Civil Liberty claims to be a civil rights organisation autonomous of any political party in the United Kingdom. It has been alleged to be a front organisation for the British National Party (BNP), set up to raise money for the party from far-right sympathisers in the United States. It should not be confused with the pressure group Liberty (previously the National Council for Civil Liberties).
Video Civil Liberty (UK)
Claims of connections to the British National Party
Searchlight, a magazine whose campaigning against the BNP is endorsed by the Daily Mirror and Britain's major trade unions, claims that Civil Liberty, headed by "senior BNP member" Kevin Scott, is a front group for the BNP.
According to The Guardian, Civil Liberty is a fund-raising group run by key BNP activists which was set up to raise money from far-right sympathisers in the United States, apparently seeking to profit from anti-Islamic sentiment in the U.S.A. by presenting the BNP as being at the forefront of a campaign to save the UK from being "overwhelmed" by Muslims.
The only member of Civil Liberty named on its website is its founder and director, Kevin Scott. Scott is a former BNP regional organizer for North East England. The examples of the organisation's work provided over three pages at the website all refer to action in support of prominent members of the BNP: Arthur Redfearn, BNP councillor (see Redfearn v United Kingdom) Tina Wingfield, BNP membership secretary (wife of Martin Wingfield); Mark Collett, head of BNP publicity; BNP chairman Nick Griffin; and prominent BNP members Adam Walker and Mark Walker. No other activities involving "individuals who have been victimized because of their dissent" are reported. Civil Liberty's contact address is alleged to be the PO Box belonging to the BNP's North-East Region. The Guardian states that all money donated through the Civil Liberty website goes to the BNP's regional headquarters in the north-east.
Since 2001, it has been illegal for any political party in the UK to accept overseas donations of more than £200, and party officials breaking the law face a year's imprisonment or a £5,000 fine. According to the Guardian, both Civil Liberty and the BNP deny they are trying to bypass UK election law, insisting they are entirely separate organisations.
In November 2012, its chairman Kevin Scott became the care-taking chairman of the newly formed British Democratic Party, and was invited to share a debate with Brian Paddick at the Cambridge Union Society. The invitation was withdrawn after pressure by Searchlight.
Maps Civil Liberty (UK)
References
External links
- Civil Liberty website
- Civil Liberty promotional photomontage of Civil Liberty demonstration featuring Liverpool BNP support
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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