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Basically it's a groups of racists!
:''This article is about the contemporary party. For the 1960s party, see ].''
{{Infobox_British_Political_Party
| party_name = British National Party
| party_logo = ]
| leader = ]
| foundation = 1980
| ideology =]<ref>Bonnett A. "." ''The Journal of Historical Sociology'' 11.3 (1998): 316-340. Accessed 9 Feb 2007.</ref><ref>Back, Les, Michael Keith, Azra Khan, Kalbir Shukra, and John Solomos. "." ''The Political Quarterly'' 73.4 (2002): 445-454. DOI: 10.1111/1467-923X.00499. Accessed 9 Feb 2007.</ref><ref>Gerstenfeld, Phyllis B., Diana R. Grant, and Chau-Pu Chiang. "." ''Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy'' 3.1 (2003): 29-24. DOI :10.1111/j.1530-2415.2003.00013.x. Accessed 9 Feb 2007.</ref><br> ],
]<ref>Golder, Matt. "." ''Comparative Political Studies'' 36.4 (2003): 432-466. DOI: 10.1177/0010414003251176. Accessed 9 Feb 2007.</ref><ref>Evans, Jocelyn A J. "." ''Comparative European Politics'' 3.1 (2005): 76-101. Accessed 9 Feb 2007.</ref><ref>Mudde, Cas. "." ''Government and Opposition'' 39.4 (2004): 542–563. Accessed 9 Feb 2007.</ref>,
<br>] <ref>Renton, D ''Fascism theory & practice'' (London, 1999)</ref><ref>Thurlow, R ''Fascism in Modern Britain'' (Basingstoke, 2000)</ref><ref> Copsey, N "Contemporary Fascism in the Local Arena: the British National Party and Rights for Whites" in Cronin, M (ed) ''The Failure of British Fascism'' (Basingstoke, 1996)</ref>
| position = ]
| international = ] (France)<br>
] (Germany)<br>] (Sweden)
| european = ]
| europarl = n/a
| colours = ], ] and ]
| headquarters = Waltham Cross, Herts
| website =
}}
The '''British National Party''' (BNP) is a ] ] in the ].<ref>, accessed 11 July 2007</ref> It has 56 ]s in ], but is not represented in the ]. In the ], the BNP received 0.7% of the popular vote, finishing eighth overall and in the ] they came 6th overall.

According to its ], the BNP is "committed to stemming and reversing the tide of non-] ] and to restoring, by legal changes, negotiation and consent the overwhelmingly white makeup of the British population that existed in ] prior to 1948."<ref name="Constitution">{{cite web | work=British National Party|title=Constitution of the British National Party|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/resources/constitution_8ed.pdf constitution| accessdate=2006-12-05}}</ref> The BNP proposes "firm but voluntary incentives for immigrants and their descendants to return home."<ref>{{cite web | work=British National Party|title=British National Party manifesto 2005|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/candidates2005/manifesto/manf15.htm BNP election manifesto, 2005| accessdate=2007-01-11}}</ref> It advocates the repeal of all anti-discrimination legislation, and restricts party membership to "indigenous British ] deriving from the class of ‘Indigenous ]’".<ref name="Constitution"/>

The party accepts white people with non-British ancestry if they are assimilated into one of the British ethnicities. The BNP believes that there are significant ] ] differences that determine the behaviour and character of individuals. The party asserts that preference for one's own ethnicity is a part of human nature.<ref>{{cite web | work=British National Party|title=British National Party Manifesto 2005|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/candidates2005/manifesto/manf4.htm BNP election manifesto, 2005| accessdate=2006-12-05}}</ref> Historically, under ]'s leadership, the BNP had strong ] tendencies, but in recent times, the BNP has tended to focus on ]s as its main adversary. The party has publicly said that they do not consider ]s and ]s to be any threat, although the BNP doesn't accept practicing Sikhs and Hindus as culturally or ethnically British.<ref>http://www.bnp.org.uk/news_detail.php?newsId=390</ref> The BNP has even worked with anti-Muslim Sikh groups.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/racism/Story/0,,624352,00.html</ref>

Mainstream political parties in the UK marginalise the BNP, and the party has been strongly criticised by ] leader ], ] leader ], and former ] ] ].<ref>{{cite web | work=The Daily Telegraph|title=Cameron calls on voters to back anyone but the BNP|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/04/24/nelec24.xml| accessdate=2006-12-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | work=The Daily Telegraph|title=Blair admits 'paying penalty' for US links|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/06/nblair206.xml| accessdate=2007-02-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | work=Liberal Democrats|title=Lib Dems appeal to ethnic minority voters|url=http://www.libdems.org.uk/news/lib-dems-appeal-to-ethnic-minority-voters.10064.html| accessdate=2007-02-20}}</ref>

==History==
===Founding of the modern BNP===
The current BNP has its roots in the New National Front, founded in 1980 by ], a former chairman of the ] (NF). In 1982, the New National Front and a faction of the then-disintegrating ] led by ] merged to form the new British National Party. Tyndall was elected leader and Hill became his deputy, with much of the early funding provided by Tyndall's father-in-law, ].<ref>N. Copsey, ''Contemporary British Fascism: The British National Party and the Quest for Legitimacy'', Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004, p. 22</ref>

In 1983, in its first ], the party sponsored 53 candidates; three more than was required to obtain a Party Election Broadcast on television. The broadcast was transmitted on ] and consisted of Tyndall, flanked by two ]s, speaking to a camera. Images of the ] were shown as Tyndall's speech attempted to encourage nationalism over racism. One observer noted that the "emphasis was less heavily anti-black... than the ]'s".<ref>Martin Harrison in ''The British General Election of 1983'', Macmillan 1983, p. 155</ref> The giving of television time to the BNP was controversial, and was debated on '']'' on ]. During the campaign, Tyndall stated that the only significant differences between the BNP and the National Front lay in the fact that his party would bar homosexuals from high office, and he said that he was hopeful that the two parties could reunite.<ref>"Tyndall's race policy", ''The Times'', ] ], p. 5</ref>

The party's candidates won 14,621 votes in that election. The BNP's average vote was less than the National Front, and in the two constituencies where both parties stood candidates, the NF was clearly more popular.<ref>] and ], ''The British General Election of 1983'', Macmillan 1983, p. 354</ref> However, unbeknownst to the BNP, Ray Hill was actually working for the group ''Searchlight'', and observers have suggested that the party's relatively low profile in its early years may have been related to his sabotage.<ref>Barberis, McHugh and Tyldesley, ''op cit'', p. 594</ref><ref>Richard Thurlow, "Fascism in Britain", I.B. Tauris, 1998, p. 258</ref>

The increase in the deposit required of parliamentary candidates hindered the party during the ], when it put up just two candidates.

=== 1990s ===
After some financial troubles, the party's national headquarters were established at ] in south-east London in 1989. In the early 1990s, the party saw a growth in popularity mainly in London and the urban ], and especially in the borough of ] where perceived increasing immigration from ] in an area of housing pressure led to the campaign "Defend Rights for Whites"<ref>''BNP:Under the skin (Panorama)'' http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/17/newsid_2520000/2520085.stm Retrieved 30/08/07</ref> (a campaign directed by ]). At two local council by-elections in 1990, the party came in third, and on ], ] the party won 20% of the vote in the Millwall ward.

A second by-election in Millwall in September 1993 saw a renewed BNP campaign to take the seat. The party obtained its first councillor, ], by a majority of seven votes.<ref>London Research Centre, "By-election results to the London Borough Councils 1990-94", p. 68-69</ref> Although Beackon was able to achieve little on the council before the full council elections (in which he lost his seat, after a successful anti-fascist campaign), the by-election win led to a great increase in publicity for the party.

