dracaenapalm Forums

Ittah-kazin · Site Admin Joined: 01 Jan 1970 Posts: 32805

<div class="track"><img alt="" src="http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.20.3/34444?ns=guardian&pageName=BNP+conference+backs+ballot+on+non-white+members%3AArticle%3A1305289&ch=Politics&c3=GU.co.uk&c4=BNP+%28Politics%29%2CNick+Griffin%2CEquality+and+Human+Rights+Commission+%28EHRC%29%2CEquality+%28Society%29%2CPolitics%2CSociety%2CUK+news&c6=David+Batty&c7=09-Nov-14&c8=1305289&c9=Article&c10=News&c11=Politics&c13=&c25=&c30=content&h2=GU%2FPolitics%2FBNP" width="1" height="1" /></div><p class="standfirst">BNP delegates vote 'overwhelmingly' in favour of party-wide ballot on whether to allow non-white people to join</p><p>The British National party's senior members have voted "overwhelmingly" in favour of holding a party-wide ballot on whether to allow non-white people to join.</p><p>The party <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/oct/15/bnp-non-white-members" title="agreed to a court order last month">agreed to a court order last month</a> to use all reasonable endeavours to revise its constitution so that it does not breach the equality bill. On the first day of the party's annual conference in Wigan, delegates debated whether its membership policy should discriminate on the grounds of race or religion.</p><p>The BNP leader, Nick Griffin, was present at the "closed for business" debate at the Legends Bar, in Hindley Green. He is due to give a keynote speech to delegates tomorrow, the last day of the conference. Members of the public and journalists are barred from the proceedings.</p><p>John Walker, a BNP press officer, said: "Today we debated the change and how we are going to move forward. More than 300 of the party's voting membership voted overwhelmingly in favour. At a later stage it will be put to the entire membership of the party to vote for, or against, the motion."</p><p>In an order issued at the central London county court last month, the BNP agreed to use all reasonable endeavours to revise its constitution so that it did not discriminate, either directly or indirectly on any "protected characteristic" – for example on the grounds of race, ethnic or religious status – as defined in clause 4 of the equality bill.</p><p>The Equality and Human Rights Commission brought the court case against Griffin and two other party officials over the party constitution, which appears to restrict membership to those within what the BNP regards as particular "ethnic groups" and those whose skin colour is white. This exclusion is contrary to the Race Relations Act, with which the party is legally obliged to comply.</p><p>The commission argued that it had a statutory duty, under the Equality Act 2006, to enforce provisions of the act and to work towards the elimination of unlawful discrimination. This duty includes preventing discrimination by political parties. The case was adjourned until 28 January to allow the BNP to comply.</p><p>The party has agreed not to accept any new members until the new constitution was in place.</p><p>Today a group of up to 50 protesters marched from a pub to the Swan Lane conference venue. Demonstrators chanted "Black and white unite and fight", and "Smash the BNP" as they walked.</p><p>Paul Jenkins, the north-west organiser for Unite Against Fascism, said: "We are here because the BNP is a fascist party and it does not represent the people of Wigan, the north-west or the country."</p><div class="related" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><ul><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/bnp">BNP</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/nick-griffin">Nick Griffin</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/equality-and-human-rights-commission-ehrc">Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/equality">Equality</a></li></ul></div><div class="author"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/davidbatty">David Batty</a></div><br/><div class="terms"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk">guardian.co.uk</a> © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our <a href="http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html">Terms & Conditions</a> | <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/help/feeds">More Feeds</a></div><p style="clear:both" />
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/UtYiG0B4d81lOhfLIoqOBT1t4hs/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/UtYiG0B4d81lOhfLIoqOBT1t4hs/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/UtYiG0B4d81lOhfLIoqOBT1t4hs/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/UtYiG0B4d81lOhfLIoqOBT1t4hs/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p>

Read more...