BNP call for end to immigration from Muslim nations

The British National Party (BNP) are calling for an end to immigration from Muslim nations, saying this presents a "deadly threat" to the UK.

The pledge is contained in the party's election manifesto, launched by party leader Nick Griffin in Stoke.

The BNP also plan to give grants to encourage some UK residents to return to "their lands of ethnic origin".

The BNP recently changed their whites-only membership policy after it was ruled unlawful by the courts.

Their opponents say they are extreme and their policies divisive.
The BNP is targeting Stoke, where they currently have a number of city councillors, and a number of other constituencies as they seek to get their first MP elected to Westminster.

'Full-up'
Although they got two MEPs elected to Brussels in last year's European Parliament elections, they received less than 1% of the national vote in the 2005 UK general election.
The BNP are campaigning on a platform of curbing immigration, only allowing new migrants in "exceptional circumstances" and pledging to deport all illegal immigrants.

Mr Griffin said there was only one new commitment on immigration in the manifesto - which would see all citizenship grants approved since 1997 reviewed to see whether they are still "appropriate".

Mr Griffin said the UK was "full-up" and it was time to "close the doors".

The manifesto states "there should be absolutely no further immigration from any Muslim countries, as it presents one of the most deadly threats yet to the survival of our nation".

The party has previously said Islam is incompatible with modern secular democracy.
Mr Griffin said his party would support "decent settled minorities who accept that Britain should remain British".
But Mr Griffin said the manifesto had a "wholly new emphasis" - accusing the media of being "fixated" with immigration - and was focused on rebuilding the economy and employment.

Among other pledges, the BNP wants to leave the European Union, withdraw British troops from Afghanistan and abolish regional development agencies and other quangos.
It calls for restrictions on imports from China to help protect jobs in British manufacturing and avert "economic disaster".

BBC News

BNP council candidate denies assault charges

A BNP council candidate is due to appear in court days before the May 6 local elections charged with attacking two women at East Croydon train station.
Dave Clarke, who hopes to win a seat in the Heathfield ward, is accused of punching and shoving the two women, who were anti-fascist protesters, after spotting them handing out anti-BNP leaflets.

The 41-year-old is also charged with another two counts of assault in relation to the alleged scuffle.

Clarke, of Dunley Drive, New Addington, has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which relate to the alleged incident on May 27 last year.

He will face trial just eight days before the local elections.

Clarke is one of 13 candidates the party is putting forward in the local elections for Croydon and Sutton.

Clarke's agent Charlotte Lewis told the Advertiser he had pushed leaflets out of the protesters' hands but maintains he did not hit anyone.

She said: "Dave completely denies these allegations and, although as a party we have little confidence in the British justice system, he did not assault these people.

"These types of people [the alleged victims] are against the BNP.

"Dave just introduced himself to them and did throw their leaflets into the street but if anything they pushed him.

"He is adamant that he had nothing to do with this.

"The Crown Prosecution Service is politically motivated and I am sure if it was the other way round there would not be a prosecution."

Prospective parliamentary candidate for Wallington and Carshalton at the general election, Miss Lewis hit the headlines two weeks ago when pictures of her dressed in a burkha and fishneck stockings clutching an alcopop emerged.

She explained that Clarke's reluctance to speak to the Advertiser directly was because of his "shy and retiring nature".

Clarke, whose brother John is also running as a council candidate in Fieldway, denied four counts of assault by beating when he appeared at Croydon Magistrates' Court on April 7.

He will face trial next Wednesday.

This is Croydon Today

BNP v Marmite : Hitler is not Happy

Austria spooked by Nazi past in election

The far-right contender in Austria's presidential election on Sunday has stirred up debate about the country's anti-Nazi legislation, the BBC's Bethany Bell reports.

A brass band in traditional Austrian costume played oompah music in a baroque cobbled square in the town of St Poelten.

A rally for Barbara Rosenkranz, the far-right Austrian Freedom Party (FPOe) candidate for president, was under way.
There was a visible police presence. In the neighbouring square, a counter-demonstration by left-wing protesters was taking place.
Barbara Rosenkranz, a 51-year-old mother of 10, is a controversial figure. She is married to a man who belonged to a banned extreme right-wing party.
And she has criticised parts of Austria's strict anti-Nazi legislation, known as the Verbotsgesetz.

In an interview on Austrian television in 2007 she talked about the Verbotsgesetz, saying "the way lawyers interpret it is wishy-washy, open to abuse and isn't in line with our constitution, which protects freedom of opinion."