The party headquarters site increasingly became a venue for anti-fascist protesters who linked its presence to racial crimes in the surrounding area.<ref>See, e.g., letter to ''The Guardian'' ] ] from Richard Adams, ], ] and ]</ref> A near-riot ensued on ], ] when the police forced a 15,000 anti-BNP protest march to change its route away from outside the party building (31 people were arrested and nineteen police officers injured).<ref>Rajeev Syal and Tim Rayment, "Rioters clash with police over neo-Nazi bookshop", ''Sunday Times'', ] ]</ref>

===The BNP under Nick Griffin===
]
{{mainarticle|Nick Griffin}}
] joined the BNP in 1995.
In 1999 he knocked out Tyndall as BNP leader after a contested leadership election. Once comfortably in position Griffin began a programme of modernising the BNP's image, rephrasing the policy of the compulsory repatriation of non-whites and rewording it as a "firm encouragement" for voluntary repatriation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yre.org.uk/history.html|title=A brief history of the BNP|publisher=Youth Against Racism in Europe}}</ref>

In the 2002 local elections, the BNP won 3 seats in ] and averaged 20% of the votes where it positioned councillors. The party was accused, however, of exploiting the high tensions in areas that had recently undergone racially-motivated riots.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2690555.stm| title=History of the BNP|publisher=BBC News}}</ref>

Increasing electoral success led to increased scrutiny from the press. In ''The Secret Agent'', a ] documentary broadcast on ], ], filmmaker ] went undercover and joined the BNP for six months. His secret filming recorded party leader Nick Griffin calling Islam a "wicked, vicious faith". In his speech, Griffin also stated that "For saying that, I tell you, I will get seven years if I said that outside", referring to the maximum sentence for the criminal offence of ].

The day after the documentary was broadcast, ] froze, then suspended, the BNP's bank accounts.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3901621.stm|title=Barclays Bank bans BNP accounts|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> The BNP's response to the programme was that it had featured "the loudest and most hot-headed BNP activists were deliberately plied with drink and subject to suggestive provocation". Griffin did not apologise for his own comments, stating that "it's still not illegal to criticise Islam". He and BNP member ] were subsequently prosecuted for incitement to racial hatred, but were found not guilty. (see below).

===2000s===
The party has increasingly positioned itself against ], which Griffin has repeatedly called "wicked and vicious".<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.bnp.org.uk/columnists/chairman2.php?ngId=21|title=A challenge to Iqbal Sacranie and the Muslim Council of Britain|work=BNP Chairman's Column}}</ref> In the wake of the ], the BNP released leaflets<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.bnp.org.uk/news_detail.php?newsId=388|title=BNP leader on Radio 4|publisher=British National Party}}</ref> featuring images of the bombed Route 30 bus and the slogan "Maybe now it's time to start listening to the BNP." This move was criticised by the Daily Mail as playing on people's high emotions and grief following a horrendous attack.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=355518&in_page_id=1770| title='Sick' BNP produce bus blast leaflet|publisher=Daily Mail}}</ref>
] ] after being found not guilty of charges of incitement to racial hatred at their retrial.]]
On ], ], Griffin and BNP activist ] pleaded not guilty at Leeds Crown Court to four and eight charges, respectively, of incitement to racial hatred. The charges resulted from the BBC documentary ''The Secret Agent'' (see above). Preparing for the worst, Griffin nominated West Midlands organiser ] as his temporary replacement if he was imprisoned.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politics.guardian.co.uk/localelections2006/story/0,,1759411,00.html| title=
BNP targets the heart of England|publisher=The Observer}}</ref> John Tyndall was also due to appear in court but had died three days earlier. Eventually Griffin and Collett were each acquitted of half of the charges against them with an ] delivered on the remaining charges. The ] announced that they would pursue a retrial on the remaining charges; Griffin and Collett were also cleared of these. They used the result of the trial to criticise the ]. Following the trial, the possibility of tightening race hate laws has been discussed.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bradford/6135060.stm|title=BNP leader cleared of race hate |publisher=BBC News}}</ref>

After the ], the BNP republished one of the cartoons of ] on a leaflet, accompanied by a photo of Muslim demonstrators holding placards bearing murderous anti British slogans<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/02/05/nflag05.xml|title=Muslim protests are incitement to murder, say Tories|publisher=The Telegraph}}</ref> and a "Which one do YOU find offensive?" caption.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4739336.stm|title=BNP prints controversial cartoon}}</ref>

Events in the run up to the ] seemed to show an increase in support for the BNP, with research carried out by the ], showing that, in the parts of ] where the BNP put most of their resources, one in four voters was considering voting BNP with the figure at one in five in parts of ] <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=383325&in_page_id=1770|title=One in four could back BNP in elections}}</ref>. A government minister in the ], ], also highlighted the increase in support by saying that eight out of ten white working class people in her London constituency of ] were "tempted" to vote for the BNP.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4913164.stm|title=BBC News:Minister says BNP tempting voters}}</ref> The increase in support for the BNP was described by some as a ] due to voter alienation with the three ] parties (Labour, Conservatives, and the Liberal-Democrats).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4916614.stm|title=BBC News: Parties face up to BNP challenge}}</ref> The increase in support for the BNP was notably demonstrated by a poll released by YouGov, a British polling firm, that indicated that the BNP vote had reached 7% in the wake of media attention, a more than tenfold increase over the previous general election.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=4Y4JMTFDWR4INQFIQMFCFGGAVCBQYIV0?xml=/news/2006/04/21/npoll21.xml&sSheet=/portal/2006/04/21/ixportaltop.html|title=Daily Telegraph: BNP set to win seats as support surges}}</ref>

A ] poll in April 2006 found that the majority of Britons agreed with many BNP policies, when unaware they were associated with the BNP. 59% supported the halting of all further immigration, and average support for the BNP propositions cited in the poll among those who did not know they were associated with the BNP was 55%. Most of the statements put, however, coincided with views also put forward by other political parties. There were also certain BNP propositions which were strongly opposed by those polled, including non-white citizens being inherently "less British", and the party's policy of encouraging the "repatriation" of ethnic minorities. Support also fell among those who were told that the policies were those of the BNP.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://yougov.com/archives/pdf/omi060101069_1.pdf|title=YouGov/ Sky News Survey}}</ref>

On ] ], the results of the ] were reported by the BBC and showed a marked increase for the BNP. The party presented about 350 candidates, of which 33 were initially declared to be winners and a further 70 were placed second. This more than doubled the number of seats held by the BNP (before the elections, the BNP was estimated to have held about 20 local political seats). Also noteworthy is the fact that the constituency of ] became, according to many newspapers, the first council in the United Kingdom to have the BNP as the second-biggest party.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4974870.stm|title=BBC News: BNP doubles number of councillors}}</ref>

Despite the increase, however, BNP councillors number just 53 out of over 20,000 in the UK.<ref> ] interview with ] on ], ] ] </ref>

