BNP cllr resigns

[Harold Hill]

I forgot to mention the 'why bring the IWCA into a thread they've not been mentioned on' Lletsa. If the IWCA are so clueless you wonder why he feels the need to make mention of a party that is much smaller and never likely to be fighting for the same constituents.

 

[Charlie Drake]

Sorry, been away from the screen for 24 hours, due to earning a living.

Mutley, If a council workforce was all white, I'd assume it was because they'd chosen people on their ability to do the job. If a council workforce was all black, I'd assume they were chosen on their ability to do the job.

If it was proven at any time that the council employed workers on their ethnic origin alone I'd oppose it.

I've fancied going for jobs in the paper several times, only to read the small print...and been totally disgusted in the process.

Positive discrimination fosters resentment and division in my book.

When I hypothesised about my ideal party I wasn't thinking about the IWCA in particular but their stance on multiculturalism is spot on in my book.

I'm glad this woman's resigned, anyway. Are RESPECT going to stand in the by-election?

 

[William of Walworth]

The link in post one does not (currently) say she's resigned -- in fact the reverse if anything. Is there a more up to date link confirming that she has?

 

[mutley]

Sorry, been away from the screen for 24 hours, due to earning a living.

Mutley, If a council workforce was all white, I'd assume it was because they'd chosen people on their ability to do the job. If a council workforce was all black, I'd assume they were chosen on their ability to do the job.

If it was proven at any time that the council employed workers on their ethnic origin alone I'd oppose it.

I've fancied going for jobs in the paper several times, only to read the small print...and been totally disgusted in the process.

Positive discrimination fosters resentment and division in my book.

When I hypothesised about my ideal party I wasn't thinking about the IWCA in particular but their stance on multiculturalism is spot on in my book.

I'm glad this woman's resigned, anyway. Are RESPECT going to stand in the by-election?

I've no idea what your background is but the highlighted statement is truly astounding in its naivety. So racism in the education system, in job selection procedures, none of it exists?

Whatever ur line on positive discrimination (which can foster backward ideas, even when the case for it is solid) racism in the jobs market is clearly there.

No idea if Respect will stand in the by-election. We're still extremely focussed in our approach to elections. It's an approach that's got us reaults, and it'll carry on for now.

 

[Charlie Drake]

Not saying racism doesn't exist, in fact a lot of it is anti-white, no? But what's the non-white population in the UK? It's not that much is it?

Would you go along to Devon County Council and say that institutional racism was rampant in the refuse collection dept, because there were no black employees?
Edit: Oh go on, please stand in Bradford - you'll walk it.

 

[mutley]

Not saying racism doesn't exist, in fact a lot of it is anti-white, no? But what's the non-white population in the UK? It's not that much is it?

Would you go along to Devon County Council and say that institutional racism was rampant in the refuse collection dept, because there were no black employees?
Edit: Oh go on, please stand in Bradford - you'll walk it.

No in Devon I'd expect the council workforce to reflect the nature of the community. Same in Bradford.

And i'm not actually arguing for it in a convinced manner, I wanted to know what people thought of it as a principle, leaving aside whether it's popular with punters.

You're saying 'best person for the job' which ignores the injustice that might mean the best person for the job is nearly always white. (in some situations - it's the principle i'm interested in).

 

[Charlie Drake]

Mutley, I'm sure if we met face to face over a beer, we'd sort this out

Look, where's the 'injustice' in the majority of people in the UK being white.

Just out of interest (and i really don't mean this flippantly) is there positive discrimination in India or African countries where I'd get the job over a black person because I was white?

 

[scarecrow]

1) In the sense of this thread: Different ethnic groups being treated differently by different government agencies which promotes segregation and racial ghettos, division etc

2) Social and economic inequality? Adopt a class analysis, I couldn't care less what colour someone is. Where geniune racism exists it should be fought by class politics - not creating little boxes and catagories that keep everyone separate. Is this not rocket science?

