We are baffled by a report concerning links between the Royal British Legion and the BNP.

A RBL spokesman talking to the Huddersfield Examiner confirms that Britain’s leading veteran’s organisation is taking a donation from a BNP suppporter from Skelmanthorpe who is spending 24 hours in a box to raise money for her two favourite causes: the BNP and the RBL. (NB haven’t been able to reach the RBL to confirm/deny yet, but the newspaper quotes seem pretty definitive).

We all support honest efforts to raise money for a worthy cause like the RBL, particularly in these economically straightened times.

But don’t charities realise that the BNP and its supporters cynically use this sort of device to bring respectability to their nasty brand of racist and extreme politics? A BNP donation to a Rochdale bird sanctuary, heavily exploited by the BNP spin machine, was a recent case in point. The BNP website has already started pushing the BNP-woman-in-a-box-RBL-donation story (see picture below from the BNP website). Expect more coverage.

And charities like the RBL must realise that the BNP work very hard to create links with Britain’s Armed Services, veterans and the memory of fallen heroes, a campaign strategy that works very effectively for them.  

 I am reminded of “Winter Aid” (Winterhilfswerk) which was the Nazi Party’s charity (1933-1945). Each year the Hitler Youth solicited donations to help the needy. The text on the poster below translates as: “No one shall go hungry! No one shall be cold!” The propaganda advantage was enormous.

Nothing British strongly recommends someone at the British Legion reminds themselves of the BNP’s constitution - particularly its whites-only membership policy, commitment to the repatriation of non-whites and its neo-fascist social/economic policies - and sends the cheque back.

The same advice goes to any other charity thinking of taking the BNP’s money.

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