Folk Against Fascism

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Andy Jackson
Date: 24 Jun 09 - 11:09 AM

Thanks Snail, I've been looking around at the Anglo Saxon Foundation. This mischevious bunch come over first as a lot of well meaning weirdos, but further investigation reveals a nasty streak. They seem to be a more acceptable face of BNP thinking but they are just the thin end of the wedge, and as such very dangerous.

FAF Andy

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Stringsinger
Date: 24 Jun 09 - 10:33 AM

The nature of folk music is not restrictive otherwise it becomes a shallow copy rather than a full-blown living representation of a folk culture. It sounds to me that these erstwhile Anglo-Saxon groups are using folk music as a synthetic veneer, not a vital tradition.
Music is a unifier. Unfortunately there were Nazi songs that were intended to unify some sick people.

Hitler used Wagner (who was an anti-semite) in this way. The myths were intended to bolster the supremacy view. It became a characterized cartoon of itself.

Bluegrass music runs the same danger in the US. I don't like to see the rebel Confederate battle flags flying at these events.

Association by ideology that promote racial supremacy with certain musics are destined to
be laughed at by future generations. The BNP are neo-Nazis that will not be important in
the annals of history.

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 24 Jun 09 - 05:43 AM

Anyone know what the story behind Griffins fifteen yr. old "folk singer" daughter is?

I got the impression he intends to use her as a propaganda tool for attracting kids to the cause, much in the same way that Prussian Blue - the folk singing blonde teenagers in the 'happy Hitler' tee's - were used with some success, by white supremacists in the US.

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: TheSnail
Date: 24 Jun 09 - 05:33 AM

Miskin Man

Perhaps a bit of elaboration on the "bother" they caused might enlighten.

I don't wnat to get too bogged down with long accounts but this is the basic story.

A new chap appeared on the scene with a genuine interest in traditional music, in particular English traditional song. He seemed very tentative at first but I persuaded him to get more involved and he eventually started to sing; not great but competent and showing a good understanding of the material.

Once in, he turned out to be a good organiser and ran a number of events financed by his local council. He got some traditional music into his daughter's primary school. He had some over romanticised ideas about the golden age of Anglo-Saxon England and professed to be a worshipper of Odin but that just seemd to be harmless eccentricity. Politics was never mentioned. We thought he was a useful addition to the scene.

Then he blew it. He announced himself to a rather random list of people as the regional spokesman for The Steadfast Trust in a press pack that included an emphasis on the importance of the North West European gene pool and rants against immigration.

I hoped that the right had just latched on to a naive enthusiast who might prove useful to them and I tried to persuade him of the error of his ways but to no avail. I later found he was well in with right wing figures and had articles published in BNP publications.

When my arguments failed, I made sure that everybody who needed to know did so and that he knew that they knew. He hasn't been seen much since although he did run one succesful St George's Day event.

Bryan Creer

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 24 Jun 09 - 05:26 AM

Richard. Please, no cynicism. How about we lock them in a room and play them Harry Cox, Phil Tanner and George Maynard. That would probably be the last anyone heard of The Anglo Saxon Foundation.

Anyway, I asked a question on this thread a few days ago, about whether Griffin's great grandfather had been a travelling Hawker. I've just found the following on the Nothing British site.

Nick Griffin's great-grandfather a tinker, says The Express on Sunday

Nick Griffin's great-grandfather was an itinerant "licensed hawker dealing in china and crockery ware" who probably lived in a caravan, according to census information revealed by the Daily Express.

The revelation comes in the same week as attacks on Griffin denied that BNP were behind attacks on gypsies in Northern Ireland.

"We have to bear in mind that the gypsy community is notorious for its extremely high rate of criminality and antisocial behaviour," said Griffin, 50.

"Everyone in Romania and Eastern Europe nows this and it is one reason why their governments are so keen to encourage them to come over here."

The full story can be read at the Sunday Express website; http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/108958/Derek-family-secrets-of-BNP-leader-Nick-Griffin .

Thinks. "So that's what explains Griffin's criminal behaviour. It's in his genes, mate, that's what it is. It's in his genes."

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 24 Jun 09 - 05:15 AM

I've just received the Press Release below from an organisation called Nothing British. I know nothing about them, other than Tim Montgomerie and James Bethell are bother Conservatives. (Hell, I'd shake hands with the devil himself if I thought he'd stick his pitchfork up Griffin's rectum.)

