New party leader is ex-BNP chief

David Bartlett | Wednesday, 7 March 2007 Source: Lancashire Telegraph

THE NEW leader of the far-right England First Party (EFP) is a former BNP chief.

Steven Smith, who failed to win the Danesholme and Stoney-holme seat on Burnley Council in last month's by-election, has been named as chairman and leader of the party.

And he said he was hoping to field six candidates in the upcoming local elections in May in Burnley, Ribble Valley, and Blackburn with Darwen.

He will be standing in the Cliviger and Worsthorne ward for Burnley Council.

It follows the decision of Blackburn councillor Mark Cotterill to stand down as leader of the EFP.

Smith's appointment as leader prompted the resignation of Coun Michael Johnson from the party, who had already fallen out with Coun Cotterill last year over the contents of a video link posted on EFP's website.

Coun Johnson said he did not like the direction the party was going and has joined newly created For Darwen.

Mr Smith is also a senior' member of the British People's Party (BPP), which calls itself a white nationalist party.

Its website lists its policies which include ending all non-European immigration and the introduction of a policy of repatriation.

The BPP's website links to a group called Aryan Unity which claims to have been formed in iorder to create co-operation and unity between white nationalist groups worldwide.

In 2002 Smith received a five-year ban from political office when he was sentenced to six months in prison for election fraud in 2002.

He admitted allowing false nominations to be submitted for the 2001 elections when he was organiser for the Burnley branch of the BNP.

In 2003 he quit as organiser of the BNP in Burnley after his nephew, Luke Smith, was suspended by the party's leader after admitting to fighting at the Red White and Blue Festival in Sawley.

Coun Johnson said: "I am not a racist but I am a nationalist - I have always said that."