Police Chiefs to ban BNP membership.

[mushroom]

At the risk of several cars worth scuffers arriving chez moi and beating me to a metaphorical pulp with copies of the report on Institutional Racism in the Police, am I the only one to think that the pronouncement by the ACPO that it intends to ban members of the BNP from being policemen a trifle stalinist.

I don't particularily care for groups of extremist thugs wandering around the place threatening everyone who doesn't fit their idea of who does or doesn't belong in this wonderful country of ours, but then I don't like the BNP either.

Am I alone in thinking that the greatest thing about the UK is that we can think what we like and express those thoughts. This means that we have to put up with the BNP, WRP and even the PIRA spouting their crap. I may loathe what they say or think but I defend their right to do so.

If our Police Chiefs think they can pick and choose perhaps we need some new Chief Constables.

 

[blessed baby cakes]

Here, Here,
Very Voltaire....

"I might not agree with what you have to say but I will defend, to
my death, your right to say it."

 

[canteen_cowboy]

There are also a fair few unions out there who do not allow their members to be BNP members as well....

 

[Letterwritingman]

Do the Commissars allow membership of our 'Dear Leaders' party? That beacon of reformist light in this otherwise neo-fascist, racist, hell hole we call Britain. Our 'Dear Leader' has struggled for 7 long years to bring to heel a nation of Neo-Nazi, intolerant,ingrates. Shame on you all.

Hail the 'Dear Leader'

 

[Disco]

I would think it would be hard to enforce, unless officers openly supported BNP (which as a legal political party surely is within his rights to do so)

Anyway I doubt very much racism in the forces comes down to BNP membership. That has to be smoke and mirrors, the BNP have maybe given them a finger to point... "They are to blame, it is an external problem"

The potential for abuse of position (from membership of a group/party) is there just as much as if an Officer were a Mason or Labour or say a Leeds fan.

 

[brighton hippy]

I'm pretty sure its already against the rules to be active in any political party if your a copper. You certainly can't join the TA if your a member of an extremist organisation.
Also because the skinhead scum based party leadership has difficulty with the concept of law and order i.e. they keep breaking it . A switched on chief copper could do someone for consorting with criminals .

 

[Booty]

ACPO has said, "No member of the police service, whether police officer or police staff, may be a member of an organisation whose constitution, aims, objectives or pronouncements contradict the general duty to promote race equality."

So, it's not just the BNP they're banning bobbies from being members of, but any organisation that promotes racism.

Personal prejudices are one thing (we all have them), but is a copper who goes to the trouble of joining the BNP, going to do what he's paid to do (ie police everyone (including ethnic minorities) fairly)? Doubt it. The rule may be difficult to enforce, but I think you'd be very naive to imagine the police haven't got access to the BNP membership list.

The BNP are a bunch of wasters anyway. The handful of BNP councillors elected so far, haven't bothered turning up to council meetings or doing any other council business. They're all talk and no substance (even more so than yer average politician), pandering to simple minded types, who believe all they read in the gutter press.

 

[Resurgam]

I loathe the BNP.

I also loathe any form of Racism but I am frightened that we are getting close to the Ray Bradbury Farenheit 451 scenario where books are banned because every book has something in it that will upset some individual or group. People must have the right to speak and the right to free association.

As an aside are the Black Police Officer's Association racist?

 

[Big Kahoona]

Men only clubs are considered Sexist.

The Association of Black Police Officers does sound racist, but does it fall foul of the law as it currently stands? I don't thnik it does.

We have Music of Black Origin (MOBO) awards............. but is anything truely without any influence from other cultures/ races? An American academic has stated that Black Gospel music from the South of the US is actually based on Scottish, particularly Celtic, influences, when Scottish indentured servents made up a proportion of the population at that time. I imagine you could make a case for Blues, R&B etc having an influence from some other non-black/ African source, if you dug deep enough.

Should we allow a White Police Officers Association? I can't see why not, personnally. But why do we need a Black/ white/ Fat/ Ginger Haired only association etc in the first place? Perhaps we should outlaw that.

