FadeTheButcher
07-17-2004, 01:50 PM
http://news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=817462004
THE British National Party may take legal action after Barclays froze up to six of its accounts.
The move came after a BBC documentary team secretly filmed members of the BNP confessing to race-hate crimes.
BNP chairman Nick Griffin reacted by threatening legal action against the bank, claiming the move breached European human rights legislation. He branded the decision "absolutely scandalous" and admitted the party might now find it difficult to open accounts with other banks.
Sources say Barclays was already reviewing its position on the BNP before Thursday’s Secret Agent film. The bank has refused to comment on the matter, citing client confidentiality.
Meanwhile, West Yorkshire Police issued a joint statement with the Crown Prosecution Service in the wake of the film, saying officers were collecting tapes from its makers.
They said the broadcast "raises a number of issues which warrant further investigation", and it was liaising with programme makers.
"Working with our colleagues in the Crown Prosecution Service we will be reviewing the material to identify what, if any, information of evidential value it contains and decide on the appropriate action," said the statement.
Mr Griffin said a member of the party’s treasury department was informed about the frozen accounts yesterday afternoon.
"This is an attempt to ban us by the back door," he said. "The next move will be to look at the legal position. Barclays may find themselves up against European human rights legislation. We have the right to hold political opinions and to impart them."
Mr Griffin said the party’s funds had effectively been "stolen". He claimed this amounted to thousands of pounds.
The party must have a bank account in Britain to comply with electoral commission regulations, Mr Griffin added.
THE British National Party may take legal action after Barclays froze up to six of its accounts.
The move came after a BBC documentary team secretly filmed members of the BNP confessing to race-hate crimes.
BNP chairman Nick Griffin reacted by threatening legal action against the bank, claiming the move breached European human rights legislation. He branded the decision "absolutely scandalous" and admitted the party might now find it difficult to open accounts with other banks.
Sources say Barclays was already reviewing its position on the BNP before Thursday’s Secret Agent film. The bank has refused to comment on the matter, citing client confidentiality.
Meanwhile, West Yorkshire Police issued a joint statement with the Crown Prosecution Service in the wake of the film, saying officers were collecting tapes from its makers.
They said the broadcast "raises a number of issues which warrant further investigation", and it was liaising with programme makers.
"Working with our colleagues in the Crown Prosecution Service we will be reviewing the material to identify what, if any, information of evidential value it contains and decide on the appropriate action," said the statement.
Mr Griffin said a member of the party’s treasury department was informed about the frozen accounts yesterday afternoon.
"This is an attempt to ban us by the back door," he said. "The next move will be to look at the legal position. Barclays may find themselves up against European human rights legislation. We have the right to hold political opinions and to impart them."
Mr Griffin said the party’s funds had effectively been "stolen". He claimed this amounted to thousands of pounds.
The party must have a bank account in Britain to comply with electoral commission regulations, Mr Griffin added.