Preston and South Ribble BNP members' details leaked

9:29am Thursday 20th November 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

The names and personal details of 47 alleged members of the British National Party (BNP) living in Preston and South Ribble have been posted on the internet.

Of those, a retired teacher, an accountant and two ex-servicemen were identified on the leaked membership list, posted on the website blog on Monday evening.

The list included more than 10,000 names, addresses and home and mobile phone numbers of alleged supporters of the far right group, exposing many, such as police officers and members of the military, to risk of dismissal from work and disciplinary action.

BNP leader Nick Griffin, who has been in Lancashire this week, said in a statement that the core list dates from November and December last year.

The party has made a formal complaint to police in Dyfed-Powys, where the BNP carries out a lot of its administration work, based on the grounds that publication of the list is a breach of human rights and data protection laws.

The BNP successfully obtained an injunction at the High Court in Manchester earlier this year banning any publication of the list.

Mr Griffin added: “We have already sent formal demands to the web hosts to remove the list, pointing out to them that the fact that the publication of this year-old list constitutes Contempt of Court because a court order preventing its release or use was made and consented to by the group of disgraced former employees who first misappropriated it.

“The web hosts’ legal department has already acknowledged receipt of our detailed analysis and demands. A solicitor has been asked to consider the implications of this for the final stages of that legal action, which is still not concluded, and we will be taking advice as to what can be done by way of enforcement of the Contempt of Court order.”

It is thought the list may include lapsed members of the party and the names and addresses of people who have expressed an interest in joining the party, but have not signed up.

Many of the members' occupations are listed, revealing one serving police officer, two solicitors, four ministers of religion, at least one doctor and a number of primary and secondary school teachers.

The police force has a ban on officers holding BNP membership because they say that it is their duty, as a public body, to promote equality under the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000.

There is no such ban on teachers, doctors, nurses and religious ministers but governing bodies in these sectors do frown upon membership as it is often seen as not in keeping with the conduct expected.