EHRC calls BNP's bluff.

[mongrel]

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has now issued county court proceedings against the British National Party in respect of its constitution and membership criteria.

The Commission sent a letter before action on 22 June to the BNP setting out concerns about the BNP’s constitution and membership criteria, in particular, that the BNP's membership criteria appear to restrict membership to those within what the BNP regards as particular 'ethnic groups' and those whose skin colour is white. This exclusion is, in their view, contrary to the Race Relations Act.

The BNP's membership criteria appear 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.

The Commission believes the BNP's constitution and membership criteria are discriminatory and, further, that the continued publication of them on the BNP website is unlawful. It has therefore issued county court proceedings against party leader Nick Griffin and two other officials.

In its earlier letter the Commission also set out its concerns that the BNP's elected representatives or those working for them may discriminate on grounds of race or colour in the provision of services to members of the public or constituents.

In response, the BNP has confirmed that its policy is that each BNP elected representative will make 'available any services he or she provides to all his or her constituents, including to members of ethnic minorities’. The BNP's councillors have also signed the Member's Code of Conduct stating that they will not do anything which may cause their local authority to breach any equality laws.


The BNP has also told the Commission that it is willing to insert the words 'if applicable' into the box on the membership application form asking for insertion of a BNP membership number, so as to comply with employment law.



http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/media-centre/commission-issues-county-court-proceedings-against-the-bnp/


All good stuff. The BNP can no longer promise (as if they legally could) race-based delivery of goods and services. Only one issue to take to court and if upheld the BNP will need to finally need to decide whether or not to join the rest of the human race. The only question I have is why wasn't this done earlier.

[tonymurphy1888]

Just out of curiosity why would an ethnic minority want to join the BNP?

[2-D Ron]

Oh what joy!
He's made the Party Constitution so every new Party Law has to go through him, yet he cannot control the Higher power.
Tubby Griffin can't wriggle out of this one.

Just out of curiosity why would an ethnic minority want to join the BNP?

For a laugh.
Griffin: "Nooo! Put that BNP Banner down!.. You! stop talking to that White Women!" *Pulls out Hair* "My Aryan dream ruined!!".

[tonymurphy1888]

Oh what joy!
He's made the Party Constitution so every new Party Law has to go through him, yet he cannot control the Higher power.
Tubby Griffin can't wriggle out of this one.



For a laugh.
Griffin: "Nooo! Put that BNP Banner down!.. You! stop talking to that White Women!" *Pulls out Hair* "My Aryan dream ruined!!".

Lmao

[shadyrome]

Don't they have a jew in Bnp?

[2-D Ron]

Don't they have a jew in Bnp?

Yeah, a Token Jew; Most likely not even a real Jew, probably just plays his Part.. Something to roll out when "Anti-Semite" comes along.

After what Griffin has said throughout his Political career about the Jews and the Holocaust.
The guy is probably suicidal or a phoney.. What Jew would want to side with a Jew Hating thug for a Leader?

[mongrel]

Don't they have a jew in Bnp?

Pat Richardson who is married to a BNP activist and is a friend of Tony Lecomber who served 3 years for beating up a Jew. How welcome she is at the local synagogue is open to question though. Just as well, as I understand she is not practicing. She is descended from East European immigrants, so is presumably a hypocrite.

[Gromovnik]

She is descended from East European immigrants, so is presumably a hypocrite.

No need to be racist...

[Dr. Croccer]

Don't they have a jew in Bnp?

Tokenism. ''Look, we aren't Nazis! We cool, we cool.''

Kinda eminds me of the Bolshevik group who went to Brest-Litovsk to negotiate with the Germans, and picked up a Token peaseant along the way to represent ''agricultural interests''.

[Syron]

The EHRC, and the Labour party, are gonna regret this........

[mongrel]

The EHRC, and the Labour party, are gonna regret this........