No whitewashing of past
Austria was annexed to Nazi Germany in 1938 and was deeply involved in the crimes of the Third Reich. Now it is illegal to deny the Holocaust or to make statements which glorify the Nazi regime.
There is a debate in Austria about whether the anti-Nazi legislation is too strict. But the political analyst Thomas Hofer says Mrs Rosenkranz's motives are questionable.

"There are liberals in Austria who want to do away with those laws because they are obviously going against freedom of speech. But if she comes from a far-right background - and she does come from that background - it is a different story."
Thomas Hofer says Mrs Rosenkranz is trying to appeal to an extreme right-wing minority.
"There are some people in Austria who still think that not everything was bad during the Nazi era, so she tried to secure the small base, in terms of revisionists, for the Freedom Party and thought there wouldn't be a big fuss - but there was."

International image
Mrs Rosenkranz is not expected to win the election on Sunday. Opinion polls say up to 80% of the vote will go to the current president, Heinz Fischer of the Social Democrats (SPOe).
But her nomination as the Freedom Party's presidential candidate has caused outrage among Jewish groups, and politicians from the centre-left and centre-right.
The presidency is a largely ceremonial post but it involves frequent international visits.
Over the past few weeks, Mrs Rosenkranz has denied ever wanting to get rid of the anti-Nazi legislation.

She told Austrian television that she "accepts the law, in the form that it is in".

Many of her supporters at the rally in St Poelten insisted that she does not have extreme right views.
Kathi, a young FPOe worker who said she knew the Rosenkranz family, said Mrs Rosenkranz was "misrepresented by the media".

"She was led into a trap. That's not fair. I think Barbara Rosenkranz is a very good woman."

Maximilian, wearing a bright blue FPOe jacket, said he was a fan. "I think she was misinterpreted. She has ten children and I also have three siblings so I understand her. She is against immigration. She has the right political views."
But many other Austrians disagree. At the counter-demonstration in St Poelten, feelings against her candidacy were running high.
One protester, Martin, said it was "a scandal for Austria" that someone with her background was running for the highest position in the state.
"Austria was part of Nazi Germany and Barbara Rosenkranz is definitely a sign that this country did not learn from its history."
Roman, another protester, said freedom of speech was important, but some lines had to be drawn. "Horrible things happened in that time. If she wants to be president in Austria she shouldn't say such things. Someone like this shouldn't be the representative of our country."

Sensitivities about Austria's past still run deep.

BBC News

Hustings event in Corsham split over BNP

A Question Time-style evening in Corsham will go ahead after an 11th hour agreement following a dispute over the attendance of a BNP candidate.

The hustings for the Chippenham seat will take place tonight from 7pm at Corsham Community Centre, but the session will be split into two halves because of a row over the attendance of BNP candidate Michael Simpkins.
Conservative candidate Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones and Labour candidate Greg Lovell had both refused to share a stage with Mr Simpkins.
Lib Dem candidate Duncan Hames said he would have to deal with the fact the BNP were there as they had been invited by the event organisers.
Kevin Gaskin, administrator for event organisers Corsham Community Area Network (CCAN), said: “The first half will be for everyone, excluding the BNP. In the second half, the BNP will be invited to take their place on the stage and this means that candidates who want to stay can. I am happy with the outcome because we have an opportunity to hear from all of the candidates.”

The meeting will be led by Corsham Town Council chairman Allan Bosley and organisers are asking for residents to submit questions in advance by email to kevingaskin ccan@hotmail.co.uk.

It will be followed by a further hustings in Melksham at George Ward School on Sunday. The event, chaired by Brigadier Dougie Rowlinson, sees all candidates invited, but those who wish to decline may do so.
Wiltshire Times

BNP three use 'troops out' name in three Welsh seats

Three British National Party (BNP) candidates in Wales will not be using the party's name on ballot papers at the general election, it has emerged.

Instead BNP candidates in Swansea East, Swansea West and Gower will appear as "Support Our Troops Bring Them Home".
The BNP said they had not intended just to use that name, but Swansea council said it was the party's decision.
The Electoral Commission said candidates can use a different name under the regulations.

It confirmed the move was legal, as the alternative name is a properly registered description for the BNP.
Voters will be able to tell that the three are official BNP candidates only from the party logo on the ballot paper.

Misled
A spokesperson for the commission said: "Our advice to voters is always to scrutinise the ballot paper very carefully."
A BNP spokesperson confirmed all three candidates are standing for the party, and not as a splinter group.