===''The Guardian's'' infiltration===
On December 21, 2006 the '']'' newspaper revealed<ref name="Cobain Inside">, by Ian Cobain, ''The Guardian'', December 21, 2006</ref><ref> by Ian Cobain, '']'', December 21, 2006</ref> that one of its journalists, Ian Cobain, had worked undercover in the BNP for seven months, and had become the party's Central London organiser. Amongst the accusations made by the paper was that the BNP used "techniques of secrecy and deception.... in its attempt to conceal its activities and intentions from the public".<ref name="Cobain Inside"> </ref> It asserted that the BNP operated with a "network of false identities" and organised rendezvous points to allow members to be directed to "clandestine meetings" elsewhere. Members of the party were directed to avoid "any racist or anti-semitic language in public".<ref name="Cobain Inside"> </ref> Cobain also claimed that the membership in central ] had expanded beyond the party's traditional range, now including "dozens of company directors, computing entrepreneurs, bankers and estate agents, and a handful of teachers".<ref name="Cobain Inside"> </ref>

In the aftermath of the Guardian’s report, campaign group ] called for the “BNP ballerina” ] to be sacked from the ], with UAF vice-chair ] claiming her views on immigration were "incompatible with a leading arts institution such as the English National Ballet" and that she had “used her position to support a party which fosters division”.<ref name="BNP-ballerina-BBC">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6241763.stm|title=Storm grows over 'BNP ballerina'|date=8 January, 2006|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> However, Clarke defends her personal political opinion, stating that "the BNP is the only party to take a stand ".<ref name="BNP-ballerina-BBC"/>

The BNP was being investigated by the ] on ] ] after '']'' revealed that senior figures in the BNP had set up a front organisation in an attempt to raise money from sympathisers in the ].<ref>{{cite web | work=Far right in Britain|title=BNP faces inquiry over US fundraising|url=http://politics.guardian.co.uk/farright/story/0,,2054891,00.html| accessdate=2007-04-14}}</ref>

==Policies==
Since Griffin took over its leadership, the BNP has become less extreme, promoting similar policies to the ] approach adopted by a number of ] European counterparts, such as the ] set up by ]. This is cited as a factor in such parties' increased electoral successes in the 1990s and 2000s.

===Law and order===
In addition to the reintroduction of ] for petty criminals and vandals, and the reintroduction of ] for paedophiles, terrorists and murderers where their guilt has been proven to be beyond doubt (for example by DNA testing), the BNP promises a mandatory jail term for anyone assaulting an ] worker.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/candidates2005/manifesto/manf7.htm|title=British National Party General Election Manifesto 2005}}</ref> Party leaders say the BNP would introduce what it calls "restorative justice", meaning that petty criminals would pay fines to the victims instead of to the government.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/candidates2005/manifesto/manf6.htm|title=British National Party General Election Manifesto 2005}}</ref>

===Defence===
In addition to increasing ] spending, the BNP plans to reintroduce compulsory ] for all, and to deny some ], including the ], to those who refuse to perform this service.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/candidates2005/manifesto/manf16.htm|title=British National Party General Election Manifesto 2005}}</ref>

===Right to bear arms===
The BNP propose that all males, upon completion of compulsory national service, are to maintain a standard-issue military ] and live ammunition in their home. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/candidates2005/manifesto/manf2.htm|title=British National Party General Election Manifesto 2005}}</ref>

===Economic Protectionism===
The BNP would pursue ] economic measures, in opposition to what they perceive as ].

===Reunification with the Republic of Ireland===
The BNP propose the reunification of the United Kingdom and the ] into a "] of the nations of the ]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/policies/policies.htm|title="BNP Policies}}</ref> The party plans to restrict ] to those countries receiving repatriated members of ethnic minorities from the UK.

===The EU===
The BNP states it would withdraw the United Kingdom from the ].

===Domestic policies===
Central to the BNP's domestic policies are greater ] and the establishment of ]. The party advocates the provision of extra resources for "especially gifted children" and the reversal of closures of special needs schools.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/candidates2005/manifesto/manf8.htm|title=British National Party General Election Manifesto 2005}}</ref>

===Organic farming===
The party promotes organic farming.

===The role of women===
The BNP intends to allocate government funding to encourage ]s to stay at home and care for their family members.

===Racial policies===
At its founding, the BNP was explicitly racist. In October 1990, the BNP was described by the ]'s committee on ] and xenophobia as an "openly Nazi party... whose leadership have serious criminal convictions".<ref name="bnputs">{{cite web | title = BNP: under the skin | author = | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/programmes/2001/bnp_special/roots/1984.stm | publisher = BBC | date = | accessdate = 2007-06-04}}</ref> When asked in 1993 if the BNP was racist, its deputy leader ] said, "We are 100 per cent racist, yes".<ref name="bnputs"/> Founder John Tyndall proclaimed that "] is my bible".<ref>http://politics.guardian.co.uk/farright/story/0,11375,1028498,00.html</ref>

When ] became Chairman in 1999, however, the party began to change its stance with regard to racial issues. Griffin claims to have repudiated racism, instead espousing what he calls "]". He claims that his core ideology is "concern for the well-being of the English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish ethnic nations that compose the United Kingdom" {{Fact|date=January 2007}} .

The BNP publicly disavows any interest in white supremacy. Its detractors argue that its definition of white supremacy as the "wish to rule over foreign peoples" is too narrow. The BNP requires that all members must be members of the "Indigenous Caucasian" "racial group".<ref name="Constitution"/> The party does not regard non-white people as being British, even if they have been born in the UK and are British citizens. Instead, Griffin has stated that 'non-Europeans who stay', while protected by British law, 'will be regarded as permanent guests'.<ref>http://www.bnp.org.uk/articles/race_reality.htm</ref>

Race is still important to the BNP’s understanding of nation and identity. The BNP is opposed to mixed-race relationships on the stated ground that racial differences must be preserved; it argues that when a white person produces a mixed-race child, "a white family line that stretches back into deep pre-history is destroyed." The party does however have a half ] / half British councillor in ].<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/programmes/2001/bnp_special/membership/other/lawrence_rustem.stm</ref><ref>http://politics.guardian.co.uk/otherparties/story/0,,1968769,00.html</ref>

Despite this in 2006, ], a grandson of an ] refugee (also of partial ] ancestry), was chosen as a council candidate in ]. The selection was reported to have caused some dissent within parts of the BNP,<ref>http://politics.guardian.co.uk/otherparties/story/0,,1749556,00.html</ref> however, it was defended by the BNP leadership who said 'ordinary members can rest assured that Sharif Gawad is not a racial alien. Sharif, despite his name, is white and British and the British National Party is staying true to its core principles'.<ref>http://www.bnp.org.uk/news_detail.php?newsId=854</ref> "Mr Gawad fulfilled the BNP criteria of being "a member of the white European race of people", they affirmed.<ref>http://news.monstersandcritics.com/uk/article_1153806.php/BNP_at_odds_over_asylum_candidate</ref>

Nick Griffin describes his views on race as follows: "... while the BNP is not racist, it must not become multi-racist either. Our fundamental determination to secure a future for white children is restated, and an area of uncertainty is addressed and a position which is both principled and politically realistic is firmly established. We don't hate anyone, especially the mixed race children who are the most tragic victims of enforced multi-racism, but that does not mean that we accept ] as moral or normal. We do not and we never will." Griffin's use of the phrase "secure a future for white children" is similar to the ] "]".

