Independent Indecision over BNP Initiative

Still in turmoil after the drubbing they received from the Task Force Report, the Independent Group on Burnley Council have been thrown into further disarray over Christmas after a BNP initiative exposed further divisions in their ranks.

The Task Force Report had referred to the Independent councillors as "mavericks who had disproportionate influence" and criticised them for their poor debating skills and their lack of political leadership and direction.

It was this criticism that spurred Burnley BNP's initiative which asked Independent candidates to stand down at May Council elections so that a BNP challenge to Labour could provide that clear leadership and direction.

Predictably the leader of the Independent Group of councillors, John Lloyd, wanted to stand again and he received guarded support from Granville Lord (Hapton with Park), who, although against surrending his seat, admitted "there was always negotiation at election time".

But while some councillors might wish to fight their seats again, many of their election helpers are against it.

Three of their senior campaign workers attended the November meeting of Burnley and Pendle BNP and confirmed that they would be working for the BNP in the run-up to the May council elections.

"Burnley doesn't need the Independent group now it has the BNP. Indpendent candidates only got support because people wanted to oppose the corruption that was going on within the local Labour organisation." That was how one saw it, while another had more scathing criticism,
"How can you be Independent if you are working in a group. The original Independent councillors were genuine, but since their success the name "Independent" has been hi-jacked by political opportunists, some with an agenda harping back to the Militant Tendency days in Liverpool. They have nothing to offer the people of Burnley and have done the town a disservice".

Simon Bennett, deputy organiser for Burnley and Pendle BNP, said that his party was able to offer a permanent political home for those Independents who genuinely wanted to help the community,
"We would welcome them to join us and they would benefit from our local organisation with its thousands of supporters in the town and structure to take on New Labour."





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