Defector damages BNP election plan
THE BNP's hopes of winning a maiden Parliamentary seat in Stoke-on-Trent are in disarray today following the defection of one of its most popular members.
Alby Walker now intends to stand against the far-right party's deputy leader, Simon Darby, in the General Election.
Mr Darby has set his sights firmly on snatching Labour MP Mark Fisher's Stoke-on-Trent Central seat.
And he had confidently predicted that Councillor Walker was to manage his campaign.
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Mr Darby sees the seat as winnable, due to public discontent with mainstream politicians, and is bullish about his chances.
But The Sentinel can exclusively reveal that, far from masterminding Mr Darby's campaign, Councillor Walker actually intends to stand against him as an independent candidate.
The embarrassing blow comes as Mr Darby and BNP leader Nick Griffin are due to launch their national election strategy, and their challenge for the Stoke Central seat, in the city today.
Councillor Walker's move is likely to split the right-wing vote, as he has a personal following in his own Abbey Green ward.
Speaking yesterday, Mr Darby seemed to have no idea that his former ally would be fighting him for the same seat.
He said: "I don't think that's the case at all. I've not heard anything about that.
"I know that anything can happen in politics, but I wouldn't have thought that was true."
He added: "It was Alby that asked me to stand and offered to be my election agent, so I can't see him standing against me for the same seat."
But when confronted yesterday about rumours of his political defection from the BNP, Councillor Walker admitted he is planning to quit the party and stand against Mr Darby.
He said: "I am not going to deny the rumours about standing as an independent candidate, although I would need to find a financial backer in order to make that happen.
"I was going to walk away from politics, but so many people in my ward have begged me to stand because they feel I have worked hard for them as a councillor.
"I am therefore considering standing for re-election as an independent councillor as well as standing for the Parliamentary seat."
Mr Walker, who stood down as the BNP's city council group leader without warning last month, said he had become increasingly disenchanted with politics and wanted to focus on helping residents.
He said: "I'm fed up of party politics. I believe it is fragmenting the council and hurting the city because nothing is getting done.
"Being a councillor has really opened my eyes and I realise that the only important thing is the residents and the community."
He added: "I have been heartened by the approaches I have had from many people in my ward asking me to stand, but I am only willing to stand as an independent and work for local residents."
Comments
by Dr Andrew Emerson, Chichester
Tuesday, January 19 2010, 1:33PM
“Whilst keeping an open mind on the question of the accuracy of this story, I should like to point out that Stoke Central is not the only parliamentary constituency in Stoke on Trent that the British National Party has in its sights.
The BNP also has an excellent chance of winning overall control of the local authority, as it would have had of winning the mayoralty - had the office not been hastily abolished by a panic-stricken Establishment, running scared of yet another BNP breakthrough.
Who can deny that the BNP is newsworthy, or that stories about it, despite their invariable negative spin, sell newspapers?”
by Charley, Basford
Friday, January 15 2010, 10:47PM
“@Anthony don't lump the rest of us in with the bigots, homophobes and racists who vote for the BNP. Voting for the BNP is NEVER Justified I don't care how much you may agree with their, few, non-discriminatory policies their policies toward ethnic minorities and LGBT people amongst others should forever relegate them to the dark ages along with the EDL, the KKK, the Nazis and the national front. Their kind of 'politics' can only ever lead to hatred and misery.”
by anon, hanley
Friday, January 15 2010, 9:21PM
“If you think Alby Walker leaving the BNP is going to change the BNP, wait to see the election wins they get.
He is one man, the BNP is a collective.
They have kicked two Labour leaders out of office next time round it will be three.
Pathetic left wing losers whining the usual garbage.”
by Warren, Meir
Friday, January 15 2010, 7:49PM
“Tim....Stoke, not half as much of a shambels that the BNP are looking at the moment. It was only the other week that ol' Whitey was pulling into the sideings, giveing up the leadership of the BNP as it ment to much time away from his famliy life, now he is running, aganst one of its leading men for a seat in Westminster, a jobthat would take him away from famliy life 4, 5, 6 days a week. This lot are liying as usaual and Fat Nicks boot boy army can't say a thing, thats why they an't hear.”
by Stuart, Suffolk
Friday, January 15 2010, 7:20PM
“Well done Cllr Walker for recognising that party politics is all about self serving egotists interested solely grabbing money and air time for their egos and less about serving the taxpayers and residents. Independents are the way forward; focusing on local issues and how these are determined by the clique in Westminster and Brussels. As a former member of the BNP I can say that the handful of decision makers at the top of the BNP are as egotistical, money orientated and self serving as any of the mainstream trio. Good luck Mr. Walker, you really must beat Simon Darby - not a very pleasant individual, nor someone who did much for the people of Dudley when he was a very short lived councillor back in 2003. His time there was disastrous, woe betide the poor people of Stoke Central if this lazy individual is their representative in the Commons.”
by Stuart Baxter, Suffolk
Friday, January 15 2010, 7:11PM
“Well done Cllr Walker for recognising party politics is all about self serving egos, money (of course) and not about representing residents. As a former BNP member myself I can say that the BNP is no better than the other 3 mainstream parties in this respect. Good luck in your election campaign. Focus on how local issues have been affected by poor decision making from the very top and how Brussels dictates what happens on the streets of Stoke.”
by paul, birmingham
Friday, January 15 2010, 4:36PM
“This is a fake story surely?”
by Tim, Stoke
Friday, January 15 2010, 3:00PM
“Anthony, Mount Pleasant
The only reason BNP will win is because Labour is such a shambles of a party.
SHAME on Labour for letting BNP in on there guard.......”
by Warren, Meir
Friday, January 15 2010, 2:20PM
“Well done Alby, spilt the foolish people who vote for a biggot right in half, and common seance wins though. Good luck to you both, set of idiots.”
by david jones, stoke
Friday, January 15 2010, 1:56PM
“well done mr walker sense prevails in the end think you will do better on your own”