The Equality and Human Rights Commission are taking legal action against the British National Party over concerns about its admissions policy.
BNP Party Leader Nick Griffin Photo: PA
The Equality and Human Rights Commission today began legal action against the British National Party over concerns about ethnic restrictions of its membership.
The Commission issued county court proceedings against the party after voicing concerns in June about the BNP's constitution and membership criteria.
The BNP responded by saying that it intended to clarify the word ''white'' on its website, but the Commission said it believed the party will continue to discriminate against potential or actual members on racial grounds.
''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,'' said the Commission in a statement.
John Wadham, group director, Legal at the Equality and Human Rights Commission said: ''The BNP has said that it is not willing to amend its membership criteria which we believe are discriminatory and unlawful.
''The Commission has a statutory duty to use our regulatory powers to enforce compliance with the law, so we have today issued county court proceedings against the BNP. However, the party still has an opportunity to resolve this quickly by giving the undertaking on its membership criteria that the Commission requires.''
Great. When will they be taking action against these groups too:
ReplyDeleteThe Black Police association
Black people’s mental health association
Black and Asian therapists online
National BME mental health network
Federation of Black housing organizations
The Black Londoners forum
Positive action in Housing
Asianfaces.co.uk,Asian modelling service
Society of Black lawyers,London
Society of Asian lawyers,London
BlackLawyersDirectory.com
asianjobsite.co.uk
BlackandAsiangrad.ac.uk
Ethnic media Group
Al-Nisa Muslim Women’s Group
Al-Nur Muslim Women’s Association
Antrim Chinese Community Association
Barnardos Chinese Lay Health Project
Chinese Welfare Association
The Windsor Fellowship
Sponsors for Educational opportunity,(SEO)London
BlackBritain.co.uk
EthnicBritain.co.uk
emjobsite.co.uk
Link Net Mentoring
Suga fix media arts
Sussex Black police Association
The National Black Writers and Artist Association
Black students Association
UK Black teachers Association
Black UK online
Ashiana Housing Association Ltd.
UK Asian business directory
Asian People’s Disability alliance
Asian arts agency
Black Enterprise awards
BlackEngineer.com
AIM magazine
Natwest Bank (Asian Entrepreneurs Unit)
Asian Voice
Black womens rape action Project,BWRAP,London
The Drum,African,asian arts venue,Birmingham
Black training and enterprise group
UK Black Pride
Ethnic Minority Foundation,London
Oshwal Elderly Welfare Association,Surrey
Ethnic Minority and Black Regional Action for Community Empowerment (EMBRACE),Birmingham
MENTER,Regional network for Black / Minority Ethnic (BME) voluntary organisations
Black and Minority Ethnic Elders Group,Scotland
Latin American elderly project,London
Latin American golden years day centre
Naz project London,Sexual health & AIDS prevention(NPL)
The Black Fundraisers Network,London
Black Arts Alliance,Manchester
Southall Black sisters,Middlesex
Black student union
Dudley Black regeneration council
Black Professional events,events planners
Black Health Agency,Manchester
National Association for the advancement of Black people,
African Caribbean Development agency (ACDA)
African caribbean education and training services (ACETS)
Amaani Tallawah mental health support services,Nottingham
APNA arts,Nottingham
Asian day centre,Nottingham
Broxtowe African Caribbean Elders group
BUILD Nottingham Mentor project
Calabash supplementory school
Afrik-African International Network,Nottingham
Asian mens group
Somerset Black development agency (SBDA)
Black families education support group,Bath & somerset
I see that this list is being circulated as a 'set response' to the EHRC charges against the BNP.
ReplyDeleteHave a look again at the list. They are all support groups. Not one is a political party seeking power over all citizens.
A political party has no business being racist, but should represent the interests of all British citizens, whatever their ethnic origin or skin colour.