1) why all the numerically questioned posts?

2) eh?

 

[mutley]

Mutley, I'm sure if we met face to face over a beer, we'd sort this out

Look, where's the 'injustice' in the majority of people in the UK being white.

Just out of interest (and i really don't mean this flippantly) is there positive discrimination in India or African countries where I'd get the job over a black person because I was white?

From what i've read about africa the place is crawling with westerners on western salaries working for ngo's, so i doubt you'd starve.

Ur prob right about the beer.

 

[JimPage]

back on subject she is no longer listed as a councillor on bradford council`s website- so this seems to be true.

the fact that she is warren bennets partner i would think would be linked to this resignation- which is a welcome setback for them in all of the present circumstances

my bet as to who has spoekn to her rudely is mark collett- who i read has a wee tiff with bennett prior to his trial

 

[Geoff Collier]

back on subject she is no longer listed as a councillor on bradford council`s website- so this seems to be true.

the fact that she is warren bennets partner i would think would be linked to this resignation- which is a welcome setback for them in all of the present circumstances

my bet as to who has spoekn to her rudely is mark collett- who i read has a wee tiff with bennett prior to his trial

There'll be a by-election on March 23rd.

I'm told that Clark was also involved with Mark Collett, so you could be right

 

[JimPage]

There'll be a by-election on March 23rd.

I'm told that Clark was also involved with Mark Collett, so you could be right

yep- "a conflict of loyalties" so it is reported on Stormfront. various annoyed fash there- who are being very coy as to the reasons for her resignation

 

[Macullam]

If I heard correctly, Look North just reported the resignation from her seat of one of the Bradford BNP councillors (for Keighley West).

From:

http://libcom.org/news/article.php/bnp-councillor-quits-200206
British National Party Councillor Angela Clarke has quit her seat on
Bradford Council

Now a by-election for the seat in the Keighley West ward will be held
on March 23.

News of the election came as Cllr Clarke, pictured, pledged to
remain a Keighley town councillor despite quitting Bradford Council.

She this week told Keighley Mayor Cllr Tony Wright she would be
taking a rest from council duties. Cllr Wright said the law allowed a
councillor to stay away from meetings for six months without any
action being taken. He said: "She is taking time out for a while, to
sort herself out, she said. It was for personal reasons." Ralph
Mitchell, secretary of Keighley Worth Valley BNP, this week
confirmed Cllr Clarke would remain on the town council. Of the by-
election he said: "The BNP candidate will be taken from West ward --
it would be a West ward person doing the best for his or her own
community."

Cllr Clarke resigned from Bradford Council last Friday, just two days
after insisting she would be staying on. She had threatened to resign
the previous week after being verbally abused by a fellow BNP member.
After the Keighley News revealed the incident last Friday, Cllr
Clarke sent an e-mail to Bradford Council resigning "with immediate
effect". Cllr Clarke, of Bankfield Drive, Braithwaite, is believed
to have followed up with an official written resignation.

Cllr James Lewthwaite, the BNP's council leader, this week insisted
the row was personal rather than party political. Cllr Clarke, a
grandmother in her mid-30s, was not due to face an election until
spring 2008. A by-election in Keighley West Ward has to be held
within 35 days because at least two people have requested it. The
major political parties are understood to have preferred a vote to
be held as part of the normal council elections in May.

 

[audiotech]

Cllr Clarke resigned from Bradford Council last Friday, just two days
after insisting she would be staying on. She had threatened to resign
the previous week after being verbally abused by a fellow BNP member.

As is usual from the fascists when taking time out from threatening violence against Muslims and political opponents they then turn to threatening each other.

