Hundreds join MP's protest against BNP
HUNDREDS of signatures were gathered against the British National Party at a demonstration in Llanelli.
Organisers of the petition, which saw town MP Nia Griffith and trade union and Labour Party activists take to the streets, said more than 200 signatures were collected in less than an hour.
The demonstration foll- owed reports of increased activity by the BNP in the Llanelli area.
Alun Davies AM said: "There are real concerns in Llanelli about the BNP and the views its supporters represent. The response in the town was extremely positive — and shows that the people of Llanelli will continue to stand up for fairness and freedom for all." One of the organisers, Suzy Curry, said: "We had a petition so that people could sign that they want to say no to racism and take a strong stand against the BNP.
The number of signatures passed the 200 mark in less than an hour."
Nia Griffith MP, who spoke on the same theme in the St David's Day debate in Parliament, said: "I am pleased to see such a positive response to our demonstration.
"We must take a strong stand against racist groups whose agenda is to breed fear and hatred and to create scapegoats, and who seem to have money to spend on very deceptive, glossy leaflets.
"There must be no place for racism and scapegoating in our society."
Meanwhile, Ms Griffith has asked the secretary of state to investigate rumours that contractors working on big infrastructure projects, such as the gas pipeline or the construction of the power station in Pembrokeshire, are taking on foreign workers.
Mr Griffith said: "I have asked him to find out if and why foreign workers are being taken on.
"If it is happening because employers think they can get away with shoddier terms and conditions — lower pay and fewer rights — that needs to be sorted out.
"I was pleased to hear the minister's reassurances that he will do his utmost to make sure that the majority of those employed come from the local labour market, but I shall be continuing to pursue this issue vigorously."
A spokesman for the BNP said: "We heard that the petition didn't go down too well at all and they had difficulty obtaining signatures. It is a very negative campaign by the Labour party which shows how desperate they are.
"It was purely an anti-BNP tactic and not for any policies or lack of policies that they have."
He insisted that support for the BNP was growing, with recent meetings in Cross Hands and Bridgend being well attended.
"There's no question that support is growing locally, nationally and throughout the country.
"People are finally waking up to all the lies and corruption. People have had enough."
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by brian, llanelli
Friday, March 06 2009, 3:20PM
“it obvious the bnp have been rattled and as rightly pointed out a few small number have commented on this thread on several times, the bnp have a tactfull way of adding spin to a debate which tries to lead people believe a different story, an example of which is very clear here, in the story nia is calling on the secretary of state to investigate rumours i emphasise the word "rumours" about foreign wporkers taking local jobs because compainies are exploiting their terms and conditions which is against the law and yet several of the bnp in this debate try to claim she is supporting their views about the influx of workers taking british jobs, kevin their lead organisor even tries to make us believe that nia griffith is aware that 86% of jobs create have gone to foreign workes, when has nia griffith ever made a comment like this and wher can we find this official statistics, it just shows the mentality of these people they make rumours up and it just goes to show their agenda is to breed fear and hatred and have money to spend on very deceptive, glossy leaflets.
no matter how much people dislike the labour policies the bnp and their racist views in todays society are not the answer”
by Heather, the Mumbles
Friday, March 06 2009, 2:09PM
“Most supporters of the BNP are realistic, Hywel, Swansea. With regards to anon, anon, the BNP have been successfully growing during the past 10 years, this depression is waking people up to the realities of mass immigration ¿ simple as that. It is obvious that those who make inaccurate comments are people who have no idea what the reality of the situation is, a quick trip to a London borough should sort out fact from fiction. As for coming out of this ¿depression¿ some time soon; ummm don¿t think so anon, anon, however, we may see slight flickers of light from about 20012 onwards, certainly no sooner!”
by anon, anon
Friday, March 06 2009, 9:50AM
“Dont worry. We will come out of the recession soon enough and then people will stop entertaining extremists!”
by Hywel, Swansea
Thursday, March 05 2009, 10:48PM
“Well done to Hayden in Llanelli, you certainly rattled the BNP. The same people have commented over and over again. You told it like it is, the BNP are nothing but Sad people so full of hate they probably can't cope successfully in our society, so they resort to the politics of hate to make themselves feel important. And Andy in Vest Hill has it ever occurred to you that more than one person was collecting signatures?”
by Russ, sandwell
Thursday, March 05 2009, 10:11PM
“I was at the Battle for Britain event ! Nick Griffin made it perfectly clear right at the start of his speech that the spitfire was from the polish unit, stating that we make no discrimination whatsoever between the polish and British pilots, they were all very brave and we are all very proud of them, The BNP has nothing against the polish people or europe, the BNP is against the european union, it is the extremists of the Labour party who are discriminating between the polish and the British pilots, It is they who created the racial tension, and the resentment that is now being felt by so many honest decent people that are losing they're jobs and homes”