BNP told: ‘Don’t come to Holocaust service’

Zjan Shirinian | Thursday, 31 January 2008 Source: Barking & Dagenham Recorder

A row has erupted after two BNP councillors were asked not to attend a Holocaust memorial service.

Cllr Robert Bailey says he was asked to stay away from the service, marking National Holocaust Memorial Day, at the Peace and Memorial Garden, Rainham Road North, Dagenham, on Monday. But Barking and Dagenham Council leader Cllr Charles Fairbrass said Cllr Bailey had no reason to attend when the national leader of his party denies the Holocaust ever happened.

Cllr Bailey, who said he attended the service with party colleague Cllr Lawrence Rustem, despite the apparent ban, said he "expected an invite" as he was an elected councillor.

But Cllr Fairbrass, referring to BNP party leader Nick Griffin, said: "To quote his words, 'I have come to the conclusion that the extermination tale is a mixture of allied wartime propaganda, extremely profitable lie and latter day witch hysteria'."

Cllr Fairbrass said: "In addition, on a recent TV programme, a member of the BNP commented that they had never thought much about the Holocaust, but does query the number of deaths. Cllr Bailey is a member of the BNP. Why would he want to attend an event that remembers the Holocaust, when the leader of the BNP said it didn't happen?"

But Cllr Bailey, who says he received a letter on Friday explaining Cllr Fairbrass thought it would be "inappropriate" for him to attend, said he did not support Mr Griffin's views.

"What Mr Griffin speaks is for himself. He doesn't speak for the party. If he said those things in the past, that's up to him. We have no policy on the Holocaust. We are not a party of Holocaust deniers. Mr Griffin has acknowledged that what happened during World War Two, and consequently in many countries, has been a very sad event for everybody concerned. It's a time of remembrance. People died and suffered, they should be remembered by all.