In any event, their website is at http://www.nothingbritish.com/

THERE'S NOTHING BRITISH ABOUT THE BNP

Press release – 23.07.09 – immediate release

Equality and Human Rights Commission "letter of action" to BNP re possible breaches of race law

"There nothing British about an organisation that excludes members or staff on the ground of colour," said James Bethell of Nothing British. "The BNP's membership policy defines it as a party of racists, segregationists and bigots. A successful legal challenge would be a victory for British democratic values."

"Of course, no one likes the idea of a government-appointed quango issuing legal proceedings against a political party with democratically-elected representatives. However, for too long the BNP's membership policy has widely advertised the poisonous suggestion that it's ok to define people according to the colour of their skin. It is time to tell the BNP in simple terms that Britain doesn't tolerate racists."
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Note to editors:-

1.       The BNP's membership policy is outlined in Section 2 of the BNP constitution:-

"1)    … Membership of the BNP is strictly defined within the terms of, and our members also self define themselves within, the legal ambit of a defined 'racial group' this being 'Indigenous Caucasian' and defined 'ethnic groups' emanating from that Race as specified in law in the House of Lords case of Mandla V Dowell Lee (1983) 1 ALL ER 1062, HL.

"2)    The indigenous British ethnic groups deriving from the class of 'Indigenous Caucasian' consist of members of:

i)                   The Anglo-Saxon Folk Community;

ii)                   The Celtic Scottish Folk Community;

iii)                  The Scots-Northern Irish Folk Community;

iv)                The Celtic Welsh Folk Community;

v)                  The Celtic Irish Folk Community;

vi)                The Celtic Cornish Folk Community;

vii)               The Anglo-Saxon-Celtic Folk Community;

viii)             The Celtic-Norse Folk Community;

ix)                The Anglo-Saxon-Norse Folk Community;

x)                  The Anglo-Saxon-Indigenous European Folk Community.

Members of these ethnic groups who reside either within or outside Europe but ethnically derive from them."
2.       "Nothing British" (www.nothingbritish.com) is a campaign against the BNP run by Tim Montgomerie and James Bethell.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There Nothing British About The BNP

www.nothingbritish.com

5 The Sanctuary
London SW1P 3JS
Tel: [phone]

DL: [phone]
Mob: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

http://www.nothingbritish.com/

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 24 Jun 09 - 05:09 AM

What, you mean the fact that they like Seth Lakeman, Bellowhead, and Krusby? Deep followers of the real tradition in English music?

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 24 Jun 09 - 05:03 AM

Folks checking out the Anglo Saxon foundation should look at this page. It makes interesting and, from our point of view, highly significant reading.

http://www.uepengland.com/bbs/index.php?showforum=47

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: theleveller
Date: 24 Jun 09 - 04:20 AM

Thanks for the information, Ruth. "Know thine enemy" is a good maxim.

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 04:56 PM

It's important to know who the Steadfast Trust really are, and what they represent. There is a group of very nasty racial purists in England who call themselves Anglo Saxons. They have adopted the white dragon as their symbol - the white dragon that is also the logo of the Steadfast Trust. Even "steadfast" is a coded message: the Steadfast Sword is an "ancient symbol" of the "Ethnically English" and features in their monocultural mythology.

This stuff is used by groups like The Anglo Saxon Foundation - before you click on that link, I have to say it doesn't make for very nice reading. There is some horrible, racist stuff in there. But this is the same group who recently created children's activity packs for the Steadfast Trust to distribute to pubs in Leicester as part of their "English Event Packs". The Steadfast Trust also advertises books sold through the Anglo Saxon Foundation.

How Steadfast ever got charitable status is a complete mystery. But it has legitimised their whole approach - in the same way that Nick Griffin has mainstreamed the BNP with his re-packaging. It's the same old racists and thugs underneath.

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 03:19 PM

There isn't any issue with *recognising and addressing* problems that face young white working class males, because there *are* issues for this group which require addressing, the red herring that groups like Steadfast are insinuating, is that problems associated with young white working class males are somehow 'related to' or worse 'caused by', counterpointed successes within equivalent immigrant groups.

The problem with orgs like Steadfast Trust is that their "interest" in the problems of young white working class males is disingenuous. They're more interested in the scapegoating immigrants, than genuinely becoming constructively involved in sorting out fully home-grown forms of societal dysfunction.

Old story...

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Rifleman (inactive)
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 02:57 PM

This cut and pasted from the resources page of The Steadfast Trust,s website

what word do most of the entries contain?

Says it all doesn't it?


Academic and institutional reports

Many of these reports repeatedly make references to "white boys" or the "white-British" community and people. It is important to understand that in the vast majority of cases what they are actually referring to are under-privileged English boys, English people and the English community.

