No thanks! BNP demands cash for interview with Sunday Life

Sinead McCavana | Sunday, 4 June 2006 Source: Belfast Telegraph

THE right-wing leader of the British National Party in Ulster demanded CASH in exchange for an interview with Sunday Life.

Kieran Dinsmore said that a fee would have to be paid upfront before he would talk to the paper - and even then he would only communicate via email.

Sunday Life had requested an interview with the BNP's local chief about plans to expand its activities in Ulster.

The hardline leader replied: "If you happen to be genuine and really wish to inform the public of what the British National Party intend to do, then I will agree to an interview.

"However conditions will apply:

"1. It will be done via email.

"2. You will agree not to doctor, misquote or partially-print any of what is said.

"3. No interview will take place until we have received a fee from Belfast Telegraph Newspapers."

Sunday Life turned down all of Mr Dinsmore's requests flat.

The BNP revealed on its website last month that it plans to rally support in Northern Ireland by exploiting recent racist incidents here.

Members held a meeting in Bangor last month "to discuss a campaign of activities to boost the presence and electoral appeal of the party across the province".

The website adds: "Against a backdrop of the peace process stalemate and an unprecedented amount of immigration of workers from eastern Europe and asylum-seekers from three continents, the Ulster political scene is ripe for the British National Party."

Londonderry socialist Eamonn McCann, who organised an anti-racism gig last week, believes the BNP is fuelling hostile feelings against immigrants in loyalist communities.

He says there is a direct link between the rise of racism in Northern Ireland and the feeling of alienation in working class Protestant areas.

"Talk to families or people individually and they are not racist," he said.

"When a community has hope it's unlikely to be racist, but when people feel left behind they tend to be resentful of anything unusual or anything perceived as a threat."

The Love Music Hate Racism event raised funds for a Polish family, who were terrorised from their Waterside home last week.

More than 100 people from the area signed a petition against racism that was presented to the family at the gig in Sandinos Bar.