BNP 'amends' rules after court decision

The British National Party began processing applications within hours of a court order banning recruitment of new members after its leader claimed to have amended the constitution.

In a landmark ruling yesterday, Judge Paul Collins issued an injunction against the far-right group stating its constitution was illegal and ordering it to comply with equality laws.

He said the party’s membership rules meant it was “likely to commit unlawful acts”.

But Mr Griffin declared last night he had now amended the constitution to comply with the law and membership had therefore reopened.

The 17-page judgment, delivered at the Central London County Court, found the BNP’s clause that any members must agree to preserve the integrity of an “indigenous British” society was illegal and should be withdrawn.

It ordered the removal of the pledge to oppose immigration into the UK and maintain Britons as the “overwhelming majority” racial group.

As part of the injunction, the BNP will also have to abandon its “intimidatory” policy of sending officials to the homes of prospective new members.

Judge Collins said the sanction would apply until a new constitution was produced.

“The membership list will have to be closed until then,” he said. “The BNP is required to make sure their membership is fully apprised of the situation.”

Mr Griffin claimed he had used his authority to alter the wording of the constitution to remove the obligation on applicants to adhere to the principles of the party.

Last month the BNP scrapped its whites-only policy in an attempt to avoid legal action.

And on Tuesday, it withdrew its policy of opposing the integration of different ethnic groups in British society, which effectively ruled out mixed race marriages.

Mr Griffin, who met with shouts of “Nazi scum” from protesters as he arrived at the hearing, said of the judgment: “It’s opened a very dangerous door and it is a huge change to the unwritten constitution of Britain.

“They are claiming that they have been granted the right to interfere in what a party believes but the only people who have the right to judge are the electorate.”