Report 1 - Manchester University Report

Report 2 - Government Report by Home Office Advisor

Report 3 - Conservative Social Justice Policy Group

Report 4 - Bristol University Report

Report 5 - White British boys most persistent low educational achievers

Report 6 - New study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Report 7 -Lost white boys from The Times

Report 8 - Ethnic minority pupils improving faster in three Rs than white classmates

Report 9 - As Black and Asian teenagers flock to university, WHITE working-class boys are shunning higher education

Report 10 - White teenagers are significantly less likely to go to university than their peers from ethnic minority groups

Report 11 - White children most likely to be bullied

Report 12 - Teachers acting as substitute fathers for White boys

Report 13 - White working class left behind

The Steadfast Trust Resources Page

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 02:10 PM

My previous comment was in response to Mr Anonymous, obviously.

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 02:08 PM

Really? When was this? I'd be interested* to hear about this, given that the first thing you see when you go to the Web site of the National Black Police Association is the words:

Membership of the NBPA is open to all in policing on application

There is no bar to membership based on colour.

See for yourself.

*That is, I would be interested to hear about it, if I thought for a moment that it had ever happened.

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Andy Jackson
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 01:24 PM

Hmm, The Steadfast Trust. What I found frightening was that it all looked so reasonable and sensible. Only when you think "BNP" does it start to look devious. I have to sk, are we over reacting. Perhaps a bit of elaboration on the "bother" they caused might enlighten.
Much as I loath the very existence of the BNP, I still have a great pride in my Englishness.

FAF Andy

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: TheSnail
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 01:10 PM

As well as the BNP, it's worth keeping an eye out for The Steadfast Trust who gave us a bit of bother here in Sussex a couple of years ago. Select "News and Updates" from the menu to see the sort of thing they are getting up to.

One of their stated objects is -

TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC IN ANGLO-SAXON MUSIC AND OTHER FORMS OF ART AND CULTURE (BOTH MODERN AND ANCIENT);

Bryan Creer

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Rifleman (inactive)
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 12:28 PM

Messing with our minds ans accounts is the only tactic the BNP and their supporters have, I've seen this sort of thing under other circumstances and events, it's pathetic, but at the same time annoying

As I've already said, they're cowards, nothing more, nothing less.

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: jeddy
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 12:20 PM

i had one of those weird messages, well two actually.

the first one was resonable, the second one said that i had been very offencive and i had been blocked.

i had to ask whether this was real or not, it was a fake.
just to warn others, it is getting confusing i much prefere the nasty ones, at least i know what they are.
i don't see how this lastest tactic,enhances the BNP, or tries to undermined the group.


take care

jade x x

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Rifleman (inactive)
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 11:39 AM

That's all that sort has, underhanded tactics, as has been proven so many times, theyn daren't show themselves in the light of day, they're too cowardly.

DMR or whatever your calling yourself this week, pick on others who post here, and on the FaF site, and you pick on me, not a wise move, but then again wisdom isn't high on the BNP,s list of attributes is it?

I do hope I never catch you alone.......

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 11:36 AM

I've emailed Essex University Students Union regards informing them of FaF plans to organise gigs and so forth. Essex Uni has a high proportion of foreign students, and the county of Essex itself has a lot of BNP support. So hopefully the SU might find the initiative one worth getting on board with.

Considering in particular the recent resurgence of interest in Brit-Folk amongst younger audiences, I wondered if it might be worth others amongst us doing the same and *contacting their local Uni's SU*, to see what interest and/or support there might be for the campaign amongst the UK's student population.

A thought?

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 11:18 AM

The twerps' latest game is

1. Hack the facebook account of a FaF member ("the first member")
2. Use it to complain to other FaF members ("the second members") that a third FaF member has forwarded to the first FaF member (the hackee) an offensive message originating with third member.

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Rifleman (inactive)
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 11:14 AM

"Fred, I was a copper and I wasn't allowed to join the Black Police Association. Will the Equality and Human rights commission be talking to them ?"

First off, impersonating a police officer is an offence under the law.

second off, you, DMR or whatever your calling youself this week, are the single most offensive SOB I have ever had the misfortune to run across (too bad I can't run you over *LOL*). You feel so safe hiding behind your 'Guest' name don't you? Why? Because you are a coward, as all you sort is, you don't mind going round in gangs, beating up (and murdering) whomever offends you, but catch anyone of you alone, and you're whistling a different tune.

I do hope I never catch you alone.......

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 10:23 AM

GUEST,Ex Police Officer. Evenin' all. Or is that DMR raising his ugly head again.