The spokesperson said a Swansea council official misled them when they filled in the candidate forms, which was why he said the three candidates were registered under the "Support Our Troops Bring Them Home" name.
He also said the forms used by the council were more complicated than those used by most other UK local authorities.
In response, the council said: "It was the BNP representative's decision to take [to put Support Our Troops Bring Them Home on the ballot paper] and he was in no way misled by Swansea council."

The council also said nomination papers filled out by the BNP were in a standard form produced for use across the UK.
"There is no material difference between the form used by the BNP and one produced by the Electoral Commission," it added.

BBC News

Race attack rail passenger from Hertfordshire jailed

A rail passenger has been jailed for five months for racially abusing a ticket inspector in Hertfordshire.

Charles Law, 50, of Stratfield Road, Borehamwood, was found guilty last month of racially-aggravated assault at Elstree and Borehamwood station.
Judge Stephen Warner, at St Albans Crown Court, said Law's behaviour was "unwarranted and unacceptable".
He jailed him for three months and a further two months for being in breach of a previous conditional discharge.
The court that found him guilty of the offence committed at the station on 29 July 2009, heard that Law had stabbed and killed his brother in 2002.
During the trial, Zimbabwe-born Hilton Materke said: "He went into a tirade of abuse at me. He said, 'You are a black man and shouldn't ask a white man for a ticket'."

BBC News

JEWISH ORGANISATIONS TEAM UP TO FIGHT POLITICAL RACISM (uk)

More than 50 religious organisations have lent their support to a pledge which asks UK citizens to use their votes to help fight racism and discrimination in politics. Although the pledge does not specifically name the British National Party as the target, it urges voters to be “aware of the political forces who would seek to divide our country by promoting ideology of racism and prejudice.” The initiative, organised by the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Council for Racial Equality and the Three Faiths Forum, has signed up 56 organisations to the pledge. It states: “We are immensely proud of the fundamentally British characteristics of equality, respect and fairness and of British society’s uncompromising rejection of the demonisation of any group, whether religious, ethnic or otherwise. “We therefore urge every British citizen to use their vote to support any party of their choice which stands opposed to the destructive politics of hatred, to vote for freedom not fear, partnerships not prejudice, and hope not hate. “We are united in our opposition to the politics of hate. “

The pledge has been signed by the United Synagogue, Liberal Judaism, Masorti Synagogues and the Chief Rabbi. It was also backed by Jewish welfare organisations including the CST, the Holocaust Educational Trust and Jewish Care.
The full list of signatories

Aliph Aleph UK, Assembly of Masorti Synagogues, Board of Deputies of British Jews, British ORT, Christian Muslim Forum, Church of England, Churches Together in England, City Circle, City Hindus Network, City Sikhs Network, Coexistence Trust, Community Security Trust, Resource - The Jewish Employment Advice Centre, Faith Matters, Federation of Poles of Great Britain, Federation of Student Islamic Societies, Federation of Synagogues, Friends, Families and Travellers, Hindu Academy, Holocaust Educational Trust, Hope Not Hate, Institute of Jainology, Jain Samaj Europe, JAMI, Jewish Action & Training, Jewish Council for Racial Equality, Jewish Blind and Disabled, Jewish Care, Jewish Community Housing , Jewish Leadership Council, Jewish Lads and Girls Brigade, Joseph Interfaith Foundation, Kick It Out, League of Jewish Women, Leo Baeck College, Liberal Judaism, London Jewish Forum, Maccabi, Methodist Church, Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, Movement for Reform Judaism, Muslim Council of Britain, Muslim Safety Forum, Office of Chief Rabbi, Operation Black Vote, Sikh Human Rights Group, Sikhs in England, Spanish & Portuguese Jews' Congregation , St Ethelburga’s Centre for Peace & Reconciliation, Three Faiths Forum, UJIA, Union of Jewish Students, United Synagogue, World Jewish Relief, Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe
 
The Jewish Chronicle

RACISM'S SAD STAYING POWER (Canada)

