Obituary: Bill Fitt, Poringland BNP activist

The Man Who Introduced Nick Griffin to Nationalism

From BNP News:

It is with great sadness that we report the death of veteran nationalist, Norfolk BNP stalwart and the man who introduced Nick Griffin to nationalism, Bill Fitt, who passed away aged 84 on 21 May after a short period of ill health.

Mr Fitt was Norwich born and bred. During the Second World War, he joined the Royal Marines at the age of 17 and saw active service in the Far East.

He had been an active nationalist since the 1950s and was a member of an earlier version of the British National Party which later merged with the League of Empire Loyalists to form the National Front in 1967.

During the 1970s, Mr Fitt remained active in an organisational role in East Anglia and bravely stood as a candidate on several occasions.

Apart from being a lifelong nationalist, Mr Fitt was also a dedicated trade unionist, and served as a TGWU shop steward for many years. He was elected by his union branch to act as their delegate to Norwich Trades Council much to the fury of the leftists who launched a campaign to remove him from that body.

Paul Morris, BNP Eastern regional organiser said:

Despite being in his 70s, Mr Fitt agreed to serve as Norfolk BNP organiser from 1998 to 2002 in order to re-establish the party in that county.Even after stepping down from office, he did all that he could to help to promote the party in his locality. Bill’s placement of BNP posters in his garden riled the far left who resorted to committing acts of vandalism to his property in a futile attempt at political intimidation. As Bill remarked to the local press, having survived Luftwaffe bombs and Japanese snipers, he was hardly going to be intimidated.

BNP Chairman Nick Griffin paid tribute to Mr Fitt for his contribution to the nationalist cause saying:

Having known Bill Fitt for 36 years, I am truly saddened to hear of his passing. Bill was the first nationalist I ever met. It was due to a letter he had published in a local newspaper that I first became interested in nationalist politics. I always had the utmost respect for Bill.All those who knew him will confirm that he was a man of principle, integrity and courage. My condolences go to his daughter Helen — who stood as BNP candidate for South Norfolk at the general election — and the rest of his family.

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It is interesting to learn that Helen Mitchell is the daughter of Bill Fitt. Thanks to Nick Griffin for the information.

Helen Mitchell stood as a BNP candidate and gained a 'risible' 2% of votes in the recent General Election in South Norfolk, so losing her deposit. I was wondering to whom in the BNP she was related, as there was no information about her individual work for the party.

Mr William Fitt is the reason that I first joined the anti-BNP movement. When I asked about the BNP's policies in Norfolk some seven years ago, he was so breathtakingly rude about my married name that I was totally taken aback. I am a Norfolk woman who happened to marry a Japanese. My married name has nothing to do with any lack of patriotism to my country.

Once and for all Griffin should acknowledge what he knows to be true. Not everyone who opposes the BNP is 'far-left'. Some of us are moderates appalled by the knee-jerk racism of BNP characters, and some of us are apolitical but implacably opposed to the hatred that animates BNP policies. Some opponents of the BNP are decidedly right-wing (see There's Nothing British About the BNP, for example).

Strange that both Nick Griffin and I were politicised by Bill Fitt.
In different ways of course.