Haters’ data

Updated The BNP’s ‘membership list’ has been leaked for the second time in a year, it’s claimed today.…

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(Via The Register – Public Sector.)

(Via OUT-LAW News.)

(Via OUT-LAW News.)

Liberty and the BNP, November 20, 2008

For the far right to appeal to a liberalism they hold in contempt is pathetic, but there is a strong practical case to defend free association

Last month, a leading Holocaust denier, Dr Fredrick Toben, was arrested at Heathrow on a European arrest warrant. In court he complained that there was a witch-hunt mentality in Germany and that the Germans were out to get him. He appeared not to appreciate the irony of this accusation.

In the same way, it is hard to take entirely seriously the lamentations of the British National Party over the publication of its membership list. Having complained that the publication of the list opened its vulnerable members to violence and intimidation, Simon Darby, the BNP spokesman, announced that the person responsible for publication had made a serious mistake. ‘I wouldn’t want to have done that,’ he said. ‘I wouldn’t be sleeping well tonight.’ The juxtaposition of plea for sympathy and veiled threat was not, as with Dr Toben, intended to be ironic.

Nor was Nick Griffin, the party leader, employing irony when he announced that he believed that the human rights of his members had been breached and that he might use the Human Rights Act to seek redress.

The exposure of the British National Party’s hypocrisy – appealing to a liberalism that it holds in contempt – is one reason to welcome the list’s publication. A second is that it reveals that the party remains tiny and weak, despite its electoral success. Finally, the breach of security is likely to undermine and distract the party leadership at a time when it might be hoping to use the recession as a recruiting sergeant. Yesterday numerous party members were calling for Mr Griffin to resign.

Yet for those who believe, as The Times does, that liberty is the best defence of liberalism, satisfaction at the blow to the BNP should be limited. The breach of the privacy of members, with the publication of their addresses and telephone numbers, is regrettable. If a concentrated effort were made to prevent BNP members from earning a living that would be more regrettable still.

These concerns are not inspired by a naive belief that the purity of liberalism must never be sullied. They derive from a cool and practical assessment of the advantages to be gained from a defence of free association.

First, democrats gain when political arguments are advanced by open debate and settled by ballot. Extremists prefer threat and counter-threat. Far-left and far-right groups often seek to dominate politics by trying to ban each other and using violence to silence their opponents. In this way they feed off each other. Threats made against BNP members and by BNP members in the past 48 hours illustrate this danger.

Secondly, the introduction of a political test for employment might quickly become a serious blow against liberty. If membership of the BNP is regarded as grounds for dismissal, how long before the same is true of membership of other parties or of certain religious sects? In universities, bans that start as injunctions against members of far-right groups have often mutated to much more serious, and broader, threats to free speech than the far Right itself poses.

This potential for a creeping threat to liberty has to be balanced against the immediate harm that allowing BNP members to be employed in public service might cause. There have been moments in history – the American Communist Party in the 1940s, for instance – when a political organisation is an active conspiracy against democracy and seeks to work inside the State in order to subvert it. Where such an organisation has muscle and finance, there may be a case for a ban. The BNP, for the moment, is thankfully nowhere near such a point.

The defenders of liberty should remain willing to trust the power of their ideal.

70 hits a second

The Wikileaks website struggled to stay online yesterday because of thousands of people looking for the leaked BNP membership list.…

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(Via The Register – Public Sector.)

19 November, 2008

BNP leader Nick Griffin: ‘We’re disappointed’

BNP members have told BBC News they have received threatening and abusive phone calls and e-mails after a leaked document was published online.”

(Via .)

Genie + bottle = foot + mouth

The first public sector employees are waking up to the fallout from the leaking of the BNP membership list yesterday.…

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(Via The Register – Public Sector.)

(Via OUT-LAW News.)

By Michael Lea and Nicola Boden, Last updated at 3:24 PM on 19th November 2008

* Radio DJ sacked by TalkSport after name was on list
* Policeman also named is put under investigation
* Members ‘receive threatening calls after publication’
* BNP leader alleges calls are ‘dirty tricks’ by Labour”

A radio DJ and a police officer were the first alleged members of the BNP to face action from their employers today after the entire membership list of the party was posted on the internet.

