Racial worries
Black churches will be robbed of their rights to worship and be refused grants if they operate in a ‘historically white area’, according to the BNP.
Speaking in a live TV debate in March, Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP, debated with Rev. George Hargreaves of the Christian Party, both of whom are standing against Labour minister Margaret Hodge for the Barking constituency, in the general election.
In a debate that asked whether the election of a BNP MP or local authority leader would be detrimental to black and ethnic minority Christians, Griffin said that his understanding of Christian heritage was one of ‘national pride and history’, and that his relationship was not so much with Jesus, but rather with an idealistic idea of what the Anglican church – the ‘state church’ – should be.
He also stated that any church composed primarily of ethnic groups would be ‘disallowed’ in historically white majority areas, and forced to conduct their worship in areas deemed suitable by a white political leadership.
George Hargreaves said: ‘Most alarming for Christians and churches is the BNP’s policy on eliminating multiculturalism spending. Its policy is to overhaul the Charity Commission and debar from having charitable status any organisation that promotes multiculturalism, multi-racism and foreign religion. In fact, only “indigenous groups” are welcome and would receive funding’. (To see the debate, visit www.christianparty.org.uk.)
