Wednesday, November 19, 2008
BNP Membership list published on-line
The Times reports that the entire membership list of the BNP has been published on the internet leading to concerns amongst members that they might be targeted by the party's opponents:
More than 12,000 names, home addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail contact details were included in a major breach of data protection. The names and ages of schoolchildren with family memberships were disclosed. Some supporters were listed with comments such as “discretion required — employment concerns”. A number had their hobbies recorded.
The paper says that the list describes the occupations of some members that are deemed to be sensitive or of use to the BNP, such as NHS doctor, teacher, journalist, vicar, company director, scientist, engineer or construction manager. Others are listed as public speakers. They say that the list appears to include several former police officers. Peter Fahy, Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, said: “Membership or promotion of the BNP by any member of the Police Service is prohibited.”
They add that there is no ban on teachers, doctors and nurses joining the BNP, but its racist reputation is seen as incompatible with frontline public service.
A number of bloggers have already referred to this and one has even posted it on a purpose-made blogsite. That site has not been removed. I have no intention of linking to it if it is still available as membership of the BNP is not illegal and people are entitled to their privacy, however the episode is nevertheless a major embarrassment for the party.
More than 12,000 names, home addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail contact details were included in a major breach of data protection. The names and ages of schoolchildren with family memberships were disclosed. Some supporters were listed with comments such as “discretion required — employment concerns”. A number had their hobbies recorded.
The paper says that the list describes the occupations of some members that are deemed to be sensitive or of use to the BNP, such as NHS doctor, teacher, journalist, vicar, company director, scientist, engineer or construction manager. Others are listed as public speakers. They say that the list appears to include several former police officers. Peter Fahy, Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, said: “Membership or promotion of the BNP by any member of the Police Service is prohibited.”
They add that there is no ban on teachers, doctors and nurses joining the BNP, but its racist reputation is seen as incompatible with frontline public service.
A number of bloggers have already referred to this and one has even posted it on a purpose-made blogsite. That site has not been removed. I have no intention of linking to it if it is still available as membership of the BNP is not illegal and people are entitled to their privacy, however the episode is nevertheless a major embarrassment for the party.
Comments:
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It's an embarrassment in terms of yet another data loss (albiet deliberate this time, it seems).
However, the BNP leader is putting a spin on it, saying that if the public see that its membership is made up of doctors, teachers, soldiers, etc, then the public will be more sympathetic towards them, and even join. Which is a worrying spinoff.
However, the BNP leader is putting a spin on it, saying that if the public see that its membership is made up of doctors, teachers, soldiers, etc, then the public will be more sympathetic towards them, and even join. Which is a worrying spinoff.
no it may not be illegal peter but i think we can safely assume that virtually everyone on the list - and i have seen it as it is now widely available - hates black people, gay people, trade unionists, catholics and jews to name but a few.
But what i found most surprising bout the list - shocking even - was the number of members the party has in wales (and locally in swansea, neath, pt talbot and gorseinon)
Interestingly i could not find a certain shane 'sinclair' on the list
Leigh,
swansea.
But what i found most surprising bout the list - shocking even - was the number of members the party has in wales (and locally in swansea, neath, pt talbot and gorseinon)
Interestingly i could not find a certain shane 'sinclair' on the list
Leigh,
swansea.
# posted by 
: 9:46 AM
: 9:46 AM
I agree that everybody should be entitled to their privacy but then again maybe BNP members should think through past involvement of some of their number with sites like Redwatch before paradeing their injured feelings.
# posted by : 10:06 AM
: 10:06 AM
Do people think it is ethical to use this information to supplement EARS data?
# posted by : 11:26 AM
: 11:26 AM
Everyone has a right to privicy; although when someone is in a position of "trust" then their political affiliations should be public knowledge.
I have suspeced for some time that the magistrates benches in South Wales are dominated by members of the labour party, we certainly don't have any lib dems on the bench in Bridgend.
Unfortunately, a "register of members interest" isn't kept, and I have been refused a FoI request for the membership of the bench in Bridgend.
The Ministry for Justice (or whatever it's called these days) doesn't require it's applicants to declare their political interest or party membership.
Our Benches could be full of Communists, Nazis or even members of the Labour Party.
