Churches question right of BNP to stand in elections

The Baptist Union of Great Britain, the United Reformed Church and the Methodist Church have challenged the right of the British National Party to stand in the general election.

It follows the ruling of the Central London County Court last week which deemed that the BNP’s membership policy was still racist, despite the removal of a whites-only clause last month.

Judge Paul Collins ruled that a clause asking prospective members to support the creation of an indigenous British race was illegal and should be withdrawn from the party’s admissions policy.

The BNP has been barred from recruiting new members until it changes its admission rules to be more inclusive of non-whites.

Rachel Lampard, Public Issues Policy Adviser for the Methodist Church, said Christians had a duty to challenge the “rhetoric of hatred” being championed by extremist parties like the BNP.

“Every human being is created in the image of God and every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their nationality,” she said.

Graham Sparkes, Head of Faith and Unity for the Baptist Union of Great Britain, said: “If people want to make our laws, first of all they must comply with them. We would therefore question whether the BNP should be allowed to stand as a party in the general election.”

In addition to the discriminatory admissions criteria, the Churches expressed concern over the BNP’s policies seeking to abolish anti-discrimination laws, halt all new immigration, and cut all foreign aid.

Simon Loveitt, Public Issues Spokesperson for the United Reformed Church, said: “We celebrate the fact that Britain is a multicultural society and that British aid can change and improve life for people around the world, such as those affected by the earthquake in Haiti.”

The Churches have long opposed the BNP. The United Reformed Church has contacted its member churches in the run-up to the general election, which must be held by June 3, to remind them that voting for racist political parties has no place among Christians.

The Methodist Church last year passed a motion banning members from joining the BNP and preventing members of racist political parties from becoming full members of the Church.