BNP recruiting tactics are illegal

Published on Friday 12 March 2010 21:57

THE British National Party has been banned from recruiting new members as a court has ruled its constitution is illegal.

Judge Paul Collins issued an injunction ordering the party to comply with equality laws.

He said the BNP's current membership rules mean it is "likely to commit unlawful acts".

The 17-page judgment, delivered at the Central London County Court, found the BNP's clause that members must agree to preserve the integrity of an "indigenous British" society was illegal and should be withdrawn.

It ordered the removal of a pledge to oppose immigration into the UK and maintain Britons as the "overwhelming majority" racial group.

As part of the injunction, the BNP will also have to abandon its "intimidatory" policy of sending officials to the homes of prospective new members.

Judge Collins said the sanction would apply until a new constitution was produced.

"The membership list will have to be closed until then," he said. "The BNP is required to make sure their membership is fully apprised of the situation."

BNP leader Nick Griffin, who met with shouts of "Nazi scum" from protesters as he arrived at the hearing, said the ruling "opened a very dangerous door".

But the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which brought the case, hailed it as "ground-breaking".

The judgment found that while it was not unlawful to hold discriminatory views, it was illegal to use them to control entry to a political party.

The BNP has until 4pm on Monday to post a message on its website informing its members of the ruling. It will also have to pay court costs, with the EHRC claiming 60,000.

Susie Uppal, director of legal enforcement at the EHRC, said: "Political parties, like any other organisation, are obliged to respect the law and not discriminate."