Most Canadians reckon racial segregation -- at least when it comes to non-aboriginals -- is the stuff of sordid American and South African history, far removed from the relatively enlightened experience of this country. After all, this is the land of the Underground Railway and Alberta's storied black cowboy hero John Ware. In fact, although Canada certainly didn't enforce apartheid or fight a civil war over states' rights and slavery, we too have our skeletons of an institutional nature when it comes to historic racial prejudice. Last week, on the advice of Nova Scotia's NDP government, the province's Lieutenant-Governor Mayann Francis, who happens to be black, finally officially apologized for the 1946 arrest and conviction of Viola Desmond. Desmond, a Haligonian by birth, had the temerity to sit in a seat in the whites-only main floor of the Roseland Theatre of New Glasgow. That sent the Halifax beauty school owner to jail, exacted a subsequent fine and spawned repeated failures in overturning the decision by higher courts. Eventually, Desmond settled in Montreal and ended her days at 51 in New York City. Sad to say, a contemporary reenactment of unbridled prejudice and harassment seems to be forcing another Nova Scotia family into self-imposed exile. When a Ku Klux Klan-style cross and noose was burned on the lawn of their Poplar Grove, N.S., home in February amid shouted racial epithets, Shayne Howe and Michelle Lyon were touched by a wave of support from neighbours and other well-wishers throughout the province. Two men who have a great-grandparent in common with Lyon, who is white, have been charged. But then last weekend, the bi-racial couple was shocked when a family car was torched, which has left them contemplating a move elsewhere. Not surprisingly, they have expressed anxiety about bringing their five kids up in such an environment. Although Hanks County has been described by some black Nova Scotians as the "Mississippi of the North," it is also the home turf of Liberal MP Scott Brison, proudly gay and the embodiment of social liberalism. It's unreasonable to paint the area as a particular hotbed of hate. On the other hand, surely these crimes against the good name of the province and region must force a degree of community soul-searching, as it would if the incidents happened in rural Alberta, Quebec or Yukon. The hope is that the perpetrators of these offensive acts will be brought to swift justice, and the decent folk of Nova Scotia will convince their wronged neighbours to make a stand in their home place. The agents of intolerance should never be encouraged -- but then, that's easier proclaimed by those of us who have never felt the sting of violent prejudice, so anathema to the Canadian spirit.


Edmonton Journal

BNP to launch election manifesto (UK)

The British National Party is to launch its General Election manifesto - a week after its leader promised the document would "surprise" voters.

BNP leader Nick Griffin and deputy leader Simon Darby are expected to speak at the event, which is being held at an as-yet undisclosed location in Stoke-on-Trent.

Although the BNP informed Staffordshire Police of the venue for the St George's Day launch, the party declined to reveal the site to the media for security reasons.
A BNP spokesman said the decision not to divulge the venue until shortly before the launch had been taken to preserve the safety of members of the media and others present at the event.

Mr Griffin, who is standing for election in Barking, east London, is among more than 330 BNP candidates contesting the May 6 poll.
Speaking last week, Mr Griffin said of the manifesto launch: "I can promise the public many surprises in the document."
The BNP leader warned earlier this week that Britain would face economic "disaster" unless British jobs were protected from foreign competition.

He said import restrictions should be imposed so that British workers could make goods which would otherwise come flooding in from countries such as China.

A spokesman for Staffordshire Police confirmed that the force had been notified of the launch event.

A small number of local neighbourhood officers would be on duty to facilitate lawful electioneering, the spokesman said.

Bury Times

BNP stop St Georges Day Celebration

Folk Against Fascism are saying that at Georges Day celebration in Barrack Tavern, Penistone Road,  Hillsborough has had to be cancelled.

Due to threats from the BNP.

So much for the BNP claiming they want to celebrate being British.

Folk Against Fascism

BNP fights back in Marmite row

The British National Party and the owners of Marmite have become embroiled in an acrimonious row, with threats of legal action and official complaints.

Unilever said it was "initiating injunction proceedings" after the BNP featured a Marmite jar in an online version of its General Election broadcast without permission.

But the BNP said the logo had been used in retaliation to Marmite adverts featuring the spoof "Hate Party" - which the BNP claims is "clearly based" on them - and it was complaining about Unilever to the police, Electoral Commission, Independent Television Authority and Advertising Standards Authority.

The battle erupted after a preview of the BNP's broadcast on the party's website featured a Marmite jar in the top left-hand corner of the screen whenever party leader Nick Griffin was addressing viewers. It was still publicly available on Thursday morning but was later removed - though it remains on the video-sharing website YouTube.
Unilever issued a statement saying: "It has been brought to our attention that the British National Party has included a Marmite jar in a political broadcast shown currently online.

"We want to make it absolutely clear that Marmite did not give the BNP permission to use a pack shot of our product in their broadcast. Neither Marmite nor any other Unilever brand are aligned to any political party.
"We are currently initiating injunction proceedings against the BNP to remove the Marmite jar from the online broadcast and prevent them from using it in future."

A series of Twitter messages from Mr Griffin, who is an MEP and standing for election in Barking, east London, were posted on the BNP website about the row.

