A source within the Epping Forest BNP has informed us that Redbridge councillor Julian Leppert is planning to contest Loughton Broadway in the 2010 Epping Forest district council elections.Former postman, 43 year old Leppert is regarded as a party high-flier, having secured three per cent of first preference votes as the BNP candidate in the 2004 London Mayoral election. Leppert moved to Loughton in November 2006 soon after being elected as councillor for Hainault. He currently lives in the Broadway ward. In 2010, his term in office in Redbridge will expire and he is seriously considering contesting Broadway, possibly in conjunction with the parliamentary election.
Currently, the seat is held by Susan Clapp, who our insider says has failed to impress due to her mediocre performance in the council chamber. She is the long-term partner of Eddy Butler and as a political lightweight she may be reliant on his support. It remains to be seen whether Clapp's support will be sustained up until 2010. However, it has been Leppert rather than Butler who has been accompanying Clapp to official events such as last Friday's Epping Forest District Council's Civic Awards.
Leppert is perhaps less brilliant than he and his supporters claim. The BNP's support in Redbridge has failed to rally in the way the party had hoped. To date, Leppert is the only BNP councillor in Redbridge and no BNP candidate has come close to winning a second seat. In the last by-election the BNP contested in Rebridge, in Cranbrook last year, it secured just 37 votes, or just under 1.4% of the vote. The closest the BNP came to winning a seat in Redbridge was in the Bridge Ward by-election of July 2006, when it came second, 157 votes behind the Conservative winner. Leppert contested the Epping Forest parliamentary seat in 2005, securing 1,728 votes or 3.9% of the total, fewer votes than the total votes the party had won in the 2004 district council elections.Leppert thinks he can now muscle out the incumbent and secure his future in the party in Essex, riding on others' coat tails in order to retain his prestige within the BNP. However, his election in Broadway ward is not certain. The tide has turned in Broadway with the BNP vote falling 12.7% to 469 votes in 2008 from its peak in 2006. It will be even harder in the likely event that the district elections are held concurrently with the general election, with national trends likely to benefit the Conservatives, the only party able to increase its vote in Broadway in 2006.
Leppert is also one parcel short of a postbag in terms of political thinking. In his mayoral campaign, Leppert vowed to “throw out” all asylum-seekers, whom he blamed for causing traffic congestion. In January 2007, Mr Leppert attended a conference in London organised by the far-right New Right Group. One speaker was Michele Renouf, a Holocaust denier and supporter of David Irving. Leppert sat through anti-Jewish tirades from both Renouf and from one of the leaders of the Islamic Party of Britain.
Like the BNP as a whole, take the suit away and you get the old extremist ideology sneering back at you. An increasing number of local residents are coming to terms with the extreme core of the BNP's ideology and could reject Leppert next year, denting his career within the party.
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17 comments:
I have never seen this website before, I came across it by accident. I live in Redbridge, and I have to say that I don't recognise your view of Julian Leppert at all. I attend the odd full council meeting, and I heard Mr Leppert's speech at the very first one that he attended in Ilford. Most people didn't even think he would turn up, but he did. He was immaculately dressed(in a suit obviously) and looked as though he had been doing it for years. He stood up in a hostile chamber and made a speech that left most of us open mouthed. It was well presented and articulate, and it blew the people around me away. An 81 year old man from Hainault was mugged of his pension, not only did he replace it, he ended up with more than the original sum after other people chipped in. His family are not nearby, so he calls on him regularly just to make sure he's ok. I used to live in Braintree in the 70s. We had a drive back there one day to see what our house looked like. We got talking to a man who now lives next door. We couldn't beleive it when he said he had moved from Redbridge to retire there. We got talking about what Redbridge is like now. He moved because of it. He was a Tory Mayor and councillor some years ago and is still in contact with Tories now in the council. He told us that there is a grudging respect for Mr Leppert among Tory councillors because he is good at what he does. He never misses a meeting or a surgery, and has helped many people in his constituancy. Whatever votes he had in the past, I think your dissmissal of this man is way off. He's got experience under his belt now and people like him. I was a member of the Labour party and an activist for years, I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole now. I wouldn't vote Tory either. I am disgusted with the way we have been treated. They are in it for themselves, and they have turned this country into a place that is hardly recognisable to us any more. And no that isn't racist, it's a known fact. We've had it frankly.
