'Don't deliver election material for the BNP'

| Wednesday, 19 May 2004 Source: This is Bristol

A Trade union is heading for a major clash with a far-right political party for encouraging posties not to deliver its election material. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has launched a campaign in the Bristol area to urge members not to deliver election material for the British National Party in the run-up to the Euro elections on June 10.

The move has led to the BNP, which promotes anti-immigration policies, threatening to take legal action.

The union believes it may also come under fire from employers Royal Mail UK over a nationally- agreed "conscience clause".

This clause means that staff are not obliged to deliver mail if they believe it puts them at personal risk or they do not agree with the material because of their personal beliefs.

Kevin Beazer, CWU South-West regional secretary, said the union had sent out mailshots to members and had meetings with staff urging them not to deliver BNP material. Mr Beazer said: "I can see this developing into a huge bust-up because we might come into conflict with the employers as well as the BNP."

A statement from the union's head office in London said: "The union supports freedom of choice for its members when it comes to the delivery of political material they find offensive.

"The Royal Mail supports this approach and we have an agreement with them that states local managers will deal sensitively and sympathetically with requests from members regarding this matter."

The BNP says it will monitor the delivery of its Euro election address in the Bristol region, which is due to start from the end of next week. And it is encouraging members to leave anti-CWU leaflets in post boxes so they can be seen by staff collecting mail.

Robin Baggs, a BNP candidate in the Euro elections, said: "Delivery of the election address is the responsibility of the Post Office and the BNP is anticipating that some postal workers may well be encouraged by the extreme left-wing leadership of their union, the CWU, to interfere with the democratic choice given to the electorate, by encouraging non-delivery of the BNP's election address.

"The BNP has, therefore, appointed several hundred members throughout the region to monitor this process who will report back when the election address is received.

"If the BNP finds that any members do not receive the election address within an acceptable timeframe, our legal team has been instructed to contact the Post Office to demand an investigation and compliance with their legal obligation."

Royal Mail spokesman Dan Panes said: "We have a legal obligation to deliver election material for all legitimate political parties who are standing in the forthcoming election and we will be complying with that obligation. We have arranged with the CWU that where an employee has genuine concerns for their safety in delivering political material, we will be sympathetic and seek to make alternative arrangements."