Well, duh!

[rozk]

The Equalities and Human Rights Commission has written here to the British National Party about ways in which it may be in breach of various legislation.

You will care to note this paragraph:
The Commission is also concerned that the BNP’s elected representatives may not intend to offer or provide services on an equal basis to all their constituents and members of the public irrespective of race or colour. The Commission thinks that this contravenes the Race Relations Act and the Local Authority Model Code of Conduct and that the BNP may have acted illegally and may act illegally in the future.

Well, gosh, who would ever have thought such a thing?

And they got Capone on his income tax...

Comments

[stigandnasty919.livejournal.com]

I can't help thinking this is a mistake. It will be used by the BMP leadership to show that they are being 'oppressed', and may well increase their support in some areas.

If they have broken the law, take them to court, but asking people to confirm in writing that they won't break the law is not something we normally do in this country and I think if it was asked of other groups we would find it disturbing.

Abusing civil liberities to defeat those who would restrict them may be tempting, but its not something I feel comfortable with.

There may be details to this story not included in the published message, so i'll reserve judgement.

[paulathomas.livejournal.com]

That the BNP was a whites only party was a real big surprise to me too!!!!!

It is unfortunate that Race Relations law does not seem provide a straight to court option in this kind of case.

[calimac.livejournal.com]

I should think the question of whom they allow in their party is quite different from the question of providing fair constituency service. Even the major parties have quite arbitrary rules about membership qualifications: one thinks of the rules adopted by the Labour Party to prevent Communist infiltration.

As for constituency service, shall we wait and see what they do first, rather than provide pre-emptive warnings based on their election rhetoric? Elected politicians have been known to be richly abusive to their opponents (cf "lower than vermin") without being issued warnings about providing fair service to their constituents of opposing political views.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

"And they got Capone on his income tax..."

And he died in prison of the dreaded French pox!

One can only hope...............

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Oh, PLEASE let there be a few brave minority members with the guts to apply for jobs with them...

[geekyisgood.livejournal.com]

I'm interested in whether the BNP's claim that they can discriminate because they are protecting a persecuted group (indigenous Brits) will wash.