"Unilever PR men and lawyers all over us like a rash," he said. "Very upset at our using Marmite in our TV broadcast. They should have thought of that before modelling the one for their Hate Party on us."

An article later appeared on the BNP website claiming that a "joker" had amended the broadcast to include the Marmite jar. "The official broadcast contains no mention or images of Marmite at all," Mr Griffin said.

The Guardian

The EMMA Trust group fights the BNP with some great videos.

The EMMA Trust a Multicultural Group that promotes diversity has released three videos warning of the danger of voting for the BNP.
And they have also tailored their great web site to this current campaign.

These videos are extremely well made with a simple and power full image, they should be watched and shared.

Please support the EMMA Trust group in their actions.

EMMA Trust Website. http://www.emmatrust.com/

You Tbe Channel The EMMA Trust











They have also issued a number very affective posters for this campaign.

Marmite Issues Legal Action Against BNP

Marmite is launching legal action against the British National Party after an image of the spread was used in a political broadcast without the company's permission.
The famous jar appeared in the top left hand corner of the screen while party leader Nick Griffin was addressing viewers in an election broadcast on the web.

The 4.48 minute video then ends with an image of the spread alongside the words "love Britain, vote BNP".

Marmite's advertising is based around the slogan "love it or hate it" - an idea the BNP appears to have been trying to adopt.
A spokesman for Marmite told Sky News Online: "It has been brought to our attention that the British National Party has included a Marmite jar in a political broadcast shown currently online.

"We want to make it absolutely clear that Marmite did not give the BNP permission to use a pack shot of our product in their broadcast.
"Neither Marmite nor any other Unilever brand are aligned to any political party.
"We are currently initiating injunction proceedings against the BNP to remove the Marmite jar from the online broadcast and prevent them from using it in future."

The broadcast - which is still available on the internet - begins with an air-raid siren followed by Mr Griffin telling viewers he will not "flatter and deceive, to promise everything to everyone".

Instead he says he will "tell the truth about the terrible state of our country".

Ironically, Marmite is currently using a fake election broadcast to advertise its product.

The advert - which appears to poke fun at the BNP - features an "election broadcast by The Hate Party".
A spokeswoman for Marmite - which is owned by multinational company Unilever - refused to comment on the advert when contacted by Sky.
Mr Griffin mentions the Marmite advert in a blog post on March 31.

He wrote: "Not being fond of Marmite at all I find it strange this morning that this sticky by-product of the brewing industry should be playing an integral part of my breakfast.
"However such is the case as a couple of early morning calls alert me to the striking similarity between the BNP's 2009 election broadcast and the latest advertising campaign by the purveyors of the brown stuff.

"If you examine this video and the screenshot below from the original you will see exactly what I mean.

"I must say as an exercise in subliminal marketing, just a few weeks before an election, I love it."
Sky News

Police implement new initiative to tackle hate crime (UK)

Police in Brighton and Hove have launched their annual operation to tackle hate crime against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans community over the summer.

The city's gay community is thought to include about 35,000 people, with that number increasing during the warmer months as tourists flock to the coast. Some of these arew often the target of serious phobic offences, such as theft or assault.
Sussex Police decided to address this some years ago by creating Operation Reagan, which has been so successful that it has been copied by other police forces across the country. It compliments their year round work with patrolling in locations such as Kemp Town and measures to bring offenders to justice. It runs alongside an operation to prevent foreign students being targeted by similar groups of offenders.

Police figures show an encouraging tend since it was first introduced with an 8% drop in the number of incidents reported, from 251 in April 2008 - March 2009 to 230 in the past 12 months.

Nick Antjoule, Brighton and Hove police LGBT liaison officer said: "Summer is when the city comes to life for many residents. Our aim is to create an environment where people can enjoy being out in Brighton without living in fear.
"Operation Reagan was first set up to deal with incidents in a small area but now encompasses the whole city. Over the years its been a vital tool in preventing offenders from targeting vulnerable people. We can do this most effectively with the support of the public. Every report is important and helps us work with the community to keep the city safe."

Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard have also launched an independent hate crime information, support and reporting service on 01273 204050. Their trained call takers give a listening ear, explore the different options, and can pass reports to the police on your behalf, either with your details or anonymously. They are separate from the police and do not give the police information unless the caller wants them to.

You can talk to the police directly to tell them about something you saw or experienced on 0845 60 70 999, or in an emergency 999. For advice and support you can also contact Nick Antjoule on 07799 347114 or email 'LGBT@sussex.pnn.police.uk'.

