BNP membership list removed from internet » Local Government » 24dash.com

A full list of British National Party members was removed from an internet blog today after complaints by the far right group.

The party's spokesman Simon Darby said they had contacted bosses at a company involved with the blog to warn them of the consequences if it was not taken down.

He said: "We made representations to the offices of the company involved, stating the implications of what was happening and it seems to have worked."

The list of more than 12,000 names included addresses and contact details, as well as members' jobs.

Some were listed as former police officers and members of the armed forces.

While Mr Darby refused to name the firm involved, he said: "It is looking increasingly likely that this is the work of Labour Party supporters. If they have not protected their IP (internet service provider address) properly, there will be an electronic trail leading back to the culprit."

In a statement on the party's website, BNP leader Nick Griffin said the list is just over a year old.

He said: "Having spent a lot of money to secure our members' privacy, we are disappointed that it's been breached."

He described the publication as "a disgraceful act of treachery" and initially accused former BNP staff members who have been sacked.

According to the BNP, the published list is based on its 2007 membership list although a number of names of people who were not, or are not, party members had allegedly been added.

Earlier this year, the party said it obtained an injunction at the High Court in Manchester banning any publication of the list.

Serving police officers are banned from becoming members of the BNP because it would damage race relations, Association of Chief Police Officers workforce development spokesman Peter Fahy said.

He said: "Such membership would be incompatible with our duty to promote equality under the Race Relations Amendment Act and would damage the confidence of minority communities.

"Whilst the policy may have been controversial at the time it was enacted, in 2004, it has since been accepted by all staff and staff associations and remains unchallenged thus far."

Dyfed-Powys police force, which covers Welshpool where the BNP carries out some of its administration, was unable to confirm that a complaint had been received from the party.

Mr Griffin said he alerted police on the grounds that publication of the list breached human rights and data protection laws.