Searchlight investigation exposes architects’ institute would-be president as BNP activist

| Thursday, 15 June 2006 Source: Searchlight

One of three candidates for the next president of the Royal Institute of British Architects is a very active British National Party member, Searchlight has discovered.

Peter Phillips, an architect and property owner in Redhill, Surrey, managed to obtain the 60 nominating signatures from fellow chartered architects needed to stand in the election, for which ballot papers were sent out this week. The winner, to be announced on 26 July, will serve as president of the respected institute for two years from September 2007.

Phillips, who is known for his strong views on race and on women in positions of authority, is campaigning on an anti-political correctness platform against Sunand Prasad, the first Asian to stand for the position, and Valerie Owen.

Yesterday RIBA told Searchlight that it was not aware that Phillips was an active member of the BNP who had stood for the party in local elections. He had not declared his support for the extremist party in the election leaflet which is sent to every RIBA member with the ballot papers.

At a presidential hustings meeting last night Phillips admitted he had been a BNP member for five years and had stood in elections. He told the progressive Archinect website that he would put more details on his own website shortly.

Phillips's photo appeared in the BNP monthly newspaper, The Voice of Freedom, in March 2004 when he was campaigning in Eltham for Julian Leppert, the BNP's candidate for mayor of London. He has also been seen out canvassing in other parts of London, including Ruislip and Barking & Dagenham.

He stood for the BNP in the May 2003 elections to Reigate and Banstead Council, Surrey, for Merstham ward, coming third out of four candidates with 299 votes. We understand that his offer to be a BNP candidate in subsequent elections was blocked by a then senior BNP officer.

Earlier today the RIBA distanced itself from Phillips in a statement that said: "The RIBA values the contribution to architecture and society by people of diverse origins and backgrounds, and is firmly committed to equality of opportunity.

"The views that the candidates express in their election campaigns will not necessarily represent the position of the RIBA as an Institute, nor the views of its wider membership."

The current RIBA president, Jack Pringle, said: "It's good that he has come clean and there's no question of him being disqualified from running. But it's important the electorate understand the context in which his views are held."

Searchlight wonders how many of the 60 people who supported Phillips's nomination were aware of his political affiliation.