Belgium to vote on face veil ban

Belgian lawmakers are set to vote on a proposed ban on wearing face-covering veils in public, a day after neighbouring France proposed enacting similar legislation.

The scheduled vote on Thursday in Brussels comes after the federal parliament's home affairs committee voted unanimously on March 31 to endorse a nationwide ban on clothing that does not allow the wearer to be fully identified.
The ban would include the full-face niqab and the burqa, a shapeless full-body cloak that covers the face with a fabric grille.
Those who ignore the ban could face a fine of up to $34 and/or a jail sentence of up to seven days.

Belgium's governing parties and opposition both appear to agree on the ban, and the full house is expected to easily endorse the draft law.
If enacted, the bill would make Belgium the first European country to ban the garments.

'Respect the law'
Xavier Baselen, a member of Belgium's Reformist Movement party, which drafted the law, said the ban is needed for reasons of public order.
"It's true that when you live in a country you have to accept the laws of that country," he told Al Jazeera.
"In Belgium we decided [that] to be visible in the street is [a] real important law at a public order point of view.

"So people who come to live here have to respect the law the way we have to respect the law in other countries."
But Salma, a 22-year-old in Belgium, told Al Jazeera that she fears being targeted for wearing the niqab and is often harassed on the streets for it. However, she said she will not remove it.

"If you forbid the niqab, you deprive that person of their right of expressing themselves," she said.

"I will continue to wear my niqab. I will remove it if a representative of the law will ask me to identify myself, but will put it back on straight away."

French proposal
The move is to come a day after Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, announced moves to enact a full ban on the face-covering veil in public as well.
Sarkozy told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday that the veil "hurts the dignity of women and is not acceptable in French society", Luc Chatel, a French government spokesman, said.

Chatel said the bill banning the veil from all public spaces would be presented to ministers in May.

"We're legislating for the future. Wearing a full veil is a sign of a community closing in on itself and a rejection of our values," he said.

Criticism and praise
The French proposal has attracted both fierce criticism and praise in the home of the largest Muslim community in the 27-member European Union.

Almost 10 per cent of France's 62 million population is Muslim.
Many feminists from France's poor, multi-ethnic suburbs have spoken out in support of a ban, saying it could help young women who did not want to wear the veil but were forced to do so by their partners or families.

Others, however, see the ban as part of a rising hostility against Islam and its symbols, and argue that many Muslim women actually want to cover up.
The debate has spread as far as Afghanistan, where some women's rights activists expressed outrage at the French proposal, saying they disliked the burqa but women should be free to wear whatever they wanted.
The vast majority of Muslim women, in France and elsewhere, do not wear a full veil, but the niqab, as it is known, which covers the face apart from the eyes, is widely worn on the Arabian peninsular and in the Gulf states.

The burqa is worn in some areas of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan.
aljazeera

NATIONALIST VICTORY THREATENS CYPRUS PEACE PROCESS

A right-wing nationalist appears to have won the presidential election in northern Cyprus, potentially threatening hopes for reunification of the divided island. Dervis Eroglu, the 72-year-old leader of the conservative National Unity Party, has won 50.38 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results posted on the website of the Turkish Cypriot High Electoral Board, beating left-wing incumbent Mehmet Ali Talat of the social-democratic Republican Turkish Party with 42.85 percent. If the results are confirmed by the country's electoral commission, Mr Ergolu, currently the prime minister of Turkish-controlled Cyprus, which is recognised as a country by Turkey only, would avoid a run-off vote. While Mr Talat has been a strong supporter of the renewed peace process and ultimately of the reunification of Cyprus, Mr Eroglu wants to see separate Greek and Turkish Cypriot states. "No-one must think that I will walk away from the negotiating table. The talks process will continue," he told NTV, a Turkish broadcaster, however. "I will work with goodwill for a solution that takes my community's rights into account." Analysts say his victory is due to frustration with the peace process among northern Cypriots. Mr Talat has repeatedly met with his Greek Cypriot counterpart, Demetris Christofias, of the far-left Akel party since talks restarted in 2008. But the deadlock remains despite their ideological proximity. Northerners are especially annoyed by Greek Cyprus' blockade of its access to EU markets. During campaigning Mr Eroglu talked of "equal, sovereign peoples" in a reference to two separate states. He also rejects a solution that would permit Greek Cypriots to reclaim their property in the north. The island has been divided since Turkey's invasion in 1974 in response to a Greek-inspired coup in Nicosia aimed at uniting the island with Greece. Reunification talks resumed in September 2008 with strong support from Ankara, which faces problems with its EU entry bid because of the situation. In 2006 the EU blocked eight negotiating areas from further discussion due to Turkey's failure to meet commitments regarding Cyprus, notably its refusal to allow Cypriot ships and planes into Turkish territory. For its part, Turkey maintains that Europe has not fulfilled its own promises regarding expanded links with Northern Cyprus, after Turkish Cypriots voted in favour of the UN peace plan for re-unification of the island in 2004, just before Cyprus joined the EU. Greek Cypriots living on the southern part of the island voted down the proposal, which resulted in the island entering the union in its divided form. The EU considers the whole of the island to be part of the bloc. However, in the northern part of the island, EU legislation is suspended.

