President stands firm in BNP row

UNDER-FIRE students' union leader Assed Baig has broken his silence to say he has no intention of resigning.

The Staffordshire University Students' Union president has been attacked by the British National Party (BNP) for linking a posting on the union's website to a confidential list of the party's members' names and postcodes.

The link was removed within 24 hours after The Sentinel contacted the union, following an outcry from students.

But the BNP has since complained to Staffordshire Police that there was a breach of data protection and race laws.

And more than 1,000 students have subsequently spoken out against Mr Baig's policies and leadership on social networking website Facebook.

Councillor Alby Walker, BNP group leader on Stoke-on-Trent City Council, has now called for Mr Baig's suspension from the university, for inciting harassment of his party's members.

But Mr Baig has rounded on his attackers and accused them of trying to undermine him because of his religion and his anti-racist beliefs.

He said: "I think this criticism from the BNP is rich. They seem to be up in arms about the website link, but if they've got nothing to hide then what is the issue?

"Maybe they should stop trying to capitalise on this and rile up students on Facebook. I believe they are just out to silence a Muslim, Asian person who is campaigning against the BNP.

"They are using underhand tactics to try to get rid of me and I believe they are behind the Facebook campaign against me, because they see me as a threat.

"I'm not stepping down, because I know the vast majority of students are behind me."

Mr Walker says Mr Baig has overstepped the mark and should stand down.

He has made a formal complaint to Professor Christine King, Staffordshire University vice-chancellor, accusing the union president of inciting students to target and harass BNP members living near the university's Stoke campus.

And Mr Walker said he was particularly concerned about a potential backlash against members who attend the university for leadership training.

In his email to Professor King, he said: "This was provocation and incitement to harass the members of a legal, non-violent political organisation.

"I urge you now to suspend Mr Baig from your university to promote and aid community cohesion."

Mr Walker is still awaiting a response to his complaint.

But he said: "I think the reaction of students to what Mr Baig has done shows they believe he is in the wrong.

"Whether they agree with our policies and principles or not, they realise that what he did is fundamentally wrong.

"I believe he is a dangerous person to have around and the university would be a better place without him."

A university spokesman said: "The university is responding to Mr Walker's complaint directly and does not wish to make any further comment."