Union General Meeting (31st Jan 2008)
STATEMENT OF BELIEF: CONDEMNATION OF THE BNP
Proposed by: Grace Fletcher Hackwood
Seconded by: David Levene, Tom Langley, Adam Wollman, Ishmael Norris
This union notes:
(i) That the British National Party (BNP) is a far-right political party.
(ii) Leading BNP figures are convicted criminals.[1]
(iii) The BNP limits party membership on basis of skin colour, claiming that ‘To be truly British one has to have a British genotype, as well as to have fully adopted British culture [2]’.
(iv) The BNP’s stance on homosexuality is that equality on the grounds of sexuality should not be taught in schools [3] , that ‘homosexuality, which affects [sic] less than 2% of the population, is not the norm’[4] , and that civil partnerships are a ‘flaunting or celebrating of homosexuality’[5] .
(v) Many organisations believe the BNP to be a fascist, discriminatory organisation .
[1]Reference: http://www.stopthebnp.org.uk/uncovered/pg07.htm
[2] Reference: http://www.bnp.org.uk/articles/countering_smears.html
[3] Ibid
[4]id
[5] Ibid
[6]Including the National Union of Students, Unite Against Fascism, the Universities and Colleges Union, Unite, the Lesbian And Gay Coalition Against Racism, the Muslim Council of Great Britain et al.
This union believes:
(i) That the BNP harbours extremist views which are unrepresentative of the British population and of the University of York Students’ Union.
(ii) That the BNP’s definition of a ‘British genotype’ is vague, unscientific and no more than a criterion for discrimination.
(iii) That the BNP’s views on the LGBT community are discriminatory.
(iv) That the BNP’s views on faith and race are discriminatory.
(v) That the BNP is a fascist organisation that discriminates on terms of race, sexuality and faith.
(vi) That the BNP’s policies contravene the equal opportunities policy of the University of York Students’ Union.
(vii) That the right to freedom of speech is vital, but that leading BNP figures have shown no consideration for the responsibilities that freedom of speech entails, and that upholding equal rights for all students, regardless of their faith, race or sexuality, is and should be a higher priority of the University of York Students’ Union than the speaking rights of fascists.
(viii) That the BNP’s policies are to be condemned.
This union resolves:
1. To condemn the policies of the BNP.