euobserver

Conservative party to send gay MP to quell EU extremists

David Cameron is to dispatch the most senior gay member of his frontbench team to Poland to encourage the Tories' rightwing allies in the European parliament to abandon their homophobic views. In a move designed to defuse criticism in tonight's leaders' television debate that the Tories have allied themselves with extremists in the EU, Cameron has revealed that the shadow environment secretary, Nick Herbert, will attend a gay rights march in Warsaw in July.
Cameron told the Guardian that Herbert's trip to Poland is designed to persuade the highly conservative Law and Justice party to embark on a "journey" to moderate its views on sexuality.
The party was founded by the late Polish president Lech Kaczynski, who died earlier this month in a plane crash in western Russia. Kaczynski banned gay rights marches in Warsaw when he was the city's mayor.

Nick Clegg, who supported British membership of the euro, and Gordon Brown are expected to use the second TV debate tomorrow night to embarrass the Tories by highlighting the party's links with hard-right groups in the European parliament.
Last week's broadcast electrified the election campaign and Clegg will be hoping to maintain the momentum that it gave the Lib Dems. He goes into tonight's debate with his party in second place, up one point, on 27% in a ComRes poll for ITV/the Independent. The Tories are unchanged in first place on 35%, while Labour trails in third place, down one point on 25%.
Amid nerves among cabinet ministers that Labour is heading for a defeat along the lines of its performance in the 1983 election under Michael Foot, the foreign secretary, David Miliband, today accuses Cameron of adopting an "isolated and weak" position on Europe after abandoning the main centre-right grouping in Strasbourg to sit in the new European Conservatives and Reformists group.

This includes the Czech ODS party, whose founder, Vaclav Klaus, has questioned global warming, and Roberts Zile, of Latvia's Fatherland and Freedom party, some of whose members attend a ceremony to commemorate members of the Latvian legion of the Waffen-SS.
Cameron says the Tories have responded to these concerns by asking Herbert to travel to Poland. He said: "We would not join with parties that had unacceptable views. But we do recognise that, particularly in central and eastern Europe, there are parties that have still got some way to go on the journey of recognising full rights for gay people. We are helping them make that journey."
Cameron added that Labour and the Lib Dems were in no position to lecture the Tories about their new group. "I would say there are partners of the Liberal Democrats who refer to homosexuality as a plague. How many times have you read that in the Guardian? There are partners of Labour that were collaborators with the communist regime in Poland that locked people up and was responsible for appalling human rights abuses.
"Our point is that it is good to have a new group that is against a federal Europe, that wants free trade, co-operation and progress in Europe. And yes, some countries, particularly some of the Catholic countries, do have very conservative social views. They are on a journey in respect of that and it is a journey we can help them with."
But Miliband will warn that Cameron's stance on Europe shows he is incapable of leading change. "Since they have failed to change themselves they have little hope of changing the country, or reforming Europe," he will say in a speech in Bristol. "The Tories are frightened of Europe which makes them isolated and therefore weak in Europe. They want to retreat and defend, not engage and lead. They have outlined a policy plan based on isolation, confrontation and weakness."
The foreign secretary will claim that Labour resolved its bout of Europhobia – which had led the party to stand on a platform to withdraw from the then EEC in 1983 – in the late 1980s.

"We took on the disease, rooted it out, and became a strong, modern party as a result. This has resulted in this Labour government delivering higher living standards, better working conditions and a stronger political voice in the world for the British people. The contrast with the Tory party is stark. Their party is unreformed on Europe - 72% of candidates want a fundamental renegotiation or withdrawal 'as a priority'. There's now a Conservative central office clampdown on their candidates, banning them from publicly declaring their real politics on Europe. Their leadership is afraid of their membership."

Miliband will argue that UK economic recovery would have been impossible without the support of the EU.