Obviously, Leppert's "genius" has not inspired anyone else in Redbridge to vote for the BNP. He left Redbridge just a few months after his election and moved to Loughton, such was his attachment to the borough. Next year he want be eligible to seek re-election in Redbridge and instead will contest Loughton Broadway.
Leppert may wear a suit (many of us do!), but the pure and simple fact is that his party is a neo-fascist group and Leppert has been a willing participant of antisemitic conferences. That's a matter of record. If you think that such an extremist group is a cure for social ills, then I think you are misguided.
It may surprise some people that the BNP have members of polish,Italian, hungarian decent, gay, disabled, jewish, and many members have foreign wives/husbands etc.
The BNP have Jewish councillors, a Jewish treasurer.
Adam Walker BNP teacher has a Japanese wife, Richard Barnbrook (BNP GLA member) his partner Simone Clarke (BNP member)are bringing up Simones mixed race young child.
Democracy=the will of the people, the opposite is dictatorship, banning legal partys.
Soon the Media will HAVE to report the BNP in a fair and honest manner, because the people are waking up!
JUST REMEMBER.
It was not the BNP that started the illegal wars that are getting our soldiers slaughtered. I WOULD CALL THAT EXTREME!
It was not the BNP that stole the pension funds of millions of our elderly.
I WOULD CALL THAT EXTREME!
It was not the BNP that sold of our Utility Companies to overseas buyers who now exploit us. I WOULD CALL THAT EXTREME
It was not the BNP that betrayed the True British People by swamping Our Country with mass unfettered immigration. I WOULD CALL THAT EXTREME
It was not the BNP that sold our gold for peanuts to Europe.
I WOULD CALL THAT CRIMINAL !
It was not the BNP that gave away our fishing fleets, industry, farming.
I WOULD CALL THAT TREASON !
It was not the BNP that allowed the banker to rip us off for billions.
I WOULD CALL THAT THEFT!
It was not the BNP that destroyed our education, NHS, Law AND Order etc
I WOULD CALL THAT CRIMINAL!
It was not the BNP that destroyed our manufacturing base.
I WOULD CALL THAT TREASON!
It was not, not, not the BNP that created the mess we are now in !
I counldn't agree more with Andrew. Given what has happened to this country with our soldiers dying for a country that is ready to impose a law of marrital rape, and not allowing women out without their husbands permision - why are we there? Also, we had Muslims blowing us up on 7/7, and they are constantly imposing their will on the people of the UK. I'd say you had a lot more to worry about than the BNP.
"It was not, not, not the BNP that created the mess we are now in !"
Neither are any of the other parties who have never been in power. If you think that the country is in a mess, why do you think a party set up by neo-Nazi extremists - who now, en masse, suddenly claim they are not extremists - has all the solutions? The BNP has not outlined much of a radical alternative, other than to ethnically cleanse the country. Even Migration Watch has rubbished the BNP's immigration policy - its main policy plank - as empty rhetoric rather than serious coherent policy. When in local government, the BNP have little good track record.
Politics is more than protest votes for a party that is rooted in fascism - and despite their PR efforts, frequent outbursts by their party chiefs suggests little has changed. It is taking part and taking action. If you are worried or upset, then do something more than throwing your vote away this party. If you think that the government interferes too much now, then I am sure you'll be fed up living under a deeply authoritarian party like the BNP which even seeks to dictate who we should marry to preserve "white racial purity"!
Look at his face. Honestly, how can anyone vote for him? I wouldn't buy a second hand car from that man. Everyone knows that the BNP is just the same Nazi skinheads just now they wear suits.
So you don't think the indidgenous people of this country feel they are being athnically cleansed? Why do you think even with a recession, immigration is the top issue in polls? There are many people in the BNP who have foriegn partners by the way. There are gays in the party as well. There has never been a problem with this at all. They just don't want it promoted in schools, that's it. They won't be stoning gays to death. They won't be beating women for adultery, or killing their daughters because they have dishonoured their parents - I could go on. As I have said before, let all the parties account for themselves in front of the media and public. Let them go head to head against each other. Actually Mr Leppert is a good looking guy, but he takes rotten photo I counldn't agree mmore. But when you look at the spokesman for the UAF and Searchlight, I really don't think he has anything to worry about. He is respected as a councillor and that's all that matters. I'm off to Germany on business tomorrow. And no, I won't be attending any Nazi meetings I can assure you of that. Best regards.