What has this got to do with Labour, and why would EHRC regret doing the job their predecessor should have done when the Race Relations Act was last revised?

After all, every other provider of goods and services in the UK is subject to the law, why should politicians be any different? Of course Griffin could use this opportunity to modernise the party and prove to us that they are not a collection of racist, fascist loons. Is he up to it though?

No need to be racist...

Don't they have hypocrites in Eastern Europe?

lol this doesn't really do anything, AFAIK the BNP can still deny any minorities membership, they just cant officially state its their policy.

That can be tested.

I think the important thing is to remind BNP members and potential voters that they cannot promise special favours for whites, because it is illegal to offer services on the basis of race. The BNP appear to have caved in on the issue.

[Syron]

Don't they have a jew in Bnp?

A number of Jews, as well as gays, Irish etc despite all the nonsense peddled about the BNP.

lol this doesn't really do anything, AFAIK the BNP can still deny any minorities membership, they just cant officially state its their policy.

Well that is not even the case yet, it must go to court first if the BNP decides to fight it.

What has this got to do with Labour, and why would EHRC regret doing the job their predecessor should have done when the Race Relations Act was last revised?

Don't play dumb, the background behind this is well known to most following politics,

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/ge...e-association/

Will the Equality Commission's prosecution of the BNP backfire by outlawing the Black Police Association?

.......Even a kindly BBC inquisitor was moved to ask the Commission if this was a politically motivated move inspired by alarm at the BNP’s winning two seats in the European parliament. Not at all, was the response, contradicted almost immediately after by the observation that as the party was now becoming more influential it merited such attention. Yet this may be a dangerous move by the Commission.........

I think the important thing is to remind BNP members and potential voters that they cannot promise special favours for whites, because it is illegal to offer services on the basis of race. The BNP appear to have caved in on the issue.

Which is nonsense and you know it.

http://www.civilrightsmovement.co.uk...ights-law.html

Discrimination Exceptions
There are certain exceptions when it comes to discrimination, these exceptions are very few but they do exist. For example an Italian restaurant can advertise for Italian only waiters and chefs because it is a requirement in this particular setting. Private clubs set up for certain ethnic groups can also be exempt on the grounds of ethnicity but not colour. If a person works in a private household then the rules of race discrimination may also not exist.

This is precisely the reason why the BNP has an ethnic membership criteria

[mongrel]

Don't play dumb, the background behind this is well known to most following politics,

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/ge...e-association/

Dumb, the Black Police association is open to white people who support the aims of the BPA. The only criteria as I understand it is that one has to be a policeman. I myself am a member of a women;'s forum and a Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender forum, despite lacking a pair of tits and not being inclined to appreciate Erasure's dance routines.

Which is nonsense and you know it.

http://www.civilrightsmovement.co.uk...ights-law.html

Are you the only person in Britain who is not aware that it is wrong to breach the Race Relations Act 1976.Even the BNP have given up on this one.

As it says....

section 20.
F114 ... provision of goods, facilities or services.

— (1) It is unlawful for any person concerned with the provision (for payment or not) of goods, facilities or services to the public or a section of the public to discriminate against a person who seeks to obtain or use those goods, facilities or services—

(a)by refusing or deliberately omitting to provide him with any of them; or
(b)by refusing or deliberately omitting to provide him with goods, facilities or services of the like quality, in the like manner and on the like terms as are normal in the first-mentioned person’s case in relation to other members of the public or (where the person so seeking belongs to a section of the public) to other members of that section.

(2) The following are examples of the facilities and services mentioned in subsection (1)—

(a)access to and use of any place which members of the public are permitted to enter;
(b)accommodation in a hotel, boarding house or other similar establishment;
(c)facilities by way of banking or insurance or for grants, loans, credit or finance;
(d)facilities for education;
(e)facilities for entertainment, recreation or refreshment;
(f)facilities for transport or travel;
(g)the services of any profession or trade, or any local or other public authority.