The BNP <ref>http://www.bnp.org.uk/columnists/joepr2.php?joeId=15</ref> supported Leeds University lecturer ], who was suspended from his post after stating that the ] "has demonstrated to me beyond any reasonable doubt there is a persistent gap in average black and white average intelligence".<ref>{{cite news
| last = Halpin
| first = Tony
| title = Lecturer is suspended for 'racist' IQ claims
| work = The Times
| date = 2006-3-24
| url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/student/news/article694940.ece
| accessdate = 2007-8-13 }}</ref> Ellis called the BNP "a bit too socialist" for his liking and described himself as "an unrepentant ]" who would support "humane" repatriation.<ref>http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,1723806,00.html</ref>

In ], ] confronted the party's national press officer, ]. It has been claimed that this is a pseudonym for ],<ref>http://www.legalspring.com/articles/uk-legal/20040603/905449_BNPs-spokesman-Stua.htm</ref> with a tape of telephone conversation the previous year. On the tape Russell could be heard to say that "black kids are going to grow up dysfunctional ... and are probably going to mug you". He responded: "If I thought I was going to be recorded ... I would not have used such intemperate language, but let’s be honest about it, the facts are there".<ref>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2088-2157980,00.html</ref>

===Anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial===
Both the BNP and its leader, Nick Griffin, have historically promoted anti-Semitism and holocaust denial. The BNP claims that it has now "cast off the leg-iron ... of anti-Semitism"<ref name="Nationalism and Israel">{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/news_detail.php?newsId=1057|title=BNP: Nationalism and Israel}}</ref> and states that the party has ]ish members, and one of its councillors, ] (]), is herself Jewish <ref>http://www.somethingjewish.co.uk/articles/1009_bnp_jewish_win.htm</ref>. The party's website states that racially British or European Jews may join the party.{{Fact|date=January 2007}}

In 1988, '']'' revealed that '']'', a publication that claimed the holocaust was an "evil hoax", was being published by the BNP's then deputy leader, ], on behalf of a BNP ], the Centre for Historical Review, and distributed by members. John Tyndall, the party's leader, said he was not involved in the publication but that it had his full support.<ref>Jon Craig and Jo Revill, "Holocaust hate sheet alarms British Jews", ''Sunday Times'', ] ]</ref>

The 2002 ] documentary "Young, Nazi and Proud" featured hidden-camera footage of the then BNP youth leader ] stating his admiration for ], and stating "I'd never say this on camera, the Jews have been thrown out of every country including England. It's not just persecution. There's no smoke without fire." It also featured footage of visitors to the party's annual "Red White and Blue" festival, some of whom wore the legend "88" (code for HH, "]").<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20060219052402/http://www.channel4.com/news/2003/special_reports/young_nazi_proud.html|title=Channel 4: Young, Nazi and Proud (Archive)}}</ref> Collett resigned from the party after the documentary's filming, but rejoined shortly afterwards, with Nick Griffin's approval, on the condition that Collett changed his views on the subject.

In 2006, the party's deputy chairman Scott McLean was shown on the TV documentary "Nazi Hate Rock" making Hitler salutes at a white-supremacist cross-burning ceremony where intensely racist songs were sung and jokes made about ] <ref>http://macintyre.com/content/view/621/105/</ref>.

===Anti-Islam focus===
The party states that "The BNP has moved on in recent years, casting off the leg-irons of conspiracy theories and the thinly veiled anti-Semitism which has held this party back for two decades. The real enemies of the British people are home grown Anglo-Saxon Celtic liberal-leftists ... and the Crescent Horde – the endless wave of Islamics who are flocking to our shores to bring our island nations into the embrace of their barbaric desert religion."<ref name="Nationalism and Israel"/> They have described this as the 'islamification' of Great Britain.

Consequently, the party has shifted allegiance in conflicts involving Israel. Its head of legal affairs, Lee Barnes, wrote on the party's website about the ]: "As a Nationalist I can say that I support Israel 100% in their dispute with Hezbollah. In fact, I hope they wipe Hezbollah off the Lebanese map and bomb them until they leave large greasy craters in the cities where their Islamic extremist cantons of terror once stood."<ref>http://www.bnp.org.uk/columnists/brimstone2.php?leeId=80</ref>

Nick Griffin has made it clear that this shift in emphasis is designed to increase the party's appeal. On one occasion, he stated, "We should be positioning ourselves to take advantage for our own political ends of the growing wave of public hostility to Islam currently being whipped up by the mass media."<ref>http://www.bnp.org.uk/columnists/chairman2.php?ngId=30</ref> In a to local party activists in Burnley in March 2006, he said:

::We bang on about Islam. Why? Because to the ordinary public out there it's the thing they can understand. It's the thing the newspaper editors sell newspapers with. If we were to attack some other ethnic group &mdash; some people say we should attack the Jews ... But ... we've got to get to power. And if that was an issue we chose to bang on about when the press don't talk about it ... the public would just think we were barking mad. They'd just think oh, you're attacking Jews just because you want to attack Jews. You're attacking this group of powerful Zionists just because you want to take poor Manny Cohen the tailor and shove him in a gas chamber. That's what the public would think. It wouldn't get us anywhere other than stepping backwards. It would lock us in a little box; the public would think "extremist crank lunatics, nothing to do with me." And we wouldn't get power.

Suggested policies to help police this 'threat to all of us' include a ] no fly policy. This would dictate that Muslims would be banned from flying in and out of the UK. <ref>http://politics.guardian.co.uk/farright/comment/0,,1887724,00.html</ref>

The BNP conducted a demonstration outside the offices of the ] (NUJ) to highlight what it regarded as biased coverage of the Hopley case. The police and the NUJ have rejected the BNP's criticism{{Fact|date=April 2007}}.

===Opposition to gay rights===
]
The BNP had traditionally maintained a policy of re-criminalisation of ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.gay.com/headlines/9925|title=BNP in gay porn scandal}} UKGay.com, Accessed ] ] </ref> The BNP opposes the introduction of ] in the ].<ref> The BNP, Accessed ] ] </ref>

Explaining the party's stance, spokesman Phil Edwards said homosexuality "is unnatural" and "does not lead to procreation but does lead to moral turpitude and disease". Thus, alongside the suggestion that "it undermines social/marital cohesion by adding confusion", the BNP would make it unlawful to promote homosexuality and "return it to the closet where it belongs".<ref> Manchester University Labour Club, Accessed ] ] </ref> The BNP are particularly worried about the possibility of homosexuality being promoted in ]s.<ref> The BNP, Accessed ] ] </ref>

In the run-up to the 2005 general election it was reported that ], then the BNP candidate for Barking, had produced and directed a homoerotic student art film in 1989. The story was picked up by the mainstream press after the 2006 local elections, when Barnbrook a councillor and the BNP's ] leader.<ref> Pinknews, Accessed ] ] </ref> Although some portrayed this as gay ], Barnbrook and the BNP claimed that the film was artistic, and about "sexuality, not homosexuality"<ref> The Guardian, Accessed ] ] </ref>

Despite this, some members of the BNP have shown hostility to homosexuals. For example, ], former chairman of the ], described homosexuals as "AIDS Monkeys", "bum bandits" and "faggots" and said the idea of homosexuality was a "sickening thought".<ref> RE:Brand Episode 2 "Naziboy" </ref>

There have been allegations that Nick Griffin has been involved in homosexual relationships with other BNP members. Accused of hypocrisy over this matter, he vehemently denies it. <ref>Tom Robbins, "Gay Tiff Reveals Soft Side of Far Right", '']'', 5 September 1999</ref><ref>Nick Griffin quoted in David Jones, "A Very Plausible Bigot", '']'', 29 April 2006</ref>

==Electoral performance==
===National parliament===
:''For full details of candidates and votes in parliamentary elections, see ]''

The BNP has contested seats in ], ] and ]. Since 2002 the party has expressed interest in contesting elections in ] and previously promised to stand candidates in the 2003 Assembly Election <ref>South Belfast News 26/04/2002</ref>, 2004 European Election <ref>http://www.geocities.com/irishafa/bnpulster.html</ref> and 2005 local council elections <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/3320551.stm</ref> but in each case failed to put forward candidates. No BNP candidate has ever won a seat as a ] in the ]. It has been noted that the UK's ] system causes electoral difficulties for smaller parties such as the BNP whose support is not geographically concentrated in a few ].<ref>{{cite web | work=Election Resources|title=Parliamentary Elections in the UK|url=http://electionresources.org/uk/| accessdate=2006-06-14}} This is considered the opposite to parties such as ] or ], who receive a nationally lower proportion of the vote than they do parliamentary seats. </ref>

In the ], the British National Party stood 119 candidates across England, Scotland and Wales. Between those candidates the BNP polled 192,850 votes, gaining an average of 4.2% across the several seats they stood in, and 0.7% nationwide — a 0.5% rise from the 2001 election. In those seats which the BNP stood in they were the 4th largest party.<ref> </ref> However, they did not stand nationwide, meaning that their national share of the vote was substantially lower than other minor parties and exit poll predictions of 3%.