I have just read your posting above. We are living under an authoritarian party right now.I have to admit, I have been to meetings of groups with very different views from my own. It's the only way to find out what they are about. I have also had information packs from most parties. I used to be a member of Ukip, but I left when I realised they didn't have any policies. According to this website, everything is going along quite niceley, and everyone lives together in harmony. I'm sorry to say this is not the case. People tend to gravitate towards there own people, meaning we now have large enclaves of different races and cultures. Integration has never happened because of the shere scale of immigration over the years. Had it been much smaller, then it would never have been a problem. Large Pakistani and Bangladeshi areas now take up parts of London and the Midlands. We also have large areas where Somali's, West Indians, Africans, and many others have congrigated towards there own. As you know we also have Jewish comunities. Gants Hill was always mainly Jewish. Now as Muslims move in, Jews have moved out. A lot of the shops are now Asian, with vegatables spilling out all over the pavement. My sons rented a house down Roll Gardens, and a lovly Jewish Canadian man next door moved out because he couldn't stand it any more. He went to Norfolk. I think we have been pretty tolerant so far, but there is now a fealing that we shouldn't have been. We should have ignored the racist name calling when we voiced our concerns, and stood up for ourselves. We are beginning to do this now. And the uncomfrable truth is, do you really think we would be celebrating St Georges Day or talking about immigration had it not been for the BNP? It wasn't that long ago that it was against the law to put a flag on your car or near your house. Now we can. Christmas decorations were being banned by some councils. If they try it now there is a backlash. That's how far we have come in the last five years. The Holocaust was dreadfull, but this isn't all about you. We have groups galore for all ethnic minories, if all is well why are they needed? The Muslim Council Of Britain (now sidelined because of terrist conections) The Black Police Associasion and hundreds more. You don't call them racist do you? But if we want a party supportive of us we don't hear the end of it. I am not a racist, but I make no appologies for loving my country, and trying to save some vestige of English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh culture and identity. It's all we have left.
Looking Forward: This website does not seek to suppress debate on any issues you raise. Some of these issues, such as ethnic integration, are serious and should be openly debated and I don't think raising it is racist at all. People fear how their society is changing and stamping on debate only adds to the fear that things are going out of control.
What this website seeks to do is demonstrate is how the BNP is using these issues to further a sinister agenda of racial supremacism and authoritarianism. It was founded on Nazi ideology by John Tyndall and many in its leading positions come from a background of hardline extremist groups that have been involved in violence.
Concerns about immigration may be legitimate and should be voiced and acted upon, but voting for this particular party may add to problems. And if you think the current government quashes debate, you'd hate living under the BNP.
And there is absolutely nothing wrong in loving your country - you can love it whether you are black, white or Asian, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu or Atheist.
Thank you for answering my comment. As I said previously, I prefer to find out for myself exactly what parties are really about. So my husband and a friend of mine (who incidently is a teacher), and myself, will try to find out when the next BNP meeting is to be held. We know about the past of some of it's members, I think most people do now. People become extremist because of frustration, as happened with the IRA. Looks like they've discovered the ballot box, we'll see. Crucially, we are now dealing with a threat which is world wide. We have all been put in terrible danger, and I do not want this for my future grandchildren. Most of my family work in the City and Canary wharf, and I fear for their safety. I really think now that all futher immigration should be halted until we know what we have living here already. We are overcrowded, and our infrastucture is creaking under the strain. It is madness to let this continue. And if you are right about immigrants loving this country as we do, why do they seperate themseves from our way of life? They tend to move here and bring their country with them, and to some, life is cheap. We look around and we feel we are living somewhere else. I want out of the EU, it is strangling us. The money we put in could be used to plough back into the economy and help clear our dept. I will let you know how I get on at the meeting. I ask very awkward questions, lets see what happens.
Looking forward: Terrorism is a reality for most countries. If it was not one group that wanted to blow up Canary Wharf, it would be another. The important thing is to address the problem of terrorism without becoming as extreme as the terrorists and seeking to alienate and persecute an entire group of people on grounds of their ethnicity or religion. Collective punishment will not work.