What part of the act did you not understand? The example you quoted was the genuine occupational requirement exception that applies to employers, not the providers of services.

"Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to any act in relation to an office or post where, if the office or post constituted employment, the act would be lawful by virtue of section 4A (exception for genuine occupational requirement)." We do not employ politicians, we elect them. The BNP's councilors are public officials, not members of a private club. or are you suggesting that the Wheelbarrow and Shunter's Working Men's Club are running our schools, education and housing?

In any case.. "An association to which section 25 applies is within this subsection if the main object of the association is to enable the benefits of membership (whatever they may be) to be enjoyed by persons of a particular racial group defined otherwise than by reference to colour; and in determining whether that is the main object of an association regard shall be had to the essential character of the association and to all relevant circumstances including, in particular, the extent to which the affairs of the association are so conducted that the persons primarily enjoying the benefits of membership are of the racial group in question."

An exclusively white membership excludes by reference to colour, seems simple enough to me. The BNP are not covered by the exemption.

a foolish political stunt IMO

what idiots the EHRC are gonna look if they lose, and worse, think of the legitimacy winning will confer on them.

There are plenty of ways of defeating a political party, but taking them to court sure isn't one of them, especially as its too easily spun as labour knowing it can't defeat the BNP in the polls trying to take them out some other way.

I confess that Sir Trevor's closeness to Labour troubles me and I think the timing is odd to say the least. I would have thought though that if there was a conspiracy, an amendment of the act or a clause in the forthcoming Equality Bill would have been an easier, risk-free route. I understand that the EHRC were pushed because some civil liberty groups were looking to take the BNP to court in any case.

[Syron]

Dumb, the Black Police association is open to white people who support the aims of the BPA. The only criteria as I understand it is that one has to be a policeman. I myself am a member of a women;'s forum and a Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender forum, despite lacking a pair of tits and not being inclined to appreciate Erasure's dance routines.

Funny, are you a hypocrite too?

Are you the only person in Britain who is not aware that it is wrong to breach the Race Relations Act 1976.Even the BNP have given up on this one.

As it says....

section 20.
F114 ... provision of goods, facilities or services.

— (1) It is unlawful for any person concerned with the provision (for payment or not) of goods, facilities or services to the public or a section of the public to discriminate against a person who seeks to obtain or use those goods, facilities or services—

(a)by refusing or deliberately omitting to provide him with any of them; or
(b)by refusing or deliberately omitting to provide him with goods, facilities or services of the like quality, in the like manner and on the like terms as are normal in the first-mentioned person’s case in relation to other members of the public or (where the person so seeking belongs to a section of the public) to other members of that section.

(2) The following are examples of the facilities and services mentioned in subsection (1)—

(a)access to and use of any place which members of the public are permitted to enter;
(b)accommodation in a hotel, boarding house or other similar establishment;
(c)facilities by way of banking or insurance or for grants, loans, credit or finance;
(d)facilities for education;
(e)facilities for entertainment, recreation or refreshment;
(f)facilities for transport or travel;
(g)the services of any profession or trade, or any local or other public authority.

What part of the act did you not understand? The example you quoted was the genuine occupational requirement exception that applies to employers, not the providers of services.

What part of "A political party is not a local or public authority" do you not understand?

The BNP's councilors are public officials, not members of a private club. or are you suggesting that the Wheelbarrow and Shunter's Working Men's Club are running our schools, education and housing?

We are not talking about councillors, we are talking about membership of the BNP.

There is no "right" to be a member of the BNP, as not being a member does not preclude one from being a councillor, for another party.

An exclusively white membership excludes by reference to colour, seems simple enough to me.

That's the point! The membership criteria of the BNP says nothing about colour, hence the "English, Scots, Irish" stuff that you yourself have poked fun at!!! The BNP membership is based on ethnicity and so is exempt.