 

[5_mile_sniper]

Don't agree with the BNP, but this is just another step in BLiar/Big Blunkett's plans for total control over what you can and can't think in this country.

The BNP are a legitimate political party, albeit a stupid and bigoted one, but legitimate none the less. So, unless they become a proscribed organisation (IRA, INLA, ALF, etc) then I can't see any legal grounds for this.

As for being contrary to "Race Equality"... are they going to stop blacks and asians from being menber of any of the more militant groups that "fight" for their rights... nope, didn't think so

 

[Escape-from-PPRuNe]

Surely the reason there's a black police officers' association is that black police officers formed an association? As far as I know they don't argue that white police officers should be disposed of/expelled/whatever, so I don't see the problem.

 

[woody]

I dont think any police officer who was a member of the bnp could claim to treat everyone equally under the law whatever colour they were .As the bnp wants to repatriate some people .Its just not appropriate you wouldnt want a teacher involved in a pro peadohile party. How could a member of a racist party police fairly?
Black guy comes up in front of beak defence lawyer says are constable blogs you are a member of the bnp are you not ? constable answers yes . Juror immeditaly think he was out to get the crim and let him go

 

[Hootch]

So would that preclude members of the Labor Party sitting on a jury if the acused earns say...over £100k a year?

Don't quote me but I thought the Labour Party still supports socialism in it's manifesto and therefore one could argue that a wealthy person would not receive a fair trial.

Remember, the Labour Party was once considered an extremist party

 

[Maj_Boothroyd]

I agree with Blessed Baby cakes and Voltaire. However i think the ACPO are going to be on a very sticky wicket should a copper be brave enough to stick his head above the parapet and pop down to Matrix Chambers. The Human Rights Act 1998 protects individuals against this sort of behavoir by the state.

ACPO may not be a body of state but the Constabularies are. Article 9, Freedom of thought, conscience and religion, Article 10 Freedom of assembly and association. However the last sentance of Article 11 reads "This article shall not prevent the impossition of lawful restrictions on the exercise of these rights by members of the armed forces, of the police or of the administration of the state." It would be up to said copper to prove the restrictions unlawful and as long as the BNP is a legal organisation I'd say he'd have a good case. What does the Wicked Witch think?

 

[Booty]

I think he'd have to be very brave (foolhardy). Regardless of the legal outcome, his credibility as a police officer would be completely destroyed.

 

[Letterwritingman]

But why should it.............? Do you view Muslim or Asian Police Officers as 5th columnists? How can anyone say that membership of a political party, (unless proscribed) no matter how reprehensible is a dischargable offence? For crying out loud we have Gerry Adams and Martin McGuiness sitting (supposedly) at Westminster in theory they can sit on Defence Comittees! Where does it stop?.............some police officers cannot patrol this area because the local community finds their presence to be offence....why?.....because they are not of the same Racial grouping! For fecks sake they are POLICE OFFICERS and yet the same people complain about the lack of bill on the ground!
You cannot stop Police Officers being members of one particular Party without denying them their Freedom of Will, ban one Political Party you have to ban the lot.

Rant over..stop dribbling

 

[Booty]

Pretty straightforward. Allowing a paid-up BNP member to serve as a police officer is like allowing a pyromaniac to serve as a firefighter (or lazy militant shirker, but don't get me started on that one....)

 

[Letterwritingman]

My excuse is ignorance...............where does it state that the BNP is a Racist organisation...if its judged on perception then Labour is anti- Britain. Incidently I am not a member of the BNP, what is even worse to my mind is that I HAVE to make that Public Declaration to avoid labelling.

 

[error_unknown]

you fellas allowed to be in the militayr if you in an oranization?? my cousin got told to leave marine corp cos he was in with john birch society and had messed around in the klan some, but it was just kids stuff really, for drinkin beer and meeting ladies!!

 

[Letterwritingman]

No we are not allowed to be members of organisations.......and john Birch wasn't he an american missionary killed by the communists in about 45. Dwieght E was supposed to be a member as was Alan Dulles and some other high falluting jiggery knobwipes