Off duty police officer sacked

[craig51]

A police officer was sacked for wearing a BNP badge while OFF duty at a football match.
Lets not allow this to desend into the typical "bnp are racists" etc etc, but why shouldnt someone be allowed to wear a badge of a perfectly legal political party while off duty???

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/m...er/7650105.stm

Whats next, you can only vote for certain parties, shop in certain shops, and buy certain cars, depending on who you work for!

 

[Steve]

Now, lets not allow this to desend into the typical "bnp are racists" etc etc,

This is the problem. The BNP is associated with racism, its just a stigma attached to them, it will always be there. Anyone seeing this man will think "racist". The police cannot be seen to be racist.

 

[craig51]

Perhaps, but he wasnt acting in his police role. He was at a football match ofrf duty.

Its like saying you cant vote for the green becuase they are lentil munching hippees, or conservatives becuase they are only for rich people etc etc.

I agree, while ON duty, no items whatsoever bar the uniform should be worn, but what someone does outside work, as long as its legal, should not be banned.

 

[Steve]

I agree, while ON duty, no items whatsoever bar the uniform should be worn, but what someone does outside work, as long as its legal, should not be banned.

Agreed. But imagine the police hadn't sacked this man. And someone leaked it to the press, "BNP POLICE FORCE" would be across the front of the Sun within 24 hours. Either way, the policeman has put the force in a bad position.

And nobody can tell us who to vote for, nor do I care about peoples political persuasions. The whole police force could vote BNP and nobody would know. Thats why we have a secret ballot.

 

[Softus]

A police officer was sacked for wearing a BNP badge while OFF duty at a football match.

No, he wasn't.

Now, lets not allow this to desend into the typical "bnp are racists" etc etc, but why shouldnt someone be allowed to wear a badge of a perfectly legal political party while off duty?

Acting Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney, head of the Professional Standards Branch, said: "Item six of the Chief Constable's Order of 2004...makes it clear that officers are banned from being members of the BNP, Combat 18 or the National Front.

"This requirement extends into the private lives of police officers and police staff."

Mr Sweeney said all officers are aware that the implications of not complying with the regulations "will likely result in [their] dismissal".

Whats next, you can only vote for certain parties, shop in certain shops, and buy certain cars, depending on who you work for!

And what would be wrong with that?

 

[libby lou lou]

Thats why we have a secret ballot.


Your right steve, but why shouldn't we be allowed to show our true colours?

We all have to pretend, sad world

 

[libby lou lou]

Didn't realise Softus was about,

Craid51, what are you doing coming out with a stupid statement like that?

 

[rampump]

I am disgusted by the police decision on this. Not because I am BNP (I'm not). But because I feel they are morally wrong.

The officer was off duty and not in uniform. Had this not been the case, I'd say they'd have a strong case to pursue the action they took, but he wasn't.

I do not support any of the BNP's views, however the fact remains that they ARE a legitimate political party. Indeed, i find many of their views abhorrent.

HOWEVER, too many thousands of people have died - including my grandfather - in World Wars to support such bastions of democratic freedom as Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Expression.

I wonder where those 'force orders' stand against things such as the Human Right Act ?

Are they saying "you may not vote for or support a legitimate political party which is recognised by the UK Parliamentary system". Times move on. Our political structure now recognises those formerly regarded as active terrorists (IRA). Perhaps enforcement of those force orders could even be considered illegal in themselves ! So much for 'diversity' !

What is the point of free elections & DEMOCRACY if a percentage of the population is forbidden from casting their free vote ?

If I was the police officer concerned, I'd be finding a bloody good legal team and sueing the police service for a VERY LARGE amount.

I think the police do a great job in an ever changing political framework, where they must be seen to be politically correct in their choices & actions. However, mistakes are made and I feel that this decision is one of them

 

[Softus]

Are they saying "you may not vote for or support a legitimate political party which is recognised by the UK Parliamentary system".

No.

Not according to the BBC.

According to the BBC, Acting Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney, head of the Professional Standards Branch, said: "Item six of the Chief Constable's Order of 2004...makes it clear that officers are banned from being members of the BNP, Combat 18 or the National Front.

"This requirement extends into the private lives of police officers and police staff."

What is the point of free elections & DEMOCRACY if a percentage of the population is forbidden from casting their free vote ?

Why do you think that prohibition of BNP membership for Police Officers is the same thing as a voting restriction?

If I was the police officer concerned, I'd be finding a b****y good legal team and sueing the police service for a VERY LARGE amount.

If the BBC's information is correct, then you would lose.

 

[joe-90]

The 'establishment' are scared witless by the BNP and the inevitable rise of the far right The Welsh can have a national party as can the Scots - not to mention the Irish bombers and murderers that are now protected by the police in parliament. Roll on the revolution.

 

[Softus]

I believe that the Welsh and Scottish national parties exist to uphold their individuality, heritage, and culture. They appear to go about their activities peacefully.

The IRA used to be an illegal terrorist organisation that was responsible for carnage and destruction over tens of years, whose aim was the anarchical overthrow of the prevailing national boundaries.

It failed.

The BNP is a bunch of weak-willed, closed-minded, racist, facist thugs, mascerading as a political party.
Its leader was once summoned to court for inciting racial hatred.

It will also fail.

 

[joe-90]

That's what they said about Hitler in the 20s.

What's wrong with having a party that speaks for the white voiceless majority that IS this country? We are all sick of hearing about the Black Police Officers Association or the Black Lawyers Assoc or the Muslim Council of GB. We are the people of this this country. We are white and our ancestry goes back thousands of years. We are the majority. Ignore us at your peril.

 

[Softus]

Adolf Hitler was a great and admired orator. Mad as a bag of frogs, perhaps, but impressive nonetheless.

And yet he failed.

He failed so catastrophically that a Nazi salute is now illegal in Germany.

Nick Griffin is nothing more than a besuited t*sser. My heredity is probably just about the same as yours, joe-90, but I don't need, or want, tattooed and skinheaded fascists running the country. They're not scary - they're pathetic.

 

[mark vincent]

It should be remembered that the Nazi party started out as a fringe party which was ridiculed as a joke, they ended up taking power in a democratic election. As they say "when the pot boils the scum rises to the top"with the current economic turmoil rising unemployment and mass immigration all the ingredients are there it could just take one spark and set of events could unfold which would be unstoppable.

What the BNP lack is an intellectual cadre and the support of the middle classes, the original Nazi party had the same problem. Closer to home look at the irish party known as "Sinn Fein"which like The BNP was an extreme nationalist party mostly working class and bigoted without much support at the ballot box, they then embarked on a campaign in which they recruited university educated activists to articulate their ideaology and organise their propaganda. As a result they took power in Ulster and at one point came close to taking power in the Irish Republic.

 

[mark vincent]

I wonder what happened to the police officers at the Met who allowed "VOTE LABOUR"posters to be carried on police vehicles some years ago.

Double standards once again