 

[JimPage]

interesting is that labour are putting up a genuine anti-paedophile grooming campaigner from keighley as their candidate- which woudl be fine if anti-fascist hadnt been going around for the last few years denying there was paedophile grooming in the first place

bnp standing in fortcmoming council byelections in leek, sunderland and waterloo, merseyside as well

 

[Geoff Collier]

interesting is that labour are putting up a genuine anti-paedophile grooming campaigner from keighley as their candidate- which woudl be fine if anti-fascist hadnt been going around for the last few years denying there was paedophile grooming in the first place

bnp standing in fortcmoming council byelections in leek, sunderland and waterloo, merseyside as well

As far as I know, there's no significant anti-fascist entity in Keighley other than the Labour Party and they certainly accept that grooming was going on.

Anyway, this morning's (weekly) Keighley News contains the following letter which might be interesting.

SIR - As you may be aware, the BNP Councillor Angela Clarke resigned following a fall-out within the BNP and a by-election has been called for March 23.

In the past I have stood as a candidate myself in Keighley West on the grounds that Keighley needs an independent voice to represent it in Bradford.

This time I have decided not to stand for two reasons. Firstly, Keighley has lived with the shame of being represented by the BNP for too long.

The BNP has done nothing for our town other than give us a bad name. This by-election gives us the chance to get rid of the BNP once and for all.

There is only one candidate who can realistically beat the BNP and that is the Labour candidate, Angela Sinfield.

Secondly, I know that Angela Sinfield would bring the independent voice Keighley needs. She is a local lass who knows Keighley and wants the best for our town. The BNP candidate lives in Scarborough!

I will be voting for Angela on Thursday, March 23, and I would -- for the sake of our town -- strongly urge everyone who lives in the Keighley West ward to do likewise.


BRIAN HUDSON

Bronte Drive

Oakworth

 

[citygirl]

just bringing you up to date a bit more

http://www.keighleynews.co.uk/display.var.1065228.0.councillor_misses_meetings_claim.php

(don'tya just lurve people who resurrect dead threads? )

 

[Soul On Ice]

Positive discrimination fosters resentment and division in my book.

Indeed it does - that's why it is unlawful - see the Race Relations Act 1976 that says it is unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of race (negatively or positively) on the grounds of race.

This whole idea of "positive discrimination" in favour of non white people against white people is bloody Daily Mail propaganda.

For every instance (of rare) positive discrimination in favour of a non white person I can show you ten times as many instances of the non white people who've been fucked over.

 

[portman]

When the IWCA say their politics are just about 'respecting the working class' and not talking about 'Iraq' or 'multiculturalism' in fact they are saying we will put the interests of the 'British' working class above the interests of the international working class. This is best characterised as opportunism.

Also its relationship as a party to the wider working class is a rather nice inversion of Kautskyist Marxism, which presumed that the working class is only capable of 'trade union consciousness' and needed socialist ideology from outside. The IWCA presume that 'the working class' is only capable of grasping 'local issues' directly relating to it (housing, rubbish collection, etc.) and incapable of understanding 'the 1001 lefty issues' [ie. socialism]. The political consequences of this lead to economism - basically telling the working class it is exploited and oppressed and trying to organise a fight back on that level (while trying to keep 'difficult' political issues like war, imperialism out of the struggle).

The problem is the working class might not be interested in war, but war is interested in the working class - and we have already seen for example 100 British soldiers, mostly from working class families, killed in a war that has left perhaps 100,000 Iraqis, again mostly workers, dead. The IWCA has remained silent over this - and so for all its talk of 'standing up for the working class' has written off any notion of 'standing up' for either the Iraqi working class or the section of the British working class represented by the movement 'Military Families against the war'. The IWCA's strategic flaw (Basil Fawlty's 'Don't mention the war!') seems to have led to their current organisational crisis.

I swear blind I've read this from you before - possibly in a different form of words but the same old arguments! So if you want my view on it RW, just trawl through my early posts on this board and I'm sure you will find my answer to the points you raised above.

When the likes of Respect start to seriously break out of the ethno-religious ghetto they seem to have boxed themselves into, they might start to get taken seriously by the sections of the working class who feel the mainstream parties have abandoned them. But somehow, I can't see that happening so I won't be holding my breath.

