The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #122449 Message #2686176
Posted By: Ruth Archer
23-Jul-09 - 02:33 PM
Thread Name: BS: So why has the BNP gained votes?
Subject: RE: BS: Folk Against Facism - Part II
The "Reverend" Robert West
"Ekklesia, the Christian think-tank has been doing some digging into the status of Robert West.
Jonathan Bartley, writing on Ekklesia's blog, can find no church that will admit that it ordained West, or that he is a member. Bartley does, however, quote the Apostolic Church (that were pointed at previously by the Times as the religious home of West) denying that they have any knowledge of West.
A spokesperson of the Apostolic Church said:
"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."
However, this seems a little disingenous of the Apostolic Church, as West is no longer 'active' in the Apostolic Church.
Robert West was first outed as a BNP member in the famous leak of the BNP membership leak of 2008, where he was clearly listed as an Apostolic Church clergyman.
Contacted by The Times (November 20th, 2008), West was defiant - and still seemingly a clergyman in the Apostolic Church:
"At the Apostolic Church in Holbeach, Lincolnshire, the Rev Robert West was unrepentant.
'I am a member of the BNP since May 2006,' he said. 'That's public knowledge. God has divided the nations for their own good. Every race needs their space. But I get on with the ethnic minorities,' he insisted. 'I love them really.'"
Today the "Reverend" Robert West seems to have no current connection to any Christian denomination apart from the Christian Council of Britain, which he co-founded with the BNP.
Various Christian organisations have denounced the Christian Council of Britain, whilst the BNP's religious tactics have been reported in the Christian press. Back in December 2008, the General Synod of the Church of England voted to ban clergy from joining the BNP.
The thinktank Ekklesia has pointed out that churches need to disassociate themselves from the "Christian nation" rhetoric which the BNP exploits.
A few days ago the Methodist Church has become the first major denomination in the UK to ban all its members from joining the British National Party."
His credentials seem as robust as those of former BNP press spokesman "Dr Phil Edwards" (real name Stuart Russell).