There’s a growing backlash against the British National Party’s attempts to hijack the military and the honour of Britain’s Armed Forces in the run up to the 2010 General Election.
Saturday’s The Sun reported our story about the BNP’s attempts to exploit the image of Fusilier Tom James, who has suffered terrible injuries in Afghanistan.
Despite the campaign claiming it is not political, it has been set up by Simon Bennett, the BNP’s web master, and is supported by the BNP’s reactionary Defence spokesman, Peter Mullins.
The News of the World carried a snippet on the failure of the BNP’s ”Bring them Home” campaign saying it has ”gone down badly with troops – where soldiers of diverse ethnic background serve alongside each other like brothers.” It goes on to say:
“… they just want people back home to support them. They are also angry after the racist BNP criticised Grenada-born VC hero Johnson Beharry, who saved the lives of 30 comrades.”
The People also featured a story about Jessica Deans, the fiancé of Liam Elms, a former marine killed on New Years Eve in 2008.
Jessica, a 22-year-old nurse, said: “I find it an outrage that an image of Liam’s coffin on the day of his funeral is being used as propaganda for the BNP’s personal gain.”
And Liam’s father Michael, 51, said: “We haven’t give our permission for them to use any coverage of Liam’s funeral on this video. It’s out of order that the picture has been put in the public domain and for the BNP to use it for political gain is not on. It feels like an easy way for the BNP to get people involved in their party and to make money.”
Griffin and Darby claim they have the support of Britain’s Armed Forces and believe that by cloaking themselves in the honour of our brave soldiers and veterans it will help to de-toxify their brand. However, ever since our Stolen Valour campaign the British electorate have publicly stated they don’t appreciate their Armed Forces being crudely politicised.
Griffin & co should cease and desist.
Maurice Cousins
For more information on the BNP’s attempts to hijack the Armed Forces please read our Stolen Valour report. Also see our information note “Flying the white flag: How the BNP’s policies would make Britain less safe”.
Tags: featured, Stolen Valour, veterans
Another link to Lancaster Unity who I can’t help but think aren’t exactly supportive of our armed forces under normal circumstances.
I haven’t see the video you mention but I would assume that the soldier wasn’t named in the video & it is somebody for their own political ends that has gone to the family & told them, asking a loaded question about what do you think of the image being used in this way?
I would argue that all coffins shown on the news are “political” as it reminds you what this government has done & that will continue with the next government if they don’t resolve the situation.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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As for the News of the screws & Searchlight, they are beneath contempt on a good day, fat lot of use they are to our troops.
Again who is using who for their own political ends?
Well I guess at a push the NOTW can be used as toilet paper if our useless government can’t supply that along with the correct equipment?
Hot debate. What do you think?
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“……….reported our story about the BNP’s attempts to exploit……”
But the link has no BNP signs or names on e-mail image.
A poor attempt at exploitation I think, you are doing a better job in that regard.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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It would be if you attempted to make political capital out of it, which is what your party is attempting to do with the Armed Forces, dead servicemen and veterans.
I’d like to take the opportunity to remind your party’s outburst about the Gurkhas, the repellent comments made about the Beharry VC & the comparison of British Generals to Nazi war criminals.
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Well it can be argued now that a lot of people are using this as a political football including this site.
The present government are the worst for misusing our troops, unless the incoming Conservative government prove to be worse?
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Maurice,
As you say quite rightly, it “would be if” we attempted to make political gain out of it, but there is a royal “we” in there.
I, as an individual am involved in this – not the party. This is something I have chosen to do off my own back after someone asked for my help. I have, and will continue to go to great lengths to ensure that politics plays no role whatsoever in this. Perhaps you would be decent enough to do the same for the sake of the family involved?
As for any other matters that you mentioned, they are not my immediate concern – this matter is. You have got this one wrong, so please do the right thing and let it go. Allow the lad to have his 21st birthday without any negative fuss or hassle.
If you want to politicise the other issues, by all means do so, you are entitled to as someone who opposes the BNP. This one though, you have got horribly wrong. This is genuinely a personal thing, not political.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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What outburst about the Gurkhas Maurice?
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Read our report.
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What about the truth?
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When are you going to fight in these wars you love so much Maurice?
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http://bnp.org.uk/tag/bnp-gurkhas/
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“massive backlash”
Do you even know what the meaning of massive is?
This site, good for a laugh if NOTHING else.
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“Massive backlash”
It is irony, we British are famous for it!
In this case it means a storm in a thimble, as the tea cup was too big.
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@ reguired re: the truth – its in the report.
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Its in the links awaiting moderation that you wont show.
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I see the thumbs up and thumbs down have gone. TOO MANY THUMBS DOWN FOR NB. PATHETIC.
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Its easy to be brave from a safe distance – Aesop
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If this is not a rude question, what happened to the thumbs up or down thing?
Some might think you have pulled it because it was not working in your favour?
Hot debate. What do you think?
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