2003 Elections - Scotland

Holyrood Campaign Launch

BNP Scotland today (07/02/03) launched its first ever campaign to win seats in the Scottish Parliament. This is the second elections to the Holyrood Assembly since devolution in 1999.

BNP Scotland had planned to hold a formal press conference in the Holiday Express Inn in Bathgate in central Scotland, carefully chosen because of ease of access for activists and reporters from both Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The right to democratic assembly by BNP Scotland members was denied after the arrival of a ragtag bunch of Anti-Nazi League supporters who tried to barge their way into the hotel foyer and disrupt the proceedings. BNP stewards were able to hold back the dishevelled and dirty, yellow lollipop waving, fascists until the police arrived to deal with the situation. Lothian and Borders police failed to uphold our right of assembly and forced our members and the press to leave the hotel. Management and staff of the hotel were shaken and visibly upset by the attempted attack on their property by ANAL. The action of the police in failing to remove the ANAL protesters from private property and allowing our meeting to continue peacefully is now subject to legal proceedings by BNP's legal team.

Not to be thwarted in getting our message across, the team of BNP activists hastily reorganized in a nearby lay-by which was once the entrance of the British Leyland truck assembly plant in Bathgate. It is now a derelict site, a visible sign of the loss of Scotland's manufacturing base due to globalisation.

Steve Blake, Campaign Assistant welcomed the media crews, which included representatives from Press Association, BBC Scotland, Scotsman, Daily Mail and Edinburgh Evening News. He then introduced BNP Chairman who had travelled up to assist with the launch. Nick gave the reasons why BNP Scotland are standing for Holyrood. Firstly the issue of asylum seekers which while not an issue covered within Holyrood was seen as an important issue throughout Scotland, with fears amongst many people that the Government's dispersal programme will see an influx of economic migrants flooding into Scottish towns and cities. Secondly the failure of post war economics to provide and sustain a solid manufacturing base in Scotland with massive job losses occurring as a result of globalisation. Thirdly the need to bring the electorate and those that are elected closer together.

Peter Appleby was then introduced as the candidate for the Regional List of Glasgow Constituency. Peter explained that he was putting himself forward as a voice of the ordinary voter. He said that he standing on the three fundamental principles on which democracy should be based competence, responsibility and accountability. All three of which were sadly lacking in the politics of Holyrood. Referring to the exorbitant cost of the new Holyrood Parliament building, Peter told reporters "new princes of Scotland have built themselves a palace but they haven't really produced anything for the Scottish people".

Extensive press coverage resulted from the launch including articles in today's Scotsman, Times, Daily Mail, Daily Record and BBC.