View Full Version : Armed forces personnel......
....are now allowed to be members of the BNP. Odd that as I havent heard it on the BBC or read it in any of the tabloids...Any thoughts?
Why not? They are serving in the BRITISH army so why not join them?
You can be in the British Army and vote SNP and be a member,so why not the BNP?. Same thing different nation.
Im not disagreeing with the decision just wondering why a newsworthy item hasent been on the news.
Im not disagreeing with the decision just wondering why a newsworthy item hasent been on the news.
........maybe it isn't deemed newsworthy.
Bad Manners
27-Nov-08, 09:52
I don't see why it would be news worthy there are many different political followings and as they are not a banned orginisation why not if that is your belief. there are also many different religions within the army this does not make any difference to their ability to carry out orders and duties.
northener
27-Nov-08, 11:01
....are now allowed to be members of the BNP. Odd that as I havent heard it on the BBC or read it in any of the tabloids...Any thoughts?
The reason Bazeye, is that as serving members of the Armed Forces you have always been able to be a member of the BNP. They are a legitimate political party. So it's a non-news item.
The statement originally appeared recently in the Military's Part One and Standing Orders as a clarification point following the recent furore over leaked BNP member lists.
The Militarys stance on this - like most things involving civilian 'life' -is that you, as a member of the Armed Forces must not do "anything that brings the service into disrepute". You can be charged with "disrepute" in the Military...I've seen it happen a few times.
i.e You can become a member of the BNP - or any legitimate political partybut MUST NOT take part in any related activity that "brings the Armed Forces into disrepute".
So marching down the street at a BNP rally with a big placard saying "Muslims Out" or giving Nazi salutes would land you in the crap pretty quickly......
On a related note, I can remember the Royal Navy taking a dim view of anyone who shaved their head in the early 80's because of the association with the NF and racist elements of the Skinheads....something that simply doesn't happen now. The Military are quite sensitive when it comes to public perception of their members, they will jump on anyone who doesn't toe the line in matters such as these.
Northener If my memory serves me well added on to every charge sheet in the R.N. was a final charge. "That under section 39 of the Naval Discipline Act, said offender did conduct himself in a manner prejudicial to Good Order and Naval Discipline". So in fact just being on a charge meant you were guilty, they had you even for breathing in the wrong place. :roll:
It was mentioned very briefly in news reports the other week, on several occassions, that you could be a member of the BNP if in the armed services. Easy to miss it though...
Then ther's the good old "Section 69." cover-it-all:
Conduct to prejudice of military discipline.
Any person subject to military law who is guilty whether by any act or ommission or otherwise, of conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline shall, on conviction by court-martial, beliable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or any less punishment provided by this Act.
Is it the same for the Police? Just curious as an off duty officer has recently been dismissed from the GMP force as one of his colleagues reported him to his superiors for wearing a BNP lapel badge at a game at Old Trafford. I thought we were supposed to be living in a democracy. Im all confused.
Is it the same for the Police? Just curious as an off duty officer has recently been dismissed from the GMP force as one of his colleagues reported him to his superiors for wearing a BNP lapel badge at a game at Old Trafford. I thought we were supposed to be living in a democracy. Im all confused.
Was he there policing the game? If so, he shouldn't have been wearing any civilian badges at all.
I don't have a problem with people voting for who they want, regardless of their occupation.....but I do have a problem with people who deal with the public in the way the police do being members of any political party (or the masons, come to that).
Imo, voting can be taken as individual choice on one day as a result of studying and preferring one set of policies above others. Membership of any political party illustrates a committed mindset which is not necessarily benign and beneficent.
Certainly, when I lived in Moray, the police were not allowed to be members of the SNP (in the eighties, at least) ....though I don't know if that also applied to the UK parties.
Personally, I don't see which part of " The police have a ban on BNP membership that they say is based on their duty, as a public body, to promote equality under the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000." police officers don't understand. So why are they joining?
northener
27-Nov-08, 21:33
Yes, strange isn't it? The Armed Forces can join - yet the Police can't.
I'd assume it is because the Police are more involved in combatting politically motivated crimes than the Armed Forces ever would be.
I can see why a police officer may find him or herself 'compromised' by joining such fringe political groups. Given the constant barrage of accusations and inflammatory remarks surrounding the BNP's members and policies it's hardly suprising they can't join.
The Armed Forces are different..the are not there to uphold Civilian law or to protect the individual on the streets, to put it simply - they are there to shoot who they are told to shoot. So no apparent conflict of interest there.
percy toboggan
27-Nov-08, 21:42
Personally, I don't see which part of " The police have a ban on BNP membership that they say is based on their duty, as a public body, to promote equality under the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000." police officers don't understand. So why are they joining?
Perhaps they are letting their hearts rule their heads, or perhaps they think rules are for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools.
If they cannot join the BNP - and neither can Prison Officers then both groups should be excluded from all political party membership.
There is no 'equality' in Britain on racial grounds, socio-economic, educational , aspirational so the sooner we all get used to it the better. Still, if you live here you are one of the luckier ones.
Life is not fair, it's less fair still if you are a member of a minority which the majority don't take a shine to. I realised long ago that the entire notion of 'equality' is a complete myth. Some will always be more equal than others and for me, and almost certainly you life is not a level playing field...it never was, I doubt it ever will be.
If a Police officer feels strongly enough about the BNP to join ... and risk his job he has my respect, but unless he's fed up in his work then I'd consider him foolish....in the extreme. He should be content with using his 'x' factor at election time.
Or just vote for them without being a member. I wonder how many people who voted Lab in the last election are actually members of the Lab party, a tiny fraction I suspect.
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