Tory ‘reverend’ joins the BNP

-15/05/06

A Conservative councillor who set up what many have seen as a religious front for the Far Right is defecting to the British National Party.

The ‘Rev’ Robert West had been suspended from being a Tory member of South Holland District Council in Lincolnshire after he spoke at a BNP meeting.

Mr West, 50, said yesterday: “I have decided to seek refuge from political correctness by applying for asylum with the British National Party ó Britainís finest and most decent party ó in our countryís hour of need.

“The Conservative Partyís list of candidates which deliberately exclude white male candidates in favour of women, non-white and homosexual or lesbian candidates, is discrimination of the worst kind.”

Mr West, a member of the Lincolnshire Council for Racial Equality until he was suspended, said he had set up his own group ‘The Christian Council of Britain’, based in a house in Holbeach, Lincolnshire, to preach “traditional Bible beliefs”.

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Main Christian denominations however have issued statements pointing out that the beliefs of his group conflict with and contradict Christian beliefs.

West has admitted that the BNP helped to establish the group.

The thinktank Ekklesia was amongst those who highlighted how the far-right British National Party (BNP) sought to gain ground in this months local elections by attempting to us religion, playing on false fears about race and immigration, and by seeking to exploit the mythology of a white ëChristian Britainí.

It is a yet unclear from where West gets the title “Reverend”.

The Times newspaper has suggested that the ‘Rev’ Robert West is an ordained elder with the Apostolic Church. However, the Apostolic Church has expressed no knowledge of West.

A spokesperson for the church said; “If this person has had any association with The Apostolic Church in the past the only means by which he can maintain either his membership or office is by attending one of our churches. If he were an active member of the Church his views would not be accepted by the Church and disciplinary action would be undertaken by the Church which strongly distances itself from views such as these.”

A Conservative councillor who set up what many have seen as a religious front for the Far Right is defecting to the British National Party.

The ‘Rev’ Robert West had been suspended from being a Tory member of South Holland District Council in Lincolnshire after he spoke at a BNP meeting.

Mr West, 50, said yesterday: “I have decided to seek refuge from political correctness by applying for asylum with the British National Party, Britain’s finest and most decent party, in our country’s hour of need.”

“The Conservative Party’s list of candidates which deliberately exclude white male candidates in favour of women, non-white and homosexual or lesbian candidates, is discrimination of the worst kind.”

Mr West, a member of the Lincolnshire Council for Racial Equality until he was suspended, said he had set up his own group ‘The Christian Council of Britain’, based in a house in Holbeach, Lincolnshire, to preach “traditional Bible beliefs”.

Main Christian denominations however have issued statements pointing out that the beliefs of his group conflict with and contradict Christian beliefs.

West has admitted that the BNP helped to establish the group.

The thinktank Ekklesia was amongst those who highlighted how the far-right British National Party (BNP) sought to gain ground in this months local elections by attempting to us religion, playing on false fears about race and immigration, and by seeking to exploit the mythology of a white ‘Christian Britain’.

It is a yet unclear from where West gets the title “Reverend”.

The Times newspaper has suggested that the ‘Rev’ Robert West is an ordained elder with the Apostolic Church. However, the Apostolic Church has expressed no knowledge of West.

A spokesperson for the church said; “If this person has had any association with The Apostolic Church in the past the only means by which he can maintain either his membership or office is by attending one of our churches. If he were an active member of the Church his views would not be accepted by the Church and disciplinary action would be undertaken by the Church which strongly distances itself from views such as these.”