Tuesday, October 20, 2009
BNP hit by another leak
This morning's Guardian reports that details of the BNP's rank and file UK membership are expected to be posted on the internet today. It will be the third time that this has happened to the party in recent years:
The apparent disclosure of a membership list will add to the controversy surrounding the party. The Guardian has seen the list, but could not verify its authenticity. It appears to show that:
• The BNP had 11,560 members as of April this year, including one peer.
• The party appears to have benefited from a surge in female recruits – one in eight party members are now women.
• The highest concentrations of members are in Leicestershire, Lancashire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire.
Already speculation has started on Twitter as to the identity of the peer whose name appears on the list, whose publication coincides with the appearance of Nick Griffin on Question Time this week and a forthright letter from former military chiefs which warns that the armed forces are in danger of being hijacked by far-right groups.
The former generals have complained that political extremists have no right to share the armed forces' proud reputation by using images of Winston Churchill and wartime insignia as part of their campaigning.
The apparent disclosure of a membership list will add to the controversy surrounding the party. The Guardian has seen the list, but could not verify its authenticity. It appears to show that:
• The BNP had 11,560 members as of April this year, including one peer.
• The party appears to have benefited from a surge in female recruits – one in eight party members are now women.
• The highest concentrations of members are in Leicestershire, Lancashire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire.
Already speculation has started on Twitter as to the identity of the peer whose name appears on the list, whose publication coincides with the appearance of Nick Griffin on Question Time this week and a forthright letter from former military chiefs which warns that the armed forces are in danger of being hijacked by far-right groups.
The former generals have complained that political extremists have no right to share the armed forces' proud reputation by using images of Winston Churchill and wartime insignia as part of their campaigning.