DJ Rod Lucas was axed by TalkSport and a policeman in Merseyside was being investigated after they were ‘outed’ as having signed up to the far-Right organisation.

Soldiers, teachers and doctors also on the list were today fearing their jobs could be in similar jeopardy after the leak which breached a High Court injunction.

The BNP accused disgruntled former officials who were chucked out of the party last year of being responsible and warned anyone involved that they were facing a prison sentence.

Party leader Nick Griffin said: ‘It was entirely wrongly used without authority by a very small group of previous party members who were expelled late last year who then passed it on, to who we simply don’t know.

‘All we can say is that if we find out who it was and they are one of those covered by the High Court injunction, then they are going to prison.’

More than 10,000 people were on the list, including a vicar, an actor, leading businessmen and former civil servants. Many children were also named.

Today, TalkSport radio said it would ‘no longer use’ DJ Lucas, a Sony Award winner who once worked for Radio One, who had covered late-night shifts for the station.

His name had been published along with his address and contact numbers. His profession was given as ‘media: radio/tv production’.

A spokesman said: ‘Rod Lucas has on occasion worked as a fill-in presenter on TalkSport. We were aware that he has worked for BBC Radio Kent and LBC.

‘We were not aware of his membership of the BNP until today. We have no plans to use Rod Lucas in the immediate future.’

Meanwhile, Merseyside Police launched a probe after one of their male officers was named on the list.

Since 2004, officers have faced dismissal for being a member of the BNP because of the risk it could damage race relations.

Hundreds of members had received threatening calls in the last 24 hours since the list was leaked, leader Mr Griffin claimed.

‘We’re sure that this is a left-wing trick by the unions and the Labour Party. The number of calls, the sheer volume of it can’t come from an isolated number of people,’ he said.

Despite his members’ fears, he also said publication of their names could ultimately prove ‘fantastic’ for the party as he appeared with supporters in Burnley today.

‘We couldn’t have bought the publicity… It’s going to show people that we’re not a bunch of skinhead morons, which is the left-wing media-created image,’ he said.

‘It shows we’re far broader than that, a snapshot of decent British society. It will significantly increase our votes next year.’

BNP spokesman Simon Darby had warned earlier: ‘If we find out who published this list, it will turn out to be one of the most foolish things they have done in their life. I wouldn’t want to have done that – I wouldn’t be sleeping very well tonight.’

The list includes people’s names, addresses and ages as well as other ‘relevant’ information. Children are also on it because the party has family membership deals.

Many entries are accompanied by the warning to administrators: ‘discretion required, employment concerns’.

Keiron Le-mar, a former soldier who now works for an energy company – was aghast that even his service number had now been released.

‘I’m obviously disappointed… I’m worried about that because in my job I go round people’s houses. I’m involved in all sorts of walks of life. I don’t know how they would look on that. It could make the company look bad,’ he told the Times.

‘I joined the BNP because I feel they are the people who stand up for Britain as a country. I’m not for the racist views. To be honest, all I’ve ever got was letters asking for money.’

Internet chat sites have been flooded with fearful messages since the list emerged.

One online comment read: ‘I’m on the list, I could be chucked out of the Army. What is going on?’

Another added: ‘This is a disaster for the BNP, both on a PR front and a security level. Heads should roll and I’m afraid that the buck has to stop with the chairman.’

The membership list was password protected and encrypted. Publication was forbidden under a High Court injunction obtained in April.

Mr Darby insisted it was leaked in a ‘malevolent and spiteful’ move to try to destabilise the party:

‘It is part of a dirty tricks campaign and a desperate move by our political opponents,’ he said.

He claimed the list contained the names of people who had never been members of the party as well as those of current and former members.

The person who leaked the material could be prosecuted and fined but the chances of members’ successfully suing them or the party over the breach are slim.

It was discovered after people started receiving unsolicited mail and contacted the BNP.

The party claims it has more than 100 local and parish councillors, the latest of whom was elected in Boston, Lincolnshire, last week. Race tensions are high in the town as migrants make up a quarter of the population.

