The equality watchdog is conducting an internal investigation into allegations that a director requested names of ethnic minority staff that could be asked to join the British National Party (BNP).
A source told Personnel Today that the director asked colleagues in a teleconference to identify employees at the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) from black and ethnic minority backgrounds who could be asked to join the far-right BNP.
The EHRC allegedly wanted to gather evidence that the BNP refused membership to minority applicants, in the build up to its legal case against the party's rules. The far-right party has subsequently agreed to change its constitution and membership rules.
In a letter to Personnel Today, the source said: "[The director] clearly ignored the legal, ethical and public safety implication of [his or her] advice. We have learnt that all staff present in the teleconference rejected the advice of [the director] and have officially complained against [that person]."
Personnel Today contacted members of staff allegedly involved in the teleconference, who confirmed the incident was currently being investigated, but refused to provide further details.
The source claimed the staff involved in the teleconference have since been "treated with suspicion" and labelled "troublemakers".
"Some directors have even chosen to make derogatory remarks against [the staff] rather than taking any firm action against [the director]," the source added.
Jeya Thiruchelvam, employment law editor at XpertHR, warned the alleged actions by the director could constitute race discrimination.
She said: "Ironically, the act of requesting or instructing non-white employees to join the BNP, even if the aim is to highlight the assertion that the BNP is continuing to restrict its membership on racial grounds, and is therefore inherently racist, may well constitute direct race discrimination.
"This is because you have a situation where employees are being selected on the grounds of their race (or ethnic or national origin) and being treated less favourably - by being requested to a join a far-right extremist political party – than their white colleagues."
An EHRC spokeswoman did not deny the allegations, but said: "An internal investigation is ongoing at the moment. It is not, and has never been, the policy of the commission to encourage anyone to join or attempt to join the BNP. The commission has never authorised anyone to issue any such instructions."
Pressure grows on EHRC chairman
Meanwhile, the behaviour of the EHRC’s chairman, Trevor Phillips, is under scrutiny by the Joint Committee on Human Rights, following accusations he “isolated” and “intimidated” other commissioners, some of whom subsequently resigned. Phillips is due to give evidence to the committee of MPs on 10 November.
2 comments:
Lee,
a genuine question here -- under a BNP govt, would ethnic English men who have intermarried with non Anglo Saxons get a tough time ?
Would their children be considered non British, even though they have one parent's centuries of British blood flowing through their veins? Would that mixed nationality child face discrimination? Would they be an equal participant in a BNP England? If not -- why not? After all, they would have every right to be as proud of their UK ancient ancestors' heritage as the next 'pure' ethnic British white man.
That's a genuine question -- not a snidey , provocative, pointed one.
And if you answer, can you back that up by pointing me to relevant sections in the BNP manifesto ?
Do you think the EDL , with their mixed nationality member ship are moving in the right direction for a Britain proud of who they are, and unasahmed of few mixed natinality members?
Thanks.
G.
Hi G,
Of course we have no problem with mixed non-Anglo people.
I am half Irish myself.
All British citizens would have equal legal status.
The only people we have a problem with are colonists - those who come here, refuse to assimilate, who want to impose their religion, culture and laws on us eg the extremists that demand Sharia Law.
They have to go.
All British citizens will be made to assimilate into British culture, and whilst they will have a British cultural identity their own ethnic, religious and racial identity will be a matter for them and their own private lives - not an issue for the BNP in any way.
The BNP are here primarily to represent the interests of the indigenous British majority and to defend British culture, but that doesnt mean we cannot and will not represent all British citizens - in fact as we intend to ensure British culture becomes the dominant culture in our society again then all those British citizens from former commonwealth countries that came here from British countries, with a British culture and raised to be British will be delighted to see Britain become Britain again.
The EDL are taking a step in the right direction in nationalising young mixed race people, but they are just a protest group.
In order to assimilate our own people then we need hundreds of government funded organisations that assist and demand assimilation from naturalised British citizens.
For far too long liberalism has allowed naturalised British citizens to become colonists - and that entire process has to be reversed.
Mixed race people will be taught they are British first and their race / religion will be a matter for them as to whether they want to learn their ethnic history etc.
Once our people have been nationalised and British culture restored, they will have the right to join any ethnic / racial organisations that represent their interests in the political / social process.
If they want to join and form lobby groups that highlight issues of concern to their own ethnic / racial or religious community that is entirely acceptable - they will be able to campaign for their communities interests in order to facilitate and accelerate assimilaition, but those who try and use the law to force apartheid and ghettoisation for religious aims will be prevented from doing so.
No more Black History Month - every month will be British History month.
We will create a meritocratic society where the entire race relations industry is abolished.
The BNP does not stand for forced integration nor colonisation = we stand for British Nationalism and assimilation the right of all individuals to live in a Britain with a strong British culture.
Who we marry and have kids with is our own business, it has nothing to do with any government.
Regards,
Lee
Post a Comment