Cameron hopes to counter such arguments with the disclosure of Herbert's trip to Poland. Herbert, who became the most senior gay Tory when Alan Duncan was demoted from the shadow cabinet after he spoke out about the expenses scandal, made what Cameron described as a "very powerful speech" to the libertarian Cato Institute in Washington in February.

Herbert argued gay rights are completely compatible with Conservatism as he spoke of how the Tories made themselves irrelevant by failing to embrace social change.

The Guardian

FAR-RIGHT PARTY ELECTION LEADERS CHARGED FOR THEIR SPEECHES (Czech Rep.)

A Czech state attorney has charged four election leaders of the far-right Workers' Party of Social Justice (DSSS), including Tomas Vandas, for their public statements made at a May Day rally in Brno in 2009, the DSSS told CTK Monday. Vandas was the chairman of the Workers' Party (DS) that was dissolved by a court verdict in February. The court concluded that the party spreads fears of foreigners and creates feelings of danger and its programme contains xenophobia, chauvinism and homophobia and has a racist subtext. When the DS lost the court dispute it announced that it will run in the May elections under the name Workers' Party of Social Justice, an allied and previously dormant entity. "It is sad and tragic that representatives of an opposition political party must be tried in court for their public addresses," Vandas said in reaction. Apart from Vandas, DS deputy chairmen Jiri Stepanek and Petr Kotab, and Martin Zbela, the editor-in-chief of a paper issued by the party, were convicted. The far-right leaders were charged with instigation to hatred towards a group of persons, limiting their rights and freedoms and promotion of neo-Nazism. They face up to five years in prison, if found guilty. On May Day 2009, Vandas allegedly warned against immigrants, Stepanek and Kotab criticised drug crimes of the Vietnamese community and the work of then human rights and minorities minister Michael Kocab, and Zbela condemned alleged political trials in the country, the DSSS said in a written statement.

Prague Monitor

Keep racism out of the election (UK)

As members of the Black Asian Jewish Forum, we hope that politicians have taken on board your report (Immigration is not fuel for BNP support – study, 19 April) on the findings of the Institute for Public Policy Research that immigration does not fuel BNP support, as the perpetuation of myths and misconceptions about immigration and race issues can be toxic. But they should do more.

In past election campaigns, attempts have been made to reach agreement among the competing parties to avoid racist language. The need is even greater this time. Racist organisations seek to exploit people's insecurities at a time of financial crisis and global recession. Some sections of the media are unrestrained in their anti-immigrant and anti-asylum-seeker rhetoric and are drifting towards the normalisation of racist discourse. Islamophobia and antisemitism have also intensified. These are developments which should have no place in our society.

Inciting racial hatred was made a criminal offence in 1965, but the law is a blunt means of curbing the insidious demonisation of our ethnic and religious minorities. Those who would like to promote racist policies towards asylum seekers, for example, have learned to disguise their views in emollient and euphemistic words. Their growing influence has driven increasing numbers of people into the arms of extremist organisations.

This election will be hard fought and the temptation will be great to make concessions to placate supposed racist voters. The three main political parties all oppose racism, but that is not enough. Before it is too late they should declare publicly that racism has no place in our politics in any shape or form, the demonisation of black and minority ethnic communities, immigrants and asylum seekers will not be tolerated, and tackling racial inequality is a key priority for any government.

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown

Rob Berkeley Director, Runnymede Trust

Sir Geoffrey Bindman

Lincoln Crawford

Dr Edie Friedman Director, Jewish Council for Racial Equality

Dr. Mohamed Hamdi

June Jacobs

Professor Francesca Klug

Rashid Laher

Patrice Lawrence

Antony Lerman

Tanuka Loha

Momotaz Rahim Housing & communities advisory officer

Dr. Imam Sajid Brighton Islamic Mission

Dr. Richard Stone

Simon Woolley Director, Operation Black Vote

• The IPPR highlights political and economic exclusion, including low skill levels, poor cohesion and low voter turnout as key risk factors in leading to the rise of the far right. Newham is the most diverse local authority in Europe and has long been an area of high migration. Despite this, 86% of our residents say that people from different backgrounds get along well. The key is building cohesion by delivering fair services. For example, housing allocation in Newham is strictly on a "first come, first served" basis. Responding to communities' concerns and managing the impacts of migration is critical – but we must not become fixated on immigration as an issue. We must focus on strengthening our communities, building their resilience and combating exclusion.

Joe Duckworth
Chief executive, Newham council

The Guardian