Thursday, May 28, 2009
BNP under fire
The Times has turned its guns onto the BNP today by highlighting a £5,000 political donation that ended up in the personal bank account of Nick Griffin so that the donor could remain a secret.
The paper says that Mr Griffin admitted that he had paid the £5,000 donation that appeared to be from a political supporter into his own bank account and then transferred the money to a sympathetic political organisation without alerting the authorities.
He said that he did so because the donor, an elderly North London woman who is a member of the BNP, wished to remain anonymous. He said that he gave the money in February to the nationalist trade union Solidarity, which has strong BNP links, because he believed that it would have had to be declared if he had given the donation to the party. He said that there was “no need” to declare it as the donor had asked him to put the money to “best use”.
The BNP cannot have it both ways. They cannot claim to be a legitimate political party whilst treating the rules in this way. The rules have been put there to ensure accountability and transparency and it is important that all parties adhere to them.
Meanwhile, the Tory leader has turned his fire on the BNP, calling them "Nazi thugs". At the same time retiring Labour MEPs Glenys Kinnock and Eluned Morgan have jumped in with both feet saying that they fear a low turnout will hand one of the Welsh seats to the BNP.
Let us be clear once more, the BNP have no chance of winning a European seat in Wales. I am astonished that two such experienced politicians are prepared to give them this credibility by suggesting otherwise just so that they can scare Labour voters into going to the polls on 4th June. This sort of opportunism is shameful.
The paper says that Mr Griffin admitted that he had paid the £5,000 donation that appeared to be from a political supporter into his own bank account and then transferred the money to a sympathetic political organisation without alerting the authorities.
He said that he did so because the donor, an elderly North London woman who is a member of the BNP, wished to remain anonymous. He said that he gave the money in February to the nationalist trade union Solidarity, which has strong BNP links, because he believed that it would have had to be declared if he had given the donation to the party. He said that there was “no need” to declare it as the donor had asked him to put the money to “best use”.
The BNP cannot have it both ways. They cannot claim to be a legitimate political party whilst treating the rules in this way. The rules have been put there to ensure accountability and transparency and it is important that all parties adhere to them.
Meanwhile, the Tory leader has turned his fire on the BNP, calling them "Nazi thugs". At the same time retiring Labour MEPs Glenys Kinnock and Eluned Morgan have jumped in with both feet saying that they fear a low turnout will hand one of the Welsh seats to the BNP.
Let us be clear once more, the BNP have no chance of winning a European seat in Wales. I am astonished that two such experienced politicians are prepared to give them this credibility by suggesting otherwise just so that they can scare Labour voters into going to the polls on 4th June. This sort of opportunism is shameful.
Comments:
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Let us be clear once more, the BNP have no chance of winning a European seat in Wales.I am astonished that such an experienced politician is so complacent and naive to the threat of the far-right. That's what's shameful.
# posted by 
: 10:01 AM
: 10:01 AM
There is nothing naive or complacent about that statement it is a statistical and political fact. The BNP would need about 17% of the vote to win a seat in Wales and there is no indication they will get anywhere close to that. I am very aware of the threat of the far right but we heighten that threat if we talk them up and give them credibility. They are best tackled by dealing with the issues they shamelessly exploit and misrepresent, not by reinforcing their appeal to the anti-establishment voter.
Labour "no-one is going to vote for us, so the far-right will get the votes"
erm.. no.. Plaid will. Libdems will. Torys will. Fact of the matter is, the B*P will get about as many votes as Labour will.
erm.. no.. Plaid will. Libdems will. Torys will. Fact of the matter is, the B*P will get about as many votes as Labour will.
I am hoping the BNP will lose their deposit here in Wales. I suspect Labour will get enough votes to get one MEP elected.
You're right. The BNP won't gain a seat in Wales but they may save their deposit. They have a reasonable chance of picking up one, maybe two in England.
The media have talked up the chances of the BNP because that's the story they want. That in itself lends them a certain credibility. Politicians lending them credibility by talking up their chances really should know better.
From Labour's point of view it's not dissimilar to their line in the last Assembly elections - vote Labour or the Tories will get in via the back door. No actual positive reason for voting Labour - just that someone else might get in if you don't and that would be even worse.
The media have talked up the chances of the BNP because that's the story they want. That in itself lends them a certain credibility. Politicians lending them credibility by talking up their chances really should know better.
From Labour's point of view it's not dissimilar to their line in the last Assembly elections - vote Labour or the Tories will get in via the back door. No actual positive reason for voting Labour - just that someone else might get in if you don't and that would be even worse.
# posted by : 11:16 AM
: 11:16 AM
Err... how on earth can you say it's a "statistical and political fact" that the BNP won't win a seat.
The election hasn't happened yet? How do you know the result?
The election hasn't happened yet? How do you know the result?
# posted by : 2:06 PM
: 2:06 PM
Looking at the ballot papers for Wales (as for the rest of the UK regions) there are a number of Partys on the paper, any "protest" vote will go to anyone of these groups, including the Greens and various "christian" organisations, in addition to the BNP. UKIP have had a bad press of late (the words "snout" and "Euro-trough" spring to mind).
I've got a feeling that the Jury Team will pull more votes than the BNP
I've got a feeling that the Jury Team will pull more votes than the BNP
# posted by : 6:39 PM
: 6:39 PM
I can't believe these two are giving the BNP oxygen in order to scare Labour voters into voting for them. You look about and a good number of labour people are talking up the BNP in their bid to cling on to votes. The worst thing is it makes people think that the best way to give Labour a kick is to vote the BNP. Their strategy in that sense will only encourage more people to vote BNP.
# posted by : 6:44 PM
: 6:44 PM
I agree Peter, a way to get Labour voters out, use scare tactics, shame on those Eluned and Glenys.
# posted by : 7:54 PM
: 7:54 PM
I'm worried Peter - I know it's maybe propoganda but some of the statistics that the BNP call centre are revealing in terms of queries and membership increases are quite frightening.
A low turnout (25%?) Tory and Labour MPs announcing retirements in disgrace, dare I say it LibDems keeping a £2.4m donation from an absconded crook. UKIP in Europe probably the worse of the lot...
A low turnout (25%?) Tory and Labour MPs announcing retirements in disgrace, dare I say it LibDems keeping a £2.4m donation from an absconded crook. UKIP in Europe probably the worse of the lot...
Interestingly (well, relatively speaking) I heard someone onthe radio yesterday say that the threshold for retaining a deposit in these elections is 2.5%. Haven't beena ble to check that anywhere but if that's correct then the BNP got 3% last time and must surely be a good bet to hold deposit this time.
# posted by : 7:24 PM
: 7:24 PM
David, you are right. I have just checked it is a £5,000 deposit refundable by passing a 2.5% threshold. Dewi you seem to have lost your way amongst all the red herrings you are throwing up. I do not share your concern and am actually taking comfort from the polls on this. UKIP may do relatively well however.
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