BNP member pictured with neo-fascists

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Saturday, May 15, 2010
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This is Staffordshire

THE BNP will take no action against one of its councillors after he was photographed alongside two men performing the Nazi salute.

Anti-BNP website Nothing British has published a picture, dating back to 2003, showing Bentilee and Townsend councillor Steve Batkin standing by the war memorial in Stone with a group of neo-fascists.

Although Mr Batkin is not seen making the salute, Nothing British claims the picture shows his true beliefs and the real nature of the BNP.

Maurice Cousins, deputy editor of Nothing British, said: "If Nick Griffin does not take action against Mr Batkin it will show the leadership of the BNP is still attached to the Nazism of the 1930s and 40s."

Michael Coleman, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council BNP group, said the photo did not reflect the modern BNP.

He said: "This is an unpleasant and regrettable picture. A lot has happened in the last seven years, and we are now distancing ourselves from that kind of behaviour.

"I will be speaking to Steve about the company he keeps but he will not be expelled."

The picture was supplied to Nothing British by former BNP group leader Alby Walker, who claims Mr Batkin is a Holocaust denier.

Mr Batkin said the other men in the photo were members of the Blood and Honour neo-fascist group.

He said: "I have never agreed with the strategy of the Blood and Honour group."

Mr Batkin rejected the claim he was a Holocaust denier, but he said he believes only 300,000 Jews died in the Second World War.

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5 Comments

  • Profile image for This is Staffordshire

    by LD, somewhere

    Tuesday, May 18 2010, 2:13AM

    “andrew gatward makes a valid point. Groups like Islam4UK have been proscribed, mainly for saying things that people may be uncomfortable. However, there are far-right groups out there, like the British People's Party, whose messages are far more threatening and they stay legal. Why the double standards by the authorities? Is there any credence to the conspiracy theory that they are deliberately trying to radicalise muslims for their own political ends?”

  • Profile image for This is Staffordshire

    by andrew gatward, Lincoln

    Monday, May 17 2010, 10:58AM

    “It is time these Neanderthals were banned from making such statements. We all know they are a bunch of neo nazi anti Muslim and anti Semitic scum bags, and some have recently been locked up for teorrorist offences. Why if islamic extremist groups are closed down for such things, have the government not put a ban of Griffin and his gang...they can't go underground because they already are. Their meetings are held in secret and everything they do is mirrored by any islamic extremist group they apparently oppose.
    Racist bigots like Balkin should never be allowed to sit on councils, we all know the aims of the British nazi Party, and should be kicking them out of their seats after making such offensive claims such as these. Most BNP are Holocaust deniers in any case, the only respect due this Neo nazi, if any respect is due is that he had the guts to air his views, rather than lie and deny like most of the BNP clan seem to do.
    The BNp are running scared, and they know now that when the British people do come out to vote they stand very little chance of success. Their leader is weak, pathetic and useless out of his comfort zone. His councillors stupid, narrow minded and incapable of doing their job, that is if they turn up to council meetings in the first place. The party is weak and the infrastructure is bending under the pressure of internal bickering and back stabbing. They stand very little chance of ever getting any real power we know that, but the build up of terrorist elements within the party should be a wake up call to all politicians to make a stand and rid this country of an officially legal Nazi party.
    Act before it is too late and the BNP Hitlerite griffin starts his war and the Rivers of Blood do start to flow....”

  • Profile image for This is Staffordshire

    by Doggong Al, Dogger Bank

    Saturday, May 15 2010, 10:16PM

    “Everything Scroungerish, I mean British, why do they actually have to have done anything to him? Is it not more likely that one morning he woke up and realised what a bunch of retards they really are?”

  • Profile image for This is Staffordshire

    by Everything British, Bentilee

    Saturday, May 15 2010, 5:41PM

    “It would be a good story Alby Walker if you told us what the BNP and Steve Batkin ever did to you. You joined.. you left.. now you spend every minute having a go - why? If the best you can get on Councillor Batkin is this, then he don't seem to be doing badly lately. Since being elected councillor he's taken responsibility - more than when he was.... pratting around with tools like these! So why not leave the poor guy alone to get on with his hard work for the ward eh.”

  • Profile image for This is Staffordshire

    by Fartybumpants, S-o-T

    Saturday, May 15 2010, 4:44PM

    “Can't take action against him as they are struggling to find people to represent them on the council as it is.”

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