BNP launches manifesto
Friday, 23 April 2010 12:00 AM
By Marina Kim
Protests were planned as the British National party launched its manifesto in Stoke today.
The party which has 330 candidates and is seeking its first MP, has "bringing our boys home" as one of the key pledges of their 90-pages manifesto.
"The BNP will end the involvement of British troops in the Afghanistan war," the document said.
To solve the problem of "overcrowding" in the UK, party leader Nick Griffin suggested outlawing further immigration from any Muslim country, calling it "one of the most deadly threats to the survival of our nation."
The BNP also called for the deportation of all radical Islamist preachers as well as those who object to these "reasonable security measures." Other promises included banning the burka and the building of mosques in Britain.
Nick Griffin said he welcomes "decent ethnic minorities" since the party was forced to change its whites-only policy. At the same time, the party wants to review all the citizenships granted from 1997 and make people "earn them".
The BNP insisted they have ideas on issues other than immigration. The party said they could save £85 billion as opposed to £10 billion of Tory savings.
The manifesto pledges for renationalising "the welfare state", restriction of import from China, and an immediate withdrawal from the European Union.
Opponents called the party extreme and their policies divisive. David Cameron also spoke against the BNP exploiting St.George's Day.
At the same time, former members of the armed forces took part in an anti-BNP demonstration in Stoke today.
Organisers of Nothing British About the BNP have recruited ex-military to join their protest rally to prove that the army does not support the far-right party.
"They insist on using the images of British soldiers in their literature and leaflets. Veterans of the World War II are particularly keen to expose the BNP," said Maurice Cousins, a spokesman for the protest group.
Nothing British About the BNP is concerned over what it says is the far-right party's attempt to exploit traditional British values for its own ends.
"They are cynically exploiting the reputation of Britain's military to promote their nasty brand of racism, segregation and intolerance.
"The views of the British armed forces are not compatible with the British National party. The person who has recently been awarded the Victoria Cross is black. The Ghurkhas are fighting together with us and it is a disgrace that the BNP fails to admit that." said Mr.Cousins.
But he believes BNP should be allowed to participate in elections' hustings.
He said: "I do not support banning them from speaking. They need to speak and be exposed."
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