BNP launches its 'serious' manifesto

From Channel 4 News:

The British National Party launched its manifesto today urging voters to look beyond its immigration policy.

Unveiling a 90-page "serious piece of political kit", BNP leader Nick Griffin said the manifesto offered "nothing new" on immigration.

Mr Griffin said other parties have only just begun to talk about immigration policies because of the threat posed by the BNP.

"We still say what we have always done. We say Britain is full. It is the most overcrowded country in Europe and it is time to shut the doors."

Launching the manifesto in Stoke-on-Trent, where the party has nine councillors, Mr Griffin faced a noisy group of protesters demonstrating against the right-wing party.Speaking on St George's day, Mr Griffin was flanked by a supporter dressed as St George, England's patron saint.

He said the BNP's manifesto was "one of the most comprehensive and detailed manifestos in its history".

Mr Griffin said the issues tackled by the BNP set the party apart from its rivals. “These issues are the conflict in Afghanistan, the immigration invasion of our country, the threat to our security posed by Islamism and the danger of the European Union to our sovereignty," he said.

Apart from immigration, the manifesto pledges to pull troops out of Afghanistan and Germany, renegote the UK's presence in NATO and raise defence spending by 1 per cent over the rate of inflation for the next five years.

The BNP said it was the only party to map out realistic and sensible budget cuts that will bring the deficit under control - without cutting front line public services.

Outlining its economic policies, the party said it would cut spending on all projects with did not serve British interests - including £18 billion spent on global warming, £13 billion spent on immigration, £4 billion on asylum and £15 billion on EU membership. Regarding the latter, the BNP said it "loves Europe but hates the EU", from which it proposes immediate withdrawal.

The BNP said it would cut foreign aid and reallocate the money to address the "scandalous situation of NHS underfunding".

Mr Griffin said the manifesto contained "unique and innovative policies which range from a solution for the housing crisis to restoring British industry, and from building our nation’s IT infrastructure to constitutional reform to guarantee our people’s liberties and freedom."

By Emma Thelwell