BNP leader Nick Griffin was once more shown up for the coward he is by the BBC last night, reports Left Foot Forward’s Shamik Das.
BNP leader Nick Griffin was once more shown up for the coward he is by the BBC last night.
Having arranged in advance to be interviewed by the BBC Panorama investigation into fraud and financial mismanagement at the BNP, he read out a statement, was cheered on by an audience, snuck out the building and then had his jackbooted bully boys eject the BBC team.
The main claims made in last night’s programme are:
• The BNP has submitted fraudulent accounts to its auditors and the Electoral Commission;
• The BNP has used European Union money to fund its party organisation;
• Nick Griffin has hidden large donors from the electoral commission and had a slush fund that the party treasurer has no access to;
• BNP officials allegedly held a party worker against her wishes in a locked van after she refused to comply with their instructions; and
• The BNP lied to the Electoral Commission to justify why it had submitted late returns.
Anti-fascist group Hope Not Hate have launched a petition calling on the Electoral Commission to fully investigate the claims, saying:
“We believe that these claims deserve serious investigation by the Electoral Commission. Please join us by writing to Peter Wardle, chief executive of the Electoral Commission.”
Thus far, nearly 3,000 people have contacted the commission asking for a full investigation.
These allegations should come as little surprise to regular readers; in March last year, we reported on the BNP European Parliament expenses swindle – in which Griffin and Andrew Brons failed to fully disclose their £500,000 expenses – while last January, we revealed the BNP were under investigation by the commission for failing to give a “true and fair” view of their financial circumstances.
As Darragh MacIntyre concluded on last night’s programme, with bailiffs calling at Griffin’s home:
“Will money, rather than racism, spell the end for Nick Griffin’s British National Party?”
See also:
• BNP’s Oldham candidate shows the party’s as racist as ever – Chris Tarquini, January 5th 2011
• BNP bloggers whip up anti-Muslim sentiment – Rosanna Singler, November 22nd 2010
• BNP candidate charged with assault as Griffin faces oblivion – Shamik Das, May 14th 2010
• “Real voters” on BNP leaflets are all candidates – Shamik Das, April 29th 2010
• BBC deny Griffin’s “lynch mob” stitch-up claims – Shamik Das, October 23rd 2009
12 Responses to “Griffin runs for the hills when confronted with fraud allegations”
Matt Barker
Important news about cowardly Nick Griffin: http://t.co/gANh2YrO #bnp #griffin #fb
marmite
VIDEO: Nick Griffin runs for the hills when confronted with fraud allegations http://t.co/KI1sdfPo #Panorama #BNP via @leftfootfwd
NORBET
RT @leftfootfwd: Griffin runs for the hills when confronted with fraud allegations http://t.co/Gw62dsu7
Shamik Das
The rogues gallery of fraudulent fascists, named and shamed: http://t.co/LAMPrwhR via @HopeNotHate – See also: http://t.co/iftuIKuR
Rob Slater
I watched the programme and thought the “sting” arranged by the BNP was utterly pathetic. The people that appeared in it, and have clearly had their faces shown on national TV, came across as being pathetic and child-like in their ludicrous behaviour.
As for Nick Griffin – the man is an utter utter coward.
I can understand why the BNP have done so well. It’s because the main stream parties are incapable of holding a sensible debate on the issue of immigration. The BNP clearly feel that they stand up for those disaffected by this.
For the BNP – the behaviour shown on the Panorama programme would have been highly damaging. As for the allegations, well… I suspect that the party is highly unlikely to exist by the next General Election and Nick Griffin looks set for a spell at Her Majesty’s Pleasure.