====General election performance of BNP====
{| Class=wikitable
| Year || Number of Candidates || Number of MPs || Percentage of vote || Total votes || Change (percentage points) || Average voters per candidate
|-
| ]||align=center|119 ||align=center|0 ||align=center|0.7||align=center| 192,746 ||align=center| +0.5 || 1620
|-
| ] ||align=center|33 ||align=center|0 ||align=center| 0.2 ||align=center|47,129 ||align=center| +0.1 || 1428
|-
| ] ||align=center|56 ||align=center|0 ||align=center|0.1 ||align=center|35,832 ||align=center| 0.0 || 640
|-
| ] ||align=center|13 ||align=center|0 ||align=center|0.1 ||align=center|7,631 ||align=center|+0.1 || 587
|-
| ] ||align=center|2 ||align=center|0 ||align=center|0.0 ||align=center|553 ||align=center| 0.0 || 277
|-
| ] ||align=center|53 ||align=center|0 ||align=center|0.0 ||align=center|14,621 ||align=center| N/A || 276
|-
|}

===Local government===
Like other minority parties in the UK, the majority of the BNP's electoral success has come in local government elections. The BNP's first electoral success came in September 1993, when ] was returned as councillor for ] (in London) on a low turnout. He lost his seat in further elections the next year.

In the council elections of May 2002, three BNP candidates gained seats on ] council. This was interpreted in some quarters as an indicator of the mood of the British electorate. The BNP had fielded 68 candidates nationwide. In the council elections of May 2003, the BNP increased its Burnley total by five seats, thus briefly becoming the second-largest party and official opposition on that council, a position it narrowly lost soon afterwards after the resignation of a BNP councillor who had been disciplined by the party after unruly behaviour at the party's annual 'Red, White and Blue' festival. The BNP lost the subsequent by-election to the ].

During these 2003 elections, the BNP contested a record 221 seats nationwide (just under 4% of the total available). They won 11 council seats in all, though Nick Griffin was unsuccessful in his attempt to gain a place on ] Metropolitan Council. In some areas, such as ], it contested all wards and failed to get a seat; in others areas such as ], parts of the ] in the ] and in ] it gained council seats.

Prior to the ], the BNP had stated that it believed it could win "between one and three seats" in the 2004 ]ary elections. In fact, although their share of the vote increased to 4.9% (placing them as the sixth biggest party overall), they failed to win a single seat. The Party also hoped to pick up an increased share of the vote in the ] of England, where its strongly ] policies were believed to be most popular. However, in that region it gained only 3.0% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/vote2004/euro_uk/html/36.stm|title=BBC News: European Election: South West Result}}</ref> Given that parties with other lower total percentages of the vote, but a higher regional concentration of support, gained seats,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2004/vote_2004/default.stm|title=BBC News: Vote 2004}}</ref> their lack of a geographical stronghold can be seen as a disadvantage against the party.

The party's biggest election success to date was a gain of 52% of the vote in the Goresbrook ward of ] on ] ]. However, the turnout was just 29%, and the councillor Daniel Kelley retired just 10 months later, claiming he had been an outcast within the council. A new election was held on ] ], in which this time the Labour candidate gained 51% of the vote, and the BNP came second with 32%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lbbd.gov.uk/9-democracy/elections/results/elect-by-goresbrook-05.html|title=LBBD: Goresbrook Ward By-Election Result}}</ref>

In the ], the BNP more than doubled its number of councillors, increasing the number from 20 to 52. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/news_detail.php?newsId=913|title=BNP: The elections - the numbers}}</ref> The biggest gain was in ] where the BNP won 11 of the 13 seats it contested.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bdrecorder.co.uk/content/barkinganddagenham/recorder/news/story.aspx?brand=RECOnline&category=newsBarkDag&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsbarkdag&itemid=WeED18%20May%202006%2015%3A39%3A34%3A893|title=Barking and Dagenham Recorder: BNP laughing stock at council meeting}}</ref> A twelfth seat was awarded to the BNP, following a High Court petition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stopthebnp.org.uk/index.php?location=news&art=404|title=Stop the BNP: It was the media that won it}}</ref> The BNP also won 3 seats in ], 3 in ], 3 in ], 2 seats in ], 2 in ], and single seats in ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. They were initially declared to have won the Birmingham seat of ] but this was due to a counting error and subsequently overturned in court.

In ] ] the BNP gained their first parish councillor in Wales when Mike Howard of Rhewl Mostyn, ], previously an Independent, joined the BNP. Hence as of ] ], the party had 53 councillors in local government.

In the 2007 ] and ] ] the BNP fielded candidates. In the Welsh elections the party fielded 20 candidates, four in each of the five regional lists with party chairman ] standing in the ] region.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6558981.stm |title=Immigration a key issue, says BNP |accessdate=2007-04-22}}</ref> It came fifth behind the major parties in some areas. They did best in north east Wales, polling 9% in Wrexham and 7% in both Alyn and Deeside and in Clwyd South. However, they did not get any seats in the Welsh assembly.

In the ] the party fielded 32 candidates which entitled the BNP to public funding for its campaign and an election broadcast, something which was attacked by far left groups.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.uaf.org.uk/news.asp?choice=70209 |title=No to public funds for fascism |accessdate=2007-04-22}}</ref> The BNP got about 1% of the vote and no seats.

In the ] which took place on the same day as the Scottish and Welsh elections, the BNP fielded a record 754 council candidates, more than double the number the previous year.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2444454.ece |title=BNP goes bourgeois as party aims for rural seats |accessdate=2007-04-22}}</ref> It won increased support in Windsor and Maidenhead but did not increase its number of councillors in Sandwell from 4 and saw its seats in Burnley reduced from seven to four. It won both Hugglescote and Whitick - the first seats to be won by the BNP in Leicestershire. Before the poll, the BNP's declared aim was to double its number of elected councillors to around a hundred. In the event, it increased its net representation by just one councillor.

