Councillor defects to BNP

DISTRICT councillor and church leader Robert West has defected to the controversial British National Party.

Coun West, who represents Holbeach on South Holland District Council, walked out on the Conservative Party on Sunday saying he was seeking "refuge from political correctness by applying for asylum with the BNP".

Unless he resigns Coun West can remain on the council until next May's elections but Gary Porter, Conservative leader of the district council, has called for a by-election.

He said: "I will leave it to Robert's conscience rather than calling for his resignation but it would certainly be nice to give the people he represents the chance to decide via a by-election."

Coun West (50), who has lectured in political philosophy and equal opportunities law at universities, said the priority list of Parliamentary candidates chosen by Tory leader David Cameron for the next General Election, the "mass immigration and submersion in the EU" and the "colonisation of the UK" had prompted his decision.

He said: "The Conservative Party's list of candidates, which deliberately excludes white males in favour of women, non-white and homosexual or lesbian candidates, is discrimination of the worst kind."

Controversy has followed Coun West since March when he shared a stage with BNP leader Nick Griffin and addressed a Huddersfield meeting.

He has since been suspended from the national Conservative Party, which he describes as "far right", and was officially removed from the local party on Monday.

He also represents the district council on Lincolnshire's Racial Equality Council but was suspended a fortnight ago.

Despite that Coun West told the Lincolnshire Free Press he remained "a philosophical Conservative" and assured those who elected him that his position and aims had not changed.

He said: "I have no problem with the local Conservative party whatsoever, although I appreciate they may feel a little miffed at the moment.

"Gary Porter, the group as a whole and the local association have all acted correctly.

"It is the central Conservative office and its arbitrary powers which have roles in the party that are a disgrace.

"I remain a philosophical Conservative who has not changed his position but has simply changed his party and I remain fully committed to democracy."

Coun Porter said that Coun West, who set up his own church at a house in Holbeach to preach "traditional Bible beliefs", had previously denied having links to the BNP and claimed he used the stage to "preach the gospel".

He said: "I'm disappointed the electorate who voted for a Conservative councillor now have a BNP councillor."

Coun West admitted that the BNP is a "controversial" party but said the view they should not be given "the oxygen of publicity" had frustrated him.

Ends

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Tuesday, 16 May 2006 | Source: Spalding Today