G. Lewis
Bridgend Lib Dems
I have suspeced for some time that the magistrates benches in South Wales are dominated by members of the labour party, we certainly don't have any lib dems on the bench in Bridgend.
Unfortunately, a "register of members interest" isn't kept, and I have been refused a FoI request for the membership of the bench in Bridgend.
The Ministry for Justice (or whatever it's called these days) doesn't require it's applicants to declare their political interest or party membership.
Our Benches could be full of Communists, Nazis or even members of the Labour Party.
G. Lewis
Bridgend Lib Dems
# posted by : 1:42 PM
: 1:42 PM
Sorry to disappoint Gary Lewis but there are very few Labour Party members who are JPs in the Bridgend area. The last time I saw the list of JPs living it seemed to be dominated by male freemasons.
# posted by : 2:26 PM
: 2:26 PM
Can somebody give us the details of how to get into this web site so we can view the list to check who may be on it from our own backyards (hopefully none!)? I can't find it via Google.
There are 164 within the NP post code area; 100 within the CF post code area and 243 within the Swansea post code area. To be honest you are more likely to be living next to a Lib Dem member than a BNP member.
Boom, Boom. I thank you, I thank you!
The list is in the public domain, it won't be off line for long.
Boom, Boom. I thank you, I thank you!
The list is in the public domain, it won't be off line for long.
# posted by : 6:12 PM
: 6:12 PM
What a classic liberal dilemma: whether one should make use of personal information obtained illegally, even if it points up professionals whose judgment could be affected by racial or religious prejudice.
In the case of doctors and nurses, then I'm on the side of intervention. I am more relaxed about teachers, certainly at secondary level. Opinions are formed in the home and by other pre-school influences.
In the case of doctors and nurses, then I'm on the side of intervention. I am more relaxed about teachers, certainly at secondary level. Opinions are formed in the home and by other pre-school influences.
Peter, it is still very much online, and spreading to more and more sites and torrents all the time.
The genie is well and truly out of it's bottle and it isn't going back, particularly since one of the many sites it's now available on is well known for being a safe haven for information that people try to legally surpress (like the contents of Sarah Palin's e-mail account). It will be a cold day in hell before the admins of that site will take it down.
So any attempt to surpress the list is now a complete waste of time.
The genie is well and truly out of it's bottle and it isn't going back, particularly since one of the many sites it's now available on is well known for being a safe haven for information that people try to legally surpress (like the contents of Sarah Palin's e-mail account). It will be a cold day in hell before the admins of that site will take it down.
So any attempt to surpress the list is now a complete waste of time.
# posted by : 12:35 AM
: 12:35 AM
I'm glad to see that Peter has started a debate on this. The publication of this list will both boost the BNP and damage them. Many people considering joining them will now think twice, not wanting to risk being exposed. Likewise, they have gained a lot of publicity.
Personally as someone working in anti-fascism, this is a timely reminder to the public and political parties of what a threat they are.
Complacency is one of their most effective weapons and just maybe, people will wake up to the dangers of organised fascism in Wales and the UK.
Personally as someone working in anti-fascism, this is a timely reminder to the public and political parties of what a threat they are.
Complacency is one of their most effective weapons and just maybe, people will wake up to the dangers of organised fascism in Wales and the UK.
" i have seen it as it is now widely available - hates black people, gay people, trade unionists, catholics and jews to name but a few. "
I am on that list, and your comment was crass and downright disgusting. I do not hate jews, black people, gay people. My good friend is gay, we served together in the British army, he came out a few months back. I sent him my deepest well wishes. Trade unions? Solidarity is a great trade union. catholics? I am a catholic. jews? I dated a beautiful girl from israel one summer. I support Israel and British jews.
You people really make carp up as you go along.
I am on that list, and your comment was crass and downright disgusting. I do not hate jews, black people, gay people. My good friend is gay, we served together in the British army, he came out a few months back. I sent him my deepest well wishes. Trade unions? Solidarity is a great trade union. catholics? I am a catholic. jews? I dated a beautiful girl from israel one summer. I support Israel and British jews.
You people really make carp up as you go along.
