Legal Challenge To BNP 'Apartheid'

British National Party (BNP) leader Nick Griffin is facing a legal challenge against his party's "indigenous Caucasian" only membership criteria.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has launched a court action centered on the right-wing group's alleged "discriminatory and unlawful" membership policy.

Mr Griffin along with two other BNP officials have accused the Government watchdog of attempting to shift attention away from it own problems, describing the move as "pathetic".

Equality Minister Harriet Harman welcomed the legal bid and said: "No party should be allowed to have an apartheid constitution in 21st Century Britain."

The commission, which originally voiced concerns over the BNP's constitution in June, will now take action through the county court.

In a statement it said: "The BNP's membership criteria appear to restrict membership to those within what the BNP regards as particular 'ethnic groups' and those whose skin colour is white. This exclusion is contrary to the Race Relations Act.

"The commission believes the BNP's constitution and membership criteria are discriminatory and, further, that the continued publication of them on the BNP website is unlawful.

"It has therefore issued county court proceedings against party leader Nick Griffin and two other officials."

Legal Director at the Commission, John Wadham said the party has not showed any willingness to amend its membership criteria, stating that the watchdog has a duty to enforce the law.

The word 'white' is not used in the BNP's 2008 constitution, however, it lists a series of Anglo-Saxon-Celtic groups which are afforded membership, and represent "the indigenous British ethnic groups deriving from the class of 'Indigenous Caucasian'".

However, BNP Legal Officer Lee Barnes told the BBC: "We think that the commission has brought this action at the behest of the Labour Party.

"It is also a galvanising thing to focus the commission's attention away from its own problems and internal issues."

In recent months six commissioners have left the equality body, amid negative comments regarding chair Trevor Phillips' leadership.

Mr Barnes said: "It has nothing to do with discrimination; it's all to do with internal politicking."

A Government investigation into the running of the commission is set to take place later this year.

(PR/BMcC)