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: jeddy
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 10:03 AM

i wonder whether they will change the rules or cop the punishment?

if they change the rules i wonder if anyone would even try to get in knowing how they would be treated.

maybe that is what needs to happen so the racist disrimination could be reported from inside the party, now there would be a very brave person indeed!!

take care all

jade x x

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: GUEST,Ex Police Officer
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 10:00 AM

Fred, I was a copper and I wasn't allowed to join the Black Police Association. Will the Equality and Human rights commission be talking to them ?

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 09:55 AM

Actually the Equality Act 2006 is the act that empowers the EHRC to police breaches of the Race Relations Act 1976, which is the legislation the BNP is (fairly clearly) guilty of breaching. Interesting times!

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 09:11 AM

Breaking news. The Equality and Human Rights Commission http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/media-centre/bnp-commission-takes-action-over-potential-breach-of-race-discrimination-law/ has just written to the BNP over its "whites only" Membership and employment policies. The letter argues that these breach the 2006 Equality Act and has given the BNP 30 days to reply.

Failure to supply an adequate answer could result in the EHRC issuing an injunction.

The full text of the Commission's letter is at http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/letter_before_claim_final.doc

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 22 Jun 09 - 04:09 PM

"bowdlerisation"?

Surely not!

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Stringsinger
Date: 22 Jun 09 - 03:48 PM

Fred, you are so right. There is no pure folk culture or unique national expression because there are always elements from predecessors or other parts of the world.

Cecil Sharp was hunting English Folk Song in the Appalachians in the US because he thought that this was the isolated carry over from early times which he considered not
to be extant in his time in England. Hence, the search which in my view culminated in a American musical expression. Of course, Sharp thought that the five-string banjo was a bowdlerization of the "English" folk song (I guess in the way that some would consider the electric guitar as such for any acoustic folk song.)

Understanding the roots of any given culture leads to antecedents that influence it.
Music from Galicia, Spain on Irish piping or traditional music might be
a case in point. (The Celts got around).

So if there is no pure race, nationality or culture, this then begs the question as to what defines a culture that excludes everything else not part of it.

Folk Against Fascism can show that the roots of English music run deep as a river flowing from other tributaries. This has little to do with a mythologized identity based on xenophobia.

When visiting St. Anne's College in Cape Breton, we talked to Mrs. Jones who really studied Scottish music and culture. Here's where they teach piping, dancing, fiddling etc.
Her statement was quite clear. "The Scots are the biggest mutts in the world."

Frank Hamilton

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: glueman
Date: 22 Jun 09 - 12:45 PM

The original Glueman gets all English in a war on fascism.

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: glueman
Date: 22 Jun 09 - 12:19 PM

600?

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Rifleman (inactive)
Date: 22 Jun 09 - 12:12 PM

Springtime in an English Village (1944) reminds me rather of a cross between an Ealing film and This Pack of Lies
note the music used and compare with that used in Springtime in an English Village

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Tug the Cox
Date: 22 Jun 09 - 11:42 AM

Good find Vic. I take it BNP aren't interested in using it!

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: jeddy
Date: 22 Jun 09 - 10:15 AM

the war took more than peoples lives, it took their humanity too.

i can't imagine being one of the soldiers who had to do those things. how do you carry on with that on your' concience?

even those people who don't know it, owe our brave boys and girls their thanks.

take care all

jade x x

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: The Sandman
Date: 22 Jun 09 - 09:41 AM

Vic,thanks for the clip of the film,it was quite interesting.
so were the comments.
one thing it did not do was make me feel patriotic.
however, both of us might have felt differently had we been there in 1944.
personally,I respect ALL those people who fought against Hitler,I know I would not be alive today but for all their efforts.

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: GUEST,ifor
Date: 22 Jun 09 - 09:13 AM

Around 80 anti fascists gathered outside a grotty hotel in Blackpool on saturday to protest at a BNP victory rally being held there.

Four BNP supporters could not resist coming across to give the Hitler salute and chant the names of concentration camps at the anti fascists.They were arrested.
ifor

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Vic Smith
Date: 21 Jun 09 - 06:19 PM

It's nearly May Day in England in 1944 and what is needed is something to cheer up war-torn England. Here is a delightful film that has the village children electing their May Queen and then the celebrations themselves.

This film should fill you with patriotic pride:-

Springtime in an English Village (1944)

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 21 Jun 09 - 04:16 AM

Re Nick Griffin's father and NF associations. Griffin dates his 'career' in ultra rightism from age 15, when he was taken to a NF meeting by his father.

BTW. I was waking up this morning, which is always a slow process with me, and I had the radio on. During the review of the morning papers, I thought I heard the announcer say that Nick Griffin's great grandfather had been a travelling hawker. Is this true or was I dreaming?

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: theleveller
Date: 20 Jun 09 - 03:51 PM

"é"
Love your accent.

