The Equality and Human Rights Commission, the independent watchdog on discrimination, wrote to the BNP today stating that it believes the party is in breach of the Race Relations Act on three counts.
"The legal advice we have received indicates that the British National party's constitution and membership criteria, employment practices and provision of services to constituents and the public may breach discrimination laws which all political parties are legally obliged to uphold," said the commission's legal director, John Wadham.
(Appologies for Guardian link, it was the first story I saw on my google news feed)
Tis interesting this in a few ways. Was just wondering what others make of it (especiall in light of figures released today by the METRO/!!!/ that say 1 in 20 under 35s will probably vote BNP at the general election).
I suspect there will be a very ironic defense if it makes it to court. Last year (or was it the year before? I forget) the European Court of Human Rights ruled that it was LEGAL for a trade union, or other organisation, to expell a member or refuse membership to someone who holds beliefs/is a member of another organisation that holds beliefs that are fundamentally at odds with what the trade union is about.
In the particular case it was to do with the GMB union expelling a member after it became clear that he was also a member of the BNP. The member challenged the decision through the courts/Lords and eventually Europe.
I know it's a slightly different situation (disbarring someone for being racist is clearly different to disbarring someone because /you/ are racist), but it does seem to suggest a very strange and uneven application of equal rights law.
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