:''See also: ]''

==Structure of the BNP==
The chairman of the BNP has final say in all policy matters.<ref name="organisation"> BNP website; March 2006; Last accessed 05-01-07 </ref> There are then fifteen further members of the 'party leadership', who have responsibility for various areas of its operations (for example, ] is Head of Publicity; Steve Blake is the Website Editor etc.).<ref name="organisation"> </ref> These ] positions work alongside the Advisory Council, the party's senior policy body. This group meets at least three times a year. Its role is to "inspect the party's accounts, ensuring proper conduct of the party's finances, and to act as a forum for the party's leadership to discuss vital issues and carve out the party's agenda".<ref name="organisation"> </ref> After this, the party is organised on a regional basis, based upon the ] constituencies within the UK.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/organisation/regions.htm|title=BNP: Regional Contacts}}</ref> The ''Trafalgar Club'' is the party's fundraising arm.<ref> BNP website; last accessed 05-01-2007 </ref>

The BNP is structured on regional lines, with 12 defined regions, each with an organiser . The party also organises four groups that deal with specific areas of activity i.e. Land and People (which deals with rural affairs), Pensioners' Awareness Group, the Friends of European Nationalism (a ]-based organisation) and the Ethnic Liaison Committee, which co-ordinates work with non-whites.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/organisation/circles.htm|title=BNP: Circles and Associations}}</ref> The BNP also has 16 specifically defined party officials, with the current holders of the major offices being as follows:

*Chairman - ]
*Deputy Chairman - Scott McLean
*National Press Officer - Dr. ]
*Director of Administration - ]
*National Treasurer - ]
*Editor of ''Identity'' - ]
*Editor of ''Voice of Freedom'' - ]

==BNP claims of repression of free speech==
The BNP claims that the mainstream media in the UK do not mention BNP policies, or make reference to statements made by the BNP, though this assertion ignores their level of support nationally.

Due to campaigning from anti-fascist groups, the BNP has encountered difficulties finding a company prepared to print their monthly publication ''Voice of Freedom''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/freedom/|title=Voice of Freedom}}</ref> The Party acquired a printing press in the run up to the 2005 general election, thereby removing its dependency on external printing houses. In September 2005, 60,000 copies of ''Voice of Freedom'', which had been printed in ], were seized by British police at Dover. The police later admitted this was a mistake and released the impounded literature shortly thereafter.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/news_detail.php?newsId=521|title=BNP: BNP papers now safe and sound}}</ref>

Party members sometimes conceal their affiliation, which can be deemed unacceptable by employers, unions and co-workers. Police officers are not allowed to be members of the BNP "or similar organisation whose
Constitution, aims, objectives or pronouncements may contradict the duty to promote equality".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/recruiting/specials/pdf/spapnet1.pdf|title=Application Form for Appointment as a Special Constable}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.knowledgenetwork.gov.uk/HO/circular.nsf/79755433dd36a66980256d4f004d1514/319a2eac673ef7ec80256fb7003dc0e5?OpenDocument|title=Home Office Circular 12 / 2005: Restrictions On The Private Life Of Members Of Police Forces: Membership Of The Bnp, Combat 18 And The National Front}}</ref> The prison service likewise prohibits membership of the BNP and similar organisations, because it considers them racist.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pso.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/pso8100/racist-groups.htm|title=HM Prison Service: Membership of Groups and Organisations with Racist Philosophy, Aims, Principles or Policies}}</ref> A similar policy has been discussed in the Fire Brigades<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fbu.org.uk/newspress/ebulletin/40.php|title=FBU: Issue Number: 40}}</ref> and Civil Service.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3669836.stm civil service|title=BBC News: Civil service BNP ban considered}}</ref> Many of the major trade unions are affiliates of Searchlight.

On ], ] an election broadcast (which was scheduled to air at 9:55PM) was pulled by ]' lawyers, who believed that the broadcast was defamatory of the ] of ], ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/news_detail.php?newsId=1477|title=BBC bans BNP election broadcast}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://politics.guardian.co.uk/wales/story/0,,2064627,00.html|title=The Guardian - BNP forced to change election broadcast}}</ref> The broadcast was made available to download from the BNP's website.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/election2007/broadcasts/bnpwales_english.mp3|title=BNP: Election Broadcast}}</ref>

==Relations with neo-Nazi, terrorist and paramilitary groups==
While Griffin was still a leading figure in the ], he was a close associate of ], an ] who, having fled to ], was convicted in absentia of belonging to the ], a ] group that was alleged to have carried out the ], which killed 85 people and injured 200 others in a railway station.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?pid=214|title=Southern Poverty Law Center: 40 to Watch}}</ref><ref>'']'', ] ]</ref>. However, no connection to the bombing was ever proven, and the case is still open.

The terrorist group ] (C18), was formed in 1992 (although not originally under this name), to act as stewards for BNP rallies, which were often attacked by groups such as ].<ref>Dave Hann and Steve Tilzey, ''No Retreat: the Secret War between Britain's Anti-fascists and the Far Right'' (2003). ISBN 1-903854-22-9</ref> C18's first publicly-acknowledged terror action was an incendiary attack on a ] premises in March 1992.<ref>Larry O’Hara, "Combat 18 & MI5", in ''Lobster'' 30 (December 1995)</ref> The BNP did not repudiate the attack until nearly two years later, when ] did so in an ''Organisers Bulletin'' on ] ]. In his bulletin, Tyndall acknowledged that C18 had set itself up as "the disciplinary enforcement apparatus of the BNP", and claimed that C18 had been infiltrated by state informers.<ref>Larry O'Hara, ''Turning Up the Heat: MI5 after the cold war'' (1994)</ref> In 2002, Adrian Marsden was elected as a councillor for the BNP, having previously had his house raided by the ] in raids on Combat 18 supporters in 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/programmes/2001/bnp_special/membership/organisers/adrian_marsden.stm|title=BBC News: BNP - Under the Skin}}</ref>

When Tyndall was still chairman, the BNP's 1995 national rally was addressed by ], the then-head of the US ]. Pierce wrote the ] '']'', which allegedly inspired ] to carry out his ], killing 168 people. The American Friends of the BNP, a party offshoot headed by ], was still having extensive contacts with the National Alliance as recently as 2003; as documented at length by ] in his book ''Homeland: Into A World of Hate''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=483|title=Southern Poverty Law Center: Heart of Darkness}}</ref>

], a website that publicises the names and addresses of left-wing and ] activists — and which has led to death threats, harassment and a knife attack — was set up by ex-BNP member ] in 2001. The BNP has warned its members not to use the website.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.redwatch.org.uk/bn1.jpg|title=British Nationalist: Redwatch Website Proscribed}}</ref>

], who exploded a nail bomb at the ] in the heart of ]'s homosexual community, was a former BNP member. Although the BNP distanced itself from Copeland, Griffin wrote in the aftermath of the bombing that homosexuals protesting against the murders were "flaunting their perversion in front of the world's journalists, showed just why so many ordinary people find these creatures disgusting." <ref>'']'', June 1999</ref>

The BNP has been accused of having links with ] paramilitaries in ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3390249.stm|title=BBC News: Race hate on rise in NI}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.labournet.net/ukunion/0401/pcsaf1.html|title=PCS: United Against the BNP}}</ref>

Griffin has urged white nationalists to join the BNP and use the ballot box instead of violence to achieve political aims.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/articles/no_confrontation.htm|title=BNP: Confrontation "politics" – in the past and staying there}}</ref>The openly neo-Nazi ], ], and the ] actively oppose the BNP, which they consider too moderate.{{fact| date=August 2007}}

==Violence and criminal behaviour==
Historically the BNP has been associated in the public mind with violent protest and clashes with anti-BNP organisations. Critics of the BNP assert that a significant minority of elected BNP politicians have criminal records and that the party is more tolerant of the criminal actions of some of its members than other parties would be.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politics.guardian.co.uk/elections2004/comment/0,,1232475,00.html|title=All mouth, no trousers|publisher=''The Guardian''}}</ref>

In the past, Nick Griffin has defended the threat of violence in furthering the party's aims. After the BNP won its first council seat in 1993, he wrote: "The electors of Millwall did not back a postmodernist rightist party, but what they perceived to be a strong, disciplined organisation with the ability to back up its slogan 'Defend Rights for Whites' with well-directed boots and fists. When the crunch comes, power is the product of force and will, not of rational debate." In 1997, believing he was addressing members of the French ], he said: It is more important to control the streets of a city than its council chambers."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,11913,783675,00.html|title=The Guardian: Flying the Flag}}</ref> In January 1986, when Griffin was Deputy Chair of the NF, he advised his audience at an anti-] rally to use the "traditional British methods of the brick, the boot and the fist."<ref>''Yorkshire Post'', ] ]</ref>

The BNP defends itself by arguing that over 20% of the working population has some criminal record or another and that a large proportion of MPs, councillors and activists in the other three main parties are hardly in many cases a shining example either.

