Police launch investigation into serving officer's BNP membership » Local Government » 24dash.com

Police called in independent investigators today after claims that a serving officer is a member of the British National Party.

The allegation emerged with the publication of a list of more than 12,000 BNP supporters on an internet blog.

A spokesman for the Independent Police Complaints Commission said it is waiting for official referral of the complaint about a male officer in Merseyside.

Police are banned from becoming members of the BNP because it would damage race relations, according to the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo).

Acpo's workforce development spokesman Peter Fahy said: "Membership or promotion of the BNP by any member of the police service, whether police officer or police staff, is prohibited.

"This is because 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."

The list was removed from the original blog where it was published but remains available on other websites.

BNP spokesman Simon Darby 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, which includes addresses, jobs and contact details, 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.

The list also includes the name of one man alleged to be a vicar, and another said to be a prison officer.

A Prison Service spokesman said: "The Prison Service is very clear on this issue - we take allegations of racism very seriously and have a zero tolerance policy of those who hold racist views.

"When being recruited externally or applying for transfer or promotion, candidates are asked to state categorically that they do not belong to the BNP, National Front or Combat 18, or any other group or organisation promoting racism.

"Membership of such organisations is entirely incompatible with working in the Prison Service and, if it is confirmed that a member of staff belongs to one of them, they will be subject to our disciplinary procedures.

"We have dismissed a number of staff for their actions in the past, and were the first public sector employer to ban staff from being members of racist organisations.

"If we receive information indicating that a Prison Service employee is a member of a proscribed organisation, these claims would be investigated, and the appropriate action taken."

North Wales Police said they would tackle any reports of an information breach "in the usual robust manner".

The Information Commission will contact the BNP for the full facts of the case before deciding whether any action will be taken, a spokesman said.

Downing Street refused to be drawn on the position of public sector workers who had been revealed as BNP members.

"This is really a matter for the relevant public sector professions. In relation to the police, membership of the BNP is prohibited," the Prime Minister's spokesman said.

The National Union of Journalists accused the BNP of "staggering hypocrisy" over claims that the publication of lists of its members breached their privacy.

General secretary Jeremy Dear said: "For years we have been demanding Government action to close down websites such as Redwatch which seek to intimidate and silence media by publishing the photos, names and addresses of journalists who expose the criminal activities or racist views of BNP members and other far-right and neo-nazi thugs.

"Despite innocent people being physically assaulted and threatened after having their details published on these sites, we have never heard a single condemnation of this gross breach of privacy or unlawful harassment and intimidation from Nick Griffin or the BNP.

"Yet today, they seek to invoke the very Human Rights Act they want to abolish to protect the identity of their members. They have exposed their hypocrisy once again."

Keith Norman, leader of the train drivers' union Aslef, said there was no reason why details of BNP members should not be made public.

"If they are ashamed of belonging to such an organisation, they should get out. If they regret being one of this group, they should resign. If, however, they are happy to peddle extreme right-wing racism, they should be happy to be identified as such."

Aslef took the Government to the European Court to establish the right of a trade union to expel BNP members because they acted contrary to the aims and objects of the union.

"I hope that the release of this information will enable other unions to identify and remove individuals who wish to subvert, divide and discriminate," said Mr Norman.

Unions have been pressing the Government to introduce legislation to make it easier for them to expel BNP members.