# posted by : 4:42 PM
: 4:42 PM
well given that you prefer to remain anonymous we have to take your word for it that you're on the list my friend dont we
im afraid that over the years we have grown used to all these denials and howls of protest from british fascists when confronted with the reality of their
racist and bigoted ideology
Don not hate gays? hmm thats interesting because the party you say you belong to would make gay relationships against the law.
Do not hate jews? hmm well thats interesting because many leading members of the BNP - such as leader nick griffin and former youth leader mark collett - have in the past stated their admiration for the nazi state and still deny the nazis murdered at least 6 million jews
'Solidarity' a great trade union? hmm thats interesting because neither the TUC nor any british trade union will have anything to do with this bnp front organisation
But I realise that you perhaps may be unaware of the history of the BNP and some of the dubious individuals that make up its leadership so i would therefore urge you to pay a visit to the website of the excellent and long standing anti fascist organisation searchlight so you may learn for yourself just what kind of organisation you belong too...and just why it invokes feelings of such loathing in so many people in wales and the rest of britian
Leigh,
swansea
im afraid that over the years we have grown used to all these denials and howls of protest from british fascists when confronted with the reality of their
racist and bigoted ideology
Don not hate gays? hmm thats interesting because the party you say you belong to would make gay relationships against the law.
Do not hate jews? hmm well thats interesting because many leading members of the BNP - such as leader nick griffin and former youth leader mark collett - have in the past stated their admiration for the nazi state and still deny the nazis murdered at least 6 million jews
'Solidarity' a great trade union? hmm thats interesting because neither the TUC nor any british trade union will have anything to do with this bnp front organisation
But I realise that you perhaps may be unaware of the history of the BNP and some of the dubious individuals that make up its leadership so i would therefore urge you to pay a visit to the website of the excellent and long standing anti fascist organisation searchlight so you may learn for yourself just what kind of organisation you belong too...and just why it invokes feelings of such loathing in so many people in wales and the rest of britian
Leigh,
swansea
# posted by : 7:03 PM
: 7:03 PM
Nice to see Rumpole has seen a list of Magistrates living in Bridgend, obviously more influence than the Freedom of Information Act.
Even if there is just one member of the labour party on the Bench in Bridgend it's more than the number of Lib Dems on the bench; those Lib Dems who have applied have been turned down.
And before Rumpole says its down to ability, those LD individuals who applied are more than capable.
G. Lewis
Bridgend Lib Dems
Even if there is just one member of the labour party on the Bench in Bridgend it's more than the number of Lib Dems on the bench; those Lib Dems who have applied have been turned down.
And before Rumpole says its down to ability, those LD individuals who applied are more than capable.
G. Lewis
Bridgend Lib Dems
# posted by : 9:23 PM
: 9:23 PM
It may be possible to combine the postcodes on this mailing list with the WIMD (Welsh Index of Multiple Deprevation.
I think we would find that there's a link between Deprevation and belonging to right wing organisations like the BNP or Labour party.
I think we would find that there's a link between Deprevation and belonging to right wing organisations like the BNP or Labour party.
# posted by : 9:48 AM
: 9:48 AM
well ipsos - the leading polling organisation - did a analysis of the membership list and it actually revealed that the highest social grouping represented on the list were the fabled C2s ie the 'skilled working class' as the sociological textbooks dscribes them
It was this social grouping that - having previously been largely labour voters - switched in large numbers to the tories under thatcher, helping her to win 3 election victories in a row and resulting in labour being wiped out in large parts of southern england for a time - until the right wing thatcher lovin tony blair came along!
As regards jews being members of the BNP well to be honest - going by the list - i do not know how it would be possible to tell if someone is jewish or not! But i would think it most unlikley given the bnp leadership's repeated history of holocaust denial.
Leigh,
swansea.
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It was this social grouping that - having previously been largely labour voters - switched in large numbers to the tories under thatcher, helping her to win 3 election victories in a row and resulting in labour being wiped out in large parts of southern england for a time - until the right wing thatcher lovin tony blair came along!
As regards jews being members of the BNP well to be honest - going by the list - i do not know how it would be possible to tell if someone is jewish or not! But i would think it most unlikley given the bnp leadership's repeated history of holocaust denial.
Leigh,
swansea.
# posted by : 12:49 PM
: 12:49 PM<< Home