A ] '']'' programme reported on a number of BNP members who have had criminal convictions, some racially motivated. The BBC's is extensive. Some of the more notable convictions include:
*In 1998, Nick Griffin was convicted of violating section 19 of the ], relating to ]. He received a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and was fined £2,300.
*Kevin Scott, the BNP's North East regional organiser,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/files/dms/BritishNationalParty_17911-13262__E__N__S__W__.PDF|title=British National Party Statement of Accounts 31 Dec 2004}}</ref> has two convictions for assault and using threatening words and behaviour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/programmes/2001/bnp_special/membership/organisers/kevin_scott.stm|title=BBC News: BNP - Under the Skin}}</ref>
*Joe Owens, a BNP candidate in ] and former bodyguard to Nick Griffin, has served eight months in prison for sending razor blades in the post to Jewish people and another term for carrying CS gas and knuckledusters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/page.cfm?objectid=12800817&method=full|title=icLiverpool: BNP man sent razor blades to city Jews}}</ref>
*], BNP student organiser, was convicted alongside Mr Owens for assaulting demonstrators at an anti-BNP event in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/men/news/s/163/163054_bnp_pair_fined_for_brawl_on_campus.html|title=Manchester Evening News: BNP pair fined for brawl on campus}}</ref>
*Colin Smith, BNP South East London organiser has 17 convictions for burglary, theft, stealing cars, possession of drugs and assaulting a police officer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.socialistunitynetwork.co.uk/news/gmbexposes.htm|title=Socialist Unty Network: GMB exposes BNP criminals}}</ref>

===The Tony Lecomber cases===
] was jailed for possessing explosives in 1985, after a nail bomb exploded while he was carrying it to the offices of the Workers' Revolutionary Party; and again for three years in 1991, for assaulting a Jewish teacher who was removing a BNP sticker at a ] station. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/programmes/2001/bnp_special/membership/advisory/tony_lecomber.stm|title=BBC News: BNP - Under the Skin}}</ref>
He was Propaganda Director of the BNP at the time of the latter conviction.<ref>"On the seamier side: the shadow of racist politics", ''The Economist'', ] ]</ref> He was ]'s key deputy in the party from 1999 until January 2006.) Nick Griffin has written of the latter conviction is that "in reality he defended himself after being attacked by a far-left thug who was a close comrade of the IRA 'active service unit' that planted the Harrod's Bomb" and that "Tony Lecomber is no longer even a member of the British National Party". ] and Joe Owens have both asserted that Lecomber's departure from the party followed his failed attempt to recruit Owens to murder members of the political establishment.<ref>http://www.vanguardnewsnetwork.com/?p=504</ref> (See article on ] for details).

===The Robert Cottage case===
In October 2006, ], a BNP candidate earlier in the year for election to represent ] on ], "was arrested under the ] on suspicion of possessing chemicals that may be capable of making an explosion."<ref>, ''Burnley Citizen'', 2 October 2006. Retrieved on 13 February 2007.</ref> Cottage was also reported as having possessed the largest quantity of explosives of its type ever found in this country.<ref>, ''Pendle Today'', 6 October 2006. Retrieved on 13 February 2007.</ref> Cottage's party membership was said to have lapsed at the time of the arrest. An associate of Cottage, David Bolus Jackson, whom he had met at a BNP meeting<ref>, ''The Times'', 13 February 2007. Retrieved on 13 February 2007.</ref> was also arrested at this time.

The case came before Manchester Crown Court on February 12, 2007 where it was claimed by the prosecution that Cottage had plans to assassinate ] and Liberal Democrat peer ]. Cottage pleaded guilty to one count of the possession of explosives, but denied the count pertaining to conspiracy to cause an explosion. Jackson pleaded not guilty.<ref>, ''The Guardian'', 13 February 2007. Retrieved on 13 February 2007.</ref> In a statement read in court by the prosecution counsel, Cottage's wife said that he believed that "civil war" was imminent in the UK.<ref>, BBC News, 13 February 2007. Retrieved on 13 February 2007.</ref>

The jury in the trial was unable to reach verdicts and the case was set for retrial in July 2007, when, once again, the jury failed to reach a verdict. The prosecution indicated that it would not seek a further retrial.<ref>"Second jury fails to agree on BNP 'bomb' pair", ''The Guardian'', 13 July 2007.</ref> On 31 July 2007, Cottage was sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for the charge he had admitted of possessing explosives

==Opposition to the BNP==
<!--]'', the United Kingdom's most widely circulated newspaper, shows its opinion of the BNP.]]-->
The BNP is condemned by many sections of the mainstream media, including right-wing newspapers, such as the '']'', which share some of the party's concerns over immigration. Representatives of the three major mainstream political parties all condemn the BNP, although the party has taken council seats from them all in various areas. High-ranking politicians from each of the mainstream parties have, at various times, called for their own supporters to vote for anyone but the BNP.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1756111,00.html|title=Guardian: Cameron: vote for anyone but BNP}}</ref>

Following pressure from ], Chairman of the ], <ref>{{cite web|url=http://193.113.211.175/media/nr_arch/2003/nr031007a.html|title=Campaign for Racial Equality: CRE Chair calls on Conservatives to see off the BNP}}</ref> the major parties stand candidates in seats that they are unlikely to win. This is designed to enhance the choice available to voters in the expectation that this will reduce the BNP vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/focus/story/0,,1769449,00.html|title=Guardian: Act now or the BNP will create a society riven by fear and conflict}}</ref>

In the run up to the May 2006 local council elections, Labour employment minister ] claimed that 8 out of 10 voters in her constituency were thinking of voting for the BNP. When the BNP subsequently took 12 seats out of 13 contested in her ] constituency, local Labour activists responded by blaming Hodge, crediting her with generating hundreds of extra votes for the BNP.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianpolitics/story/0,,1768175,00.html|title=Guardian: BNP rears its head as Labour loses heartland seats}}</ref>

Amongst the most visible and vocal opponents of the BNP and other far right-wing groups are ] and '']''. Unite Against Fascism, which aims to unite the broadest possible spectrum to oppose the BNP and the far-right, includes the ] (ANL), the ] (NAAR), and the ] (SAAR). It also includes faith and community leaders and politicians from the ], the ], ], the ], the ], the ] and the ]. ] has monitored the activities of the BNP and its members for many years, and has published many articles highly critical of them.

Some opponents of fascism call for no positive coverage to be given to groups or individuals enunciating what they describe as "]". Such a tactic states that the BNP and similar parties should be ignored by both rival politicians and the media. A more ] position is that of "]", which seeks to deny perceived fascist hate speech any sort of platform. The policy is most commonly associated with university student unions and debating societies, but has also resulted in BNP candidates being banned from speaking at various hustings meetings around the country.