It plans to make a major push to win seats in the elections to the European Parliament next June.

In 2006, it was revealed that Covent Garden ballerina Simone Clarke was a member of the BNP after the party was infiltrated by an undercover journalist.

It was claimed that activists are encouraged to use false names while on party business and instructs them in the use of software to encrypt emails.

Many of its members, however, are far from the stereotype of the British far-Right.

According to reports at the time, one is the American chief executive of a City investment corporation, while another is a servant of the Queen, living at Buckingham Palace.

Labour MPs Margaret Hodge and Jon Cruddas have repeatedly warned of the march of the BNP in East London.

The list shows the BNP has attracted support from all corners of the country and across the social spectrum.

Members include teachers, librarians, solicitors, nurses and linguists. They list hobbies including landscape painting, hunting, gardening and church singing.

There is no ban on teachers, doctors and nurses joining the party although it is not deemed compatible with frontline service.

And living in Britain isn’t a requirement of being a member of the British National Party.

One lives in San Diego in the US and another in France.

An activist from Stockport in Cheshire is listed as a company director and another from Rubery in Birmingham works as a private investigator.

Other members include an ex-GMB shop steward from Hornchurch in Essex. A retired solicitor from Wanstead in London is happy to proofread and edit leaflets and posters.

Another member from Nympsfield in Gloucestershire has a BA in languages and a masters degree in translation.

A businesswoman from North London speaks French and Italian. A district nurse from Bideford in Devon is listed as enjoying ‘walking, knitting and helping people in need’.

At least one serving police officer is on the membership list, along with several retired officers.

It also includes16 servicemen, including a Royal Marines Commando. Among the 68 members listed as former servicemen are one Chelsea Pensioner, three Paras, three Guards and two Royal Marines.

Other members are identified as practising pagans and one male member is listed as ‘witch’.

Haroon Siddique and agencies, guardian.co.uk, Wednesday November 19 2008 12.08 GMT

The list of BNP members posted on the internet contains the details of people in a wide range of jobs. Some employers have made clear that membership of the far-right party is not consistent with their values.

Police
Claims that a serving officer is a member of the British National party are being investigated.

The Association of Chief Police Officers said police were banned from becoming members of the BNP because it would damage race relations.

‘Membership or promotion of the BNP by any member of the police service, whether police officer or police staff, is prohibited,’ said Acpo’s workforce development spokesman, Peter Fahy.

‘This is because such membership would be incompatible with our duty to promote equality under the Race Relations Amendment Act, and would damage the confidence of minority communities.

‘Whilst the policy may have been controversial at the time it was enacted in 2004, it has since been accepted by all staff and staff associations, and remains unchallenged thus far.’

Prison officers
A prison service spokesman said it was the first public sector employer to ban staff from being members of racist organisations and had dismissed employees for such action in the past.

‘The prison service is very clear on this issue – we take allegations of racism very seriously and have a zero-tolerance policy of those who hold racist views,’ he said.

‘When being recruited externally or applying for transfer or promotion, candidates are asked to state categorically that they do not belong to the BNP, National Front or Combat 18, or any other group or organisation promoting racism.

‘Membership of such organisations is entirely incompatible with working in the prison service and, if it is confirmed that a member of staff belongs to one of them, they will be subject to our disciplinary procedures.’

Church of England
Ben Wilson, a spokesman for the Church of England, said it had seen no evidence that any serving vicars were on the list, despite media reports.

‘The church’s General Synod passed a motion in 2004 stating that any political movement that seeks to divide our communities on the basis of ethnicity is an affront to the nature of God revealed in creation and scripture and is a grave danger to harmonious community relationships; consequently voting for and/or supporting a political party that offers racist policies is incompatible with Christian discipleship.

He said: ‘It would be difficult to take any formal action against a vicar on the basis of their alleged membership of the BNP, as membership of any lawful political party is excluded from the grounds for complaint under the clergy discipline measure.’

Army
An MoD spokesman said: ‘Our position is that individuals are allowed to join political parties as long as they uphold our values and standards.’

But he and colleagues found the views of the BNP ‘abhorrent’, the spokesman said.