BNP grabs council seat

| Tuesday, 30 October 2007 Source: Times & Star

Nigel Williamson, of Great Broughton, has been co-opted on to Broughton Moor Parish Council.

A party newsletter, to be distributed this week, says Mr Williamson, secretary of Copeland BNP, is "a true Patriot," "a credit to the British National Party" and a tireless campaigner for the BNP.

Parish council chairwoman Cath Ferguson said she was aware of his political ties before he was invited to take up his seat.

"You have to be impartial in these things. We are not a political council and we have to be seen to be impartial.

"To refuse anybody you really have to have a very strong reason because it will always come back on you otherwise.

"He chose to come on and once we had checked that he could come on - because he lived within the mileage area - that was fine," she added.

Mr Williamson is also a digipal for Help the Aged, assisting with the digital switch over in Copeland, a member of ABEX (the Association of British Ex-Servicemen) and a caseworker for the Royal British Legion.

At the Allerdale council elections earlier this year, he failed in his bid to be elected to the Broughton St Bridget's ward, when he came fifth out of five candidates. He polled 137 votes, 386 behind the fourth placed man.

The BNP newsletter adds: "Nigel takes his responsibilities as a parish councillor very seriously and has acquired first hand experience of the area's problems.

"He has also uncovered previously undisclosed information relating to asbestos contamination on the Broughton Moor arms dump. Without Nigel's persistence and dedication, this risk would have remained unknown to the people for whom he is responsible."