As for the loyalty of minority communities, there was a survey a couple of years ago that found that Muslims in London were far more trusting in the judicial system and police than average and 80% thought it "important for integration to master the English language, get a better education and find a job." ( http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1662695.ece ) The problem is that if we were to go down the route of vilifying Muslims, as the BNP does, we'd alienate the moderate and loyal majority and provide Islamic extremists with excuses. As you said, "People become extremist because of frustration" and making life difficult for law-abiding people could turn some towards extremist politics.
By all means, go to the BNP meeting and see for yourself. But bear in mind that if you go to any meeting of any party, they will show you their best face. Propaganda is what a party rally is all about. The important thing is not to listen to what a party says about itself, but to critically examine its policies and its track-record and whether you really want to be a part of that party or whether it would be better to put your energies into other non-controversial yet effective local activist groups. For instance, if you are concerned about the safety and well-being of the elderly, Age Concern does a wonderful job and far better than the BNP.
There are other groups that are expressing the concerns you've raised that do not have past and present links to fascist movements, as the BNP does. In my mind, they will be more trusted than the BNP and thus will have a better chance of changing policy.
If you give the BNP a monopoly on the immigration issue, you are likely to be ignored by the moderate majority who abhor the BNP's extremism and the violence and criminality of some of its leading members. For example, leading BNP official Richard Edmonds, who was convicted and jailed due to his involvement in a violent racist attack on a mixed race couple, was guest speaker at a recent Epping Forest BNP branch meeting.
With regards to your comment that "People become extremist because of frustration", the BNP does not exist because its leaders were frustrated with mass immigration. Its ideology goes well beyond that - this picture of the party's founder, John Tyndal (on the left), says it all: http://a4.vox.com/6a00cdf3a9bf0ecb8f011015f6039c860b-320pi
They don't want racial and ethnic integration, they want ethnic separatism - for instance, they oppose mixed race relationships and what they politely call "miscegenation", which means having mixed-race children. I'm not making it up, BNP leader Nick Griffin has gone on the record about this. They want to remove all non-white people from the country and impose a deeply authoritarian government. They play on people's frustrations and fears in order to advance this agenda, just like the Nazis did in Germany. If you want an equal, united and integrated country, then you couldn't do much worse than vote for the BNP.
The best thing you can do is read not only the report by Harriet Harman in todays Mail (which you probably have). But read the comments at the bottom. Thank you.
IT IS LOOKING VERY MUCH AS THOUGH YOU ARE ONLY SUBMITING COMMENTS FROM YOUR OWN SUPPORTERS. SO WE CAN NOW LOOK FORWARD TO EVERYONE AGREEING WITH YOU. HOW SAD FOR DEMOCTRACY.
A moderation system is now in place because BNP supporters were being disruptive and posting libellous and offensive comments. It can take some hours for your comment to be published so please be patient.
I`ve just been looking through your `We hate the BNP` blog after first checking out the main BNP website - What a contrast! The articles on the BNP site are intelligent, informed, witty and well argued.
And here? Take away your favorite scary buzz-words; `Nazi/Hate/Fascist/Holocaust denier/extemist etc etc, and whats left? Nothing. You people have nothing intelligent or interesting to say about the BNP or anything else.
If you hate the idea of preserving Britain`s unique character and identity that much why dont you emmigrate and destroy somebody elses country instead. You wont be missed.
Well, Anonymous, no-one is forcing you to read this blog. If it is as bad as you say, you've nothing to fear. But it's typical of BNP supporters to say "If you don't like us, leave the country". How many people are you going to have left in the country after you get rid of non-white people and all the others you hate? I hate to undermine your self-delusion and fantasies, but every opinion poll shows that the BNP is still unable to get more than 5% support - at best. It may win you a couple of seats in the European Parliament, but is hardly a sweeping national endorsement of your ideology. In Loughton, the BNP's support is ebbing away and the party is finding it impossible to reach beyond Broadway, fighting a rear-guard action as its share of the vote diminishes as more and more people realise the ineptitude of its councillors.
The vast majority of people in this country realise that the current economic problems are not the result of immigration or the presence of non-white people and so "repatriation" cannot be the answer.
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