Blair Blasts Burnley Labour PartyThe Prime Minister has criticised Burnley Labour Party over its lack of organisation and falling membership which, he says, has opened the door to the British National Party in the town.
At a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Wednesday 16th January Tony Blair said, The stinging attack has upset local activists who see the problem of falling membership as a result of New Labour policies, rather than lack of local organisation. One cited the proposed green card system for illegal immigrants to fill job vacancies, as a classic example. "The Government tell us that this new system will weaken support for the BNP because it will give legitimacy to thousands of illegal immigrants living in Britain. Well I can tell you the absolute opposite will be achieved. It will been seen by the public as giving to immigrants, jobs that should be going to our own unemployed." Since the General Election there has been growing discontent amongst local Labour Party members and supporters at what they see as outside interference into the running of the constituency party. The crisis was brought to a head in November when grandfather Jack Cochrane, a Burnley Labour Party activist since 1947, was ordered around "by a bloke I didn't know from Adam" while acting as a teller outside a polling station during the council by-elections. Apparently the official was one of 40 full-time activists brought in from Warrington to ensure that Labour got it's vote out and defeated the challenge from Burnley BNP.
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