Examples of the "no platform" policy being operated include:
* Complaints directed at the '']'' newspaper after it published a full-page article/interview with Nick Griffin. The Leeds Unite Against Fascism (LUAF) group accused the publication of breaching Leeds University Students' Union 'No Platform' policy, whereby extremist organisations are prohibited from expressing their views on campus.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leedstoday.net/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=39&ArticleID=971585|title=Yorkshire Evening Post: BNP interview fury}}</ref>
* An invitation to Nick Griffin by the University of St Andrews Union Debating Society to participate in a debate on multiculturalism was condemned, then withdrawn after protests and threats against the organisers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/education.cfm?id=136502005|title=The Scotsman: University's invitation to BNP leader withdrawn}}</ref>

Examples of more ] against the BNP include obstruction of BNP activists who set up stalls in shopping centres. For example, members of the ] in ] blockaded and forced a BNP publicity stall to close. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=332032005|title=The Scotsman:BNP stalled by Socialists}}</ref> ] is the group most associated with this sort of direct action, criticised by more ]s (for example in the ]) as ].

The BNP claim that such cases exemplify how political correctness is being used to silence them and suppress their right to freedom of speech.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/news_detail.php?newsId=164|title=BNP: Bully boys stamp on free speech}}</ref>

The ]-organised ] group held a concert in ] ahead of the 2006 local elections, aimed at getting people not to vote for the BNP, with 50,000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lovemusichateracism.com/news/2006/04/30/london-50000-in-trafalgar-square-carnival-against-bnp/|title=Love Music Hate Racism: LONDON: 50,000 in Trafalgar Square Carnival Against BNP}}</ref> people attending according to the organiser while ] put the number substantially lower at just 3,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2006/05/01/bmlove01.xml|title=Daily Telegraph: Lucklustre day of protest lacks focus}}</ref>

In May 2007 a presentation by Nick Griffin was organised by Danny Lake, Young BNP organiser and a politics student, to be held at the ]. The University administration agreed to hosting the meeting on the grounds of freedom of speech, yet it was opposed by a sizable portion of the student and lecturer population. At a meeting of the ] a motion was passed to criticise the BNP and oppose the meeting, mainly due to the BNP's opposition to the Unions equal opportunities policy, the fact that the meeting was an invitation only event with no opposition debate and that it was to be held on the first day of the exam period. The University later withdrew permission for the event due to concerns over the large number of people opposing the meeting and possible disruption it could cause.
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/6644117.stm|title=BBC News: University halts BNP speech plan}}</ref>

==BNP-affiliated organisations==
===Alleged front organisations of the BNP===
* ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stopthebnp.org.uk/index.php?location=news&art=354|title=Stop the BNP: BNP trade union unmasked}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article342406.ece|title=The Independent: BNP trade union unmasked}}</ref> Solidarity's president, ], and the BNP both deny that Solidarity is a BNP ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/news_detail.php?newsId=752|title=BNP: British workers get new voice}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thirdway.org/files/altweek1.html|title=Third Way: News Clips}}</ref>
* ]
* The ] was set up by BNP members and supporters to organise Christians "in defence of traditional Christian values". Mainstream Christian groups have criticised the BNP for using Christianity to further their agenda.

===Groups officially linked to the BNP===
* The Trafalgar Club is the BNP fundraising club, and the name the party uses to book hotels and conference facilities.
* The BNP Ethnic Liaison Committee is an organisation that people from ] can join. The committee has joined with BNP members in staging demonstrations.
* ] is a record label launched in January 2006 that is described by the BNP as "a patriotic label." It launched a campaign to introduce British ] to schoolchildren. Most of the songs were sung by Doncaster folk musician Lee Haggan, and were written by Nick Griffin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.doncastertoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=786&ArticleID=1363019|title=Doncaster Today: Town Folk Musician Records CD for British National Party}}</ref>
* Albion Life Insurance was set up in September 2006 as an insurance brokerage company on behalf of the BNP. Its stated aim is to "secure a robust financial situation for the BNP." The officers of Albion Life are all members of the BNP.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.albionlife.co.uk/weare.htm|title=Albion Life: Who we are}}</ref>
* The BNP obtains funding from the sale of books and heraldic or Norse jewellery. These are usually sold through their brand Excalibur.<ref name="Excalibur">{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/shopping/merchandise/index.php|title=Excalibur}}</ref>

===Companies alleged to be linked to the BNP===
Lancaster UAF has accused all of the below companies of being directly affiliated with the BNP. <ref>http://lancasteruaf.blogspot.com/2007/08/bnp-resorts-to-lies-in-desperate.html</ref>
*Project Iona
*Avocado Mortgages
*Skip Hire Registry
*Brightahomes (double-glazing)
*Horse Matters<ref>http://lancasteruaf.blogspot.com/search/label/Horse%20Matters</ref>
*Civitas
*The Centre For Social Cohesion

==Affiliated parties==
The BNP and the French '']'' have co-operated on numerous occasions. ] visited the UK in 2004 to assist launching the BNP's European Parliament campaign and Nick Griffin repaid the favour by sending a delegation of BNP officials to the FN's annual 'First of May ] parade' in Paris in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3654941.stm|title=BBC News: Le Pen UK visit sparks protests}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/news_detail.php?newsId=288|title=BNP: BNP Leader flies in to help French in Euro poll}}</ref> The BNP has links with Germany's ] (NPD). Griffin addressed a NPD rally in August 2002, headed by ], who ] accused of trying to remove immigrants from eastern Germany. NPD activists have attended BNP events in Britain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stopthebnp.org.uk/uncovered/pg06.htm|title=Stop the BNP: International Nazi Links of the BNP}}</ref> In the run-up to the ], Nick Griffin visited ] to give the ] his endorsement. Members of the Swedish National Democrats were present at the BNP's ''Red White and Blue'' rally, which took place over the weekend of 20-] ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bnp.org.uk/news_detail.php?newsId=478|title=BNP: The best RWB ever}}</ref>

==Previous British National Parties==
The current use of the name British National Party is its fourth appearance in British politics. The original BNP emerged after ] when a handful of former members of the ] took on the name. This party was absorbed quite quickly into the ]. A second ] also emerged in 1960 and went on to form a part of the NF. Around 1970, ] briefly attempted to organise a group of this name in Leeds but he quickly abandoned the idea to join the NF.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Taylor|first=Stan|authorlink=|coauthors=|title=The National Front in English Politics|journal=The British Journal of Sociology|volume=34|issue=2|pages=279-280|publisher=Macmillan date = June 1983|url=|doi=|id =|accessdate=2007-01-12}}</ref>

==See also==
*]
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==Footnotes==
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==Bibliography==

*Nigel Copsey: ''Contemporary British Fascism: The British National Party and its Quest for Legitimacy'': Houndmills/New York: Palgrave Macmillan: 2004: ISBN 1403902143

*Nigel Copsey and Andrew Renton (eds) ''British fascism, the Labour Movement and the State'': Houndsmills: New York: Palgrave Macmillan: 2005: ISBN 1403939160

*Andrew Sykes: ''The Radical Right in Britain: From Social Imperialism to the British National Party'': Houndsmills: New York: Palgrave Macmillan: 2005: ISBN 0333599241

==External links==
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{{British political parties}}
{{UK far right}}
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Revision as of 20:37, 12 September 2007

Basically it's a groups of racists!