Can't read anything on this screen so off until Monday.

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: jeddy
Date: 20 Jun 09 - 03:49 PM

i haven't caught up yet but thought i ought to tell you that there is a new troll about under the name.
   tam lower stoke.

i am the root of your' problems richard!! the impersonater was.....me   PMSL!!

i am happy to be the target this time!!

they say you have all been talking about me, i trust you lot enough to know that any problems you have with me you would approach me directly, as i would with any or you.

take care all

jade x x

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Rifleman (inactive)
Date: 20 Jun 09 - 02:58 PM

Get over it, sunshine, it's simply not of any import, except maybe to you and one or two others. That's the past, we have to deal with the here and now

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: The Sandman
Date: 20 Jun 09 - 02:37 PM

Rifleman,
there is nothing to beat having been there,as I was,and Tenor Two was, in 1984,that is how we know,about Griffins father.
these little details are often not included in computer information.
I knew Peter Bellamy,not really well, but enough to know his politics,he was a Conservative[but not the Griffin variety],neither was he [imo] a Freethinker,so please,stop repeating hearsay codswallop.

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Rifleman (inactive)
Date: 20 Jun 09 - 02:22 PM

"Nick Griffin comes from a wealthy right-wing family. His father, Edgar was a Conservative party member, involved in Iain Duncan Smith's campaign for election as party leader until he was discovered answering a BNP hotline in the absence of Griffin's mother who had also stood as a BNP candidate against Duncan Smith in during the 2001 general election."

quoted from Here

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: TenorTwo
Date: 20 Jun 09 - 02:22 PM

You're quite right about Griffin's father and, yes, he did stand as an NF candidate (I forget the exact year - must have been about 1984). My recollection of the electoral roll for Huntingfield is that - if my memory serves me correctly - it consisted of precisely nine names, three (or possibly four) of which were Griffin. The council seat was Huntingfield, Walpole and a couple of other villages, so that evened up the odds!

Me? I was wearing out shoe leather and car tyres for another, and in that area, equally hopeless cause!

T2

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: The Sandman
Date: 20 Jun 09 - 02:00 PM

the extraordinary thing,is that there were no black ,jewish, asians,living in Huntingfield in the 1980s,and probably arent any now.

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Rifleman (inactive)
Date: 20 Jun 09 - 01:25 PM

é
this what you're looking for...yeesh some people are slow!

anyway enough of this bantering (tryng not to *LOL*)..the subject matter of this thread is far more important

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: The Sandman
Date: 20 Jun 09 - 01:19 PM

thanks ECHO.
I am fairly sure that Nick Griffins father ,was a member of the National Front,he used to live in Huntingfield[near Halesworth] in Suffolk,and may possibly[my memory may be playing tricks]have stood as a council candidate for the National Front in the early 1980s.
his father used to live at Cratfield road huntingfield

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 20 Jun 09 - 10:02 AM

I reported on many far-right incitement to racial hatred and public order trials, none so bizarre as those of the Dowager Lady Birdwood who never, unfortunately, got what she deserved. Here's what Searchlight had to say about this vile and nasty piece of work in 2000 after she died:

A very English extremist

Just a glimpse of what we are up against; the extreme voice of Britain's establishment. However, membership of FAF passed 3,000 this morning in under two weeks. Hurrah!

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Andy Jackson
Date: 20 Jun 09 - 09:26 AM

Well said Mick, perhaps this will get the thread back on track.

Andy

Subject: RE: Folk Against Fascism
From: Mick Tems
Date: 20 Jun 09 - 08:36 AM

I worked as a senior journalist on Cardiff's evening paper, the South Wales Echo, and I was all too familiar with the odious, ugly and repugnant policies of Nick Griffin. Griffin used to live in Penarth, the seaside resort adjoining Csrdiff, and later he ended up moving to a cottage near to Welshpool, Powys.

The BNP had its roots in the National Front, the proto-fascist gang of thugs and hooligans. As a young reporter working in Ilford, I was only too aware of the shady criminal groups the NF fed on - for example, one notorious NF leader, Ron Tear, had a shrine glorifying Hitler is his council flat (front page lead, the Ilford Recorder) and another NF leader, postal worker John Cook, was sentenced for stealing loads of valuable mail.

The BNP may have played down their fascist connections to lure and net the gullible public, but their leadership is out-and-out fascist and racist all the same, and they don't care who is trampled on in their crazed lust for power.

I signed up with FAF, and I'm proud to stand up and be counted. I dearly love Welsh traditional music, its practices and ceremonies, too much to see it hijacked by rightist thuggery.

Mick Tems