City councillor had 'no idea' brother was BNP member

EDINBURGH'S newest councillor today insisted he had no idea his brother had joined the British National Party – despite the fact they live in the same house.

Cammy Day, who won the Forth ward by-election two weeks ago, said he was shocked to discover his brother Colin was included on a list of BNP members leaked on a website.

After speaking to him about it, he said his brother had been "naive" in signing up to the far-right party and had quickly resigned when he discovered more about its politics.

The 2007 membership list, allegedly posted by a former BNP employee, gives names, addresses, phone numbers and sometimes e-mail addresses and occupations for some 10,000 individuals.

Colin Day is listed as "activist".

But Cllr Day said his brother had never been an activist in any political party. The pair share a house in Easter Drylaw Gardens, along with another brother.

Cllr Day said they had never discussed Colin's involvement with the BNP.

He said: "I am shocked to hear of this for the first time today. I totally abhor everything that the BNP stands for.

"I will always confront racism wherever it displays itself because it is wrong.

"I have now spoken to my younger brother who has assured me that he is not a member of the BNP. He was foolish enough to be recruited some years ago but left in shock at the racism and hatred he encountered.

"He also assures me that he was never an activist and I believe him.

"I know how we must never allow the smooth-talking racists to present themselves as a normal political party. As my brother found out, scratch the surface and their violent hatred is revealed."

Cllr Day said Colin had only been in the party "a matter of months".

"He was very naive, realised it was a mistake and immediately resigned. He abhors racism as much as anyone else."

Another 27 people from Edinburgh also appear on the BNP list. Party leader Nick Griffin has said the party will take court action over the leak. Earlier this year the BNP said it had obtained an injunction at the High Court in Manchester banning any publication of its membership list.

Mr 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."

Mr Griffin said that members had received threatening calls as a result of the list's publication.