[Machiavelli25]

I myself am a member of a women;'s forum and a Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender forum, despite lacking a pair of tits and not being inclined to appreciate Erasure's dance routines.

Thats a bombshell. Why would you join these forums if they have nothing to do with you?

[Burnum]

A number of Jews, as well as gays, Irish etc despite all the nonsense peddled about the BNP.



Well that is not even the case yet, it must go to court first if the BNP decides to fight it.







Don't play dumb, the background behind this is well known to most following politics,

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/ge...e-association/






Which is nonsense and you know it.

http://www.civilrightsmovement.co.uk...ights-law.html


This is precisely the reason why the BNP has an ethnic membership criteria

Lol. The twcenter has got the token BNP member too issue apologetics.

[2-D Ron]

Don't play dumb, the background behind this is well known to most following politics,

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/ge...e-association/






Which is nonsense and you know it.

http://www.civilrightsmovement.co.uk...ights-law.html


This is precisely the reason why the BNP has an ethnic membership criteria

Oh God not the "If we had a White Policeman's association we'd be called Racist" Defence.


Equal Rights Groups are NOT Political Parties.. This Law applies to POLITICAL PARTIES.
The BNP are NOT an Equal Rights Group, they are a POLITICAL PARTY.

Seriously you're going to have to stop peddling this BNP nonsense eventually, The BNP/BPA are 2 completely different entities, the BNP's Twisted view point doesn't work on intellectuals or anyone with an IQ above 50.

Seriously, I'm getting annoyed with the Funde Black Policeman/White Policeman argument, it's fictitious nonsense and all the BNP Supporters use it like it's Divine Mandate.

I fail to see why the BNP should not be allowed to restrict their membership to whites-only.

Don't get me wrong, I think racism is stupid. But the freedom to associate, funnily enough, also includes freedom to not associate with whoever you don't like. If the BNP have been caught not doing their jobs (for example, a BNP MP refused to help non-whites), then that's one thing, but on the issue of membership, the BNP should be given the freedom to exclude whoever they like.

Besides, with the, ahem, "Muslim outbreeding whites and turning the place into Eurabia" thing that's been bandied about, it's their loss XD

That Freedom is still there, if you don't want to associate with someone of an opposing colour then that's your choice; You're practising Free Will, people might not like it but in the end it's your body, your mind, your rights.


Politics however is the Fundamental heart of our Freedoms and Liberties, I don't mind there being a White Equal Rights Group, fights for equality is a good thing.
But in Politics, you're stripping away another's Right to choose.

All that Democracy consists of is 2 Wolves and 1 Lamb voting for what they want for Dinner?
With the BNP, you get just that! The Majority of Whites deciding who they want out of the Country? We have laws that protect minorities from such decisions but the BNP want rid of those laws, it's in their Manifesto.
It's not just Race they threaten, but Women's Rights, Gay Rights as well.. That's not Equal, Power never is.

[Amry]

With the BNP, you get just that! The Majority of Whites deciding who they want out of the Country? We have laws that protect minorities from such decisions but the BNP want rid of those laws, it's in their Manifesto.
It's not just Race they threaten, but Women's Rights, Gay Rights as well.. That's not Equal, Power never is.

If the British public have been so incredibly idiotic that they choose to vote in someone who will do all of the above, then so be it. If you support democracy (personally, I'm more of a "benevolent dictatorship"-sort of guy), you have to face the fact that sometimes, the majority of the people would do things that you will not agree upon. Of course, there are ways to counter this (such as check-and-balances to protect minority rights, not voting for an openly-racist party in the first place, etc.), but if the People are stupid, and the People wants a racist, immigrant-deporting, women's rights-hating party in power, well let them have it.

Personal responsibility, folks.

[S.L.I.G]

lol this doesn't really do anything, AFAIK the BNP can still deny any minorities membership, they just cant officially state its their policy.

[Gromovnik]

They do, but someone from eastern Europe is not presumably a hypocrite. That's just racist trolling.