibility or credence to such a party.

"I explained to everybody who turned up to the meeting why I wouldn't speak as my conscience just wouldn't let me."

The BNP candidate ran a gauntlet of shouting protestors as he entered and left the building.

Mr McDermott, who attended the meeting along with a party official, and who left to shouts of "Nazi scum", said: "We are being denied our democratic right to speak."

There was confusion from the outset as to whether or not the meeting would go ahead. At first, the 20 or so people who attended voted not to allow the BNP candidate to address them as they mistakenly thought the protestors outside the building were his supporters.

When they realised the group was in fact demonstrating against his presence, they took another vote to allow him to speak.

Merseyside TUC president Alec McFadden, who organised the demonstration outside the hall, said: "The person who comes out of this worse is George Howarth.

"The trade union movement still funds the Labour Party in the main and Mr Howarth is sponsored by Amicus, and yet he is prepared to share a platform with the BNP.

"This has never been done before and is against both the rules and spirit of the Labour Party.

"Trade unionists, and the good local people of Knowsley, have come out as one to prevent a fascist party having a say. We have identified those who will oppose the fascists, and those who will appease them." However, former Home Office minister Mr Howarth - who was also barracked by the protesters - denied he had shared a platform with the BNP.

He said: "I took the opportunity to describe the BNP as racist thugs and bullies.

"I have spent all my life working against racism, inequality and prejudice.

"The residents walked out, and I walked out with them when the chairman asked the BNP to speak.

"We have demonstrated that racism can be defeated by democracy. People have voted with their feet, I'm proud that they did so and I was happy to join them.

"As for the demonstrators, they have their own agenda and they had very little to do with the people of Knowsley Village." Mr Howarth also denied he had broken any Labour Party rules by taking part in the meeting.

The Knowsley Village Community Association, which called last night's meeting, said they were surprised at the amount of protest the meeting had provoked.

Secretary Mike Birchall said: "We are an apolitical organisation. The invitation was extended to anyone who was standing in the constituency and we didn't exclude anybody.

"I was surprised at the level of demonstration we saw here tonight.

"I have received vilification over the past couple of days in the form of intimidating phone calls telling me to cancel the meeting. I wasn't frightened by it, but at the same time it wasn't nice."