Following on from coverage in newspapers yesterday concerning comments attributed to British National Party London list candidate Nick Eriksen, the BNP has issued the following statement:  

Nick Eriksen has this morning withdrawn his candidature from the London Assembly elections. 

Under the party list system, popular BNP Councillor Bob Bailey (illustration), deputy leader of the official opposition on Barking and Dagenham council, moves up to take the number two position.

It was felt that no matter how much Nick Eriksen’s blog comments, written back in 2005, had been distorted and taken out of the context of a blog which reflected our tough stance on all sorts of crime, they could still be perceived as trivialising the issue in a manner that many women in particular could have found extremely offensive. As such it was agreed that there should not be any ambiguity with regards real crimes against real women in our capital city by somebody about to enter government. British National Party members elected to the Greater London Assembly will campaign relentlessly to rid the city of the criminals that infest it and those responsible for their reign of terror against ordinary Londoners.

Whilst this Party remains committed to free speech it should be understood that with that freedom comes responsibility.  Mr. Eriksen has taken responsibility and unlike other politicians faced with similar circumstances has acted swiftly and honourably to resolve this matter.