It seems that your intervention in this thread is yet another attempt to swing a discussion around to the Respect agenda. For your information, the thread was about the resignation of a BNP councillor. A fair few people on this thread have made contributions on what is the most effective way of trying to combat the influence of the BNP in working class communities. Have Respect ever attempted to engage with voters who may be considering voting BNP in order to persuade them to do otherwise? Would they know where to start?

Ther are those of us who are making a serious attempt at doing this - it isn't easy. Lots of footwork slogging round the estates talking to people, building up support. Work that for me in Thurrock is starting to show signs of paying off. But a lot more hard work to come... The real world RW, the real world...

 

[The Black Hand]

I swear blind I've read this from you before - possibly in a different form of words but the same old arguments! So if you want my view on it RW, just trawl through my early posts on this board and I'm sure you will find my answer to the points you raised above.

When the likes of Respect start to seriously break out of the ethno-religious ghetto they seem to have boxed themselves into, they might start to get taken seriously by the sections of the working class who feel the mainstream parties have abandoned them. But somehow, I can't see that happening so I won't be holding my breath.

It seems that your intervention in this thread is yet another attempt to swing a discussion around to the Respect agenda. For your information, the thread was about the resignation of a BNP councillor. A fair few people on this thread have made contributions on what is the most effective way of trying to combat the influence of the BNP in working class communities. Have Respect ever attempted to engage with voters who may be considering voting BNP in order to persuade them to do otherwise? Would they know where to start?

Ther are those of us who are making a serious attempt at doing this - it isn't easy. Lots of footwork slogging round the estates talking to people, building up support. Work that for me in Thurrock is starting to show signs of paying off. But a lot more hard work to come... The real world RW, the real world...

You know I have to say that theoretically RW is right, or at least moving towards an accurate theoretical description...

Yours is not so much an answer, more an avoidance of the issues...

 

[treelover]

very good results for the bnp here, inclluding Rhyl!, when is the left going to stop fighting the 'culture wars and begin fighting the 'class war' again


eg, housing welfare, crime, NHS, etc,

Conwy Kinmel Bay Ward- 13.2% beating Liberals
Southend West Shoebury - 17.9%, 2nd place- beating Labour and Liberal

In the By-Election for the Denne ward in Horsham, the BNP candidate Richard James Trower has taken nearly 13% of the vote, coming third after the Lib Dems and the Tories.

 

[treelover]

btw, the far left would be over the moon if they got these sort of results

 

[mutley]

very good results for the bnp here, inclluding Rhyl!, when is the left going to stop fighting the 'culture wars and begin fighting the 'class war' again


eg, housing welfare, crime, NHS, etc,

So obviously you welcome the fact that Respect is building towards a launch rally in Barking and Dagenham, with Housing being the main angle?

Oh, no on the other thread you think that this shows 'another agenda'.

And if the SWP gets involved in campaigns in defence of the NHS then this must be good? No?

Oh, we get denounced for muscling in.

You're an arsehole.

 

[The Black Hand]

btw, the far left would be over the moon if they got these sort of results

By elections are often when 'protest' votes peak cos they really don't matter.

But seriously, they have a level of support, the problems are historical and ALL leftists/@'s are partly to blame... The British left/@ is particularly prone to bickering, more so than other countries...

 

[JohnC]

This is the same Angela Clarke who was caught up in a fight outside a pub a while back, abused a plod and was fined £200 for being drunk and disorderly. The BNP are so squeaky-clean.

 

[Geoff Collier]

just bringing you up to date a bit more

http://www.keighleynews.co.uk/display.var.1065228.0.councillor_misses_meetings_claim.php

(don'tya just lurve people who resurrect dead threads? )

Not dead but sleeping, as I read on a headstone recently

Today's edition of the Keighley News reports that Angela Clarke has now confirmed that she's resigned from Keighley town council *and* from the BNP itself. Can't find the story online though.