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BNP membership rises
MEMBERSHIP of the far-right British National Party has increased across South Yorkshire and north Derbyshire, according to a party membership list leaked on the internet.
It is the second time the BNP's membership roster has been leaked in less than a year.
Last November its 2007 roster was leaked by a former party member, who was fined 200 by Nottingham magistrates after admitting publishing the document. Yesterday a second list was published by Wikileaks, a website which allows whistleblowers to anonymously post documents.
The new document, which claims to hold membership information dating from April this year, lists 152 members in Sheffield, including Penistone, 131 in Barnsley, 98 in Doncaster, 110 in Rotherham, 60 in north Derbyshire, and 12 in Worksop.
The list shows a significant increase in the far-right group's membership in the region in the preceding 18 months. In November 2007 the party had 144 members in Sheffield, 88 in Barnsley, 99 in Rotherham, and 76 in Doncaster.
The latest list shows that after the previous leak last year around 50 South Yorkshire members let their party subscriptions lapse. But overall membership is up.
In a Barnsley Council by-election last week the BNP gained 590 votes, coming second only to Labour, and beating Conservatives, Lib Dems and UKIP by some margin.
But veteran anti-fascist campaigner Coun Tim Cheetham, cabinet member of Labour-run Barnsley Council, said although the BNP membership had increased, the numbers were still small.
"We are talking about a small hardcore of members, and they really are a tiny minority. It is not surprising that membership is up a small amount, because they have become part of the political establishment since winning an MEP seat in May.
"But the numbers are small, and in real terms their vote has actually been down in recent elections."
Will Blair, BNP Maltby ward councillor on Rotherham Council, said membership had grown because people were worried about immigration.
BNP leader Nick Griffin said he could not confirm whether the latest list was genuine. He claimed the leak was part of a smear campaign against the party ahead of his appearance on the BBC1 Question Time programme tomorrow.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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