BNP list reveals 833 North members (From The Northern Echo)

BNP list reveals 833 North members

10:18am Thursday 20th November 2008 in

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TEACHERS, a prison officer and a school governor are among hundreds of people from the region to appear on a leaked list of British National Party members.

The names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of more than 12,000 BNP members were posted online on Monday night.

Although the original list has since been removed, the information is still widely available online.

According to the list, the party has 833 members in the North-East and North Yorkshire.

They include a school governor from north Durham and a prison officer from the York area.

Prison officers are prohibited from joining right wing groups, including the BNP.

Last night, a Prison Service spokesman said it took allegations of racism very seriously and had a zero tolerance policy towards those who hold racist views.

Also on the list is Mark Walker, a teacher who was sacked from Sunnydale Community College, in Shildon, County Durham, after a 20- month disciplinary inquiry that remains unresolved.

His brother, BNP activist Adam Walker, also appears.

The former soldier was suspended as a technology teacher at Houghton Kepier School, in Wearside, after allegations that he posted comments about asylum seekers, Islam, immigrants and homosexuality on an internet chat forum while working.

The list also features a former police sergeant from North Yorkshire and several serving soldiers.

Others from the region on the list include a marine biologist, a karaoke DJ, a retired nurse, an IT consultant, a doorman, a company director, a retired social worker and a driving instructor.

Ken Booth, BNP North-East regional organiser, whose name appears on the list, said he received a threatening phone call yesterday after his details were posted online.

“It’s not a leaked list – it’s a stolen list,” he said.

“This isn’t the work of a former party member. It’s been done by a long-term plant to destabilise the party ahead of the Euro elections.”