The British National Party in Scotland will be fighting the Glasgow North East by-election with candidate Charlie Baillie (pictured), announced the party’s leader in Scotland, Gary Raikes.

“Glasgow NE is a solidly white working class area, formerly supported by the worldwide export of the steam locomotive industry, having its roots in Springburn,” said Mr Raikes.

“Due to the demise of this era there is currently deprivation and unemployment of a high level. This has been aggravated by the influx of immigrants from the Third World and the EU adversely affecting housing allocation and job prospects for the native Glaswegian residents.

“Indeed, Glasgow has been described as the ‘asylum capital of Britain’ due to the destructive dispersal policy embraced by the Labour Council,” he said.

Mr Raikes said the BNP in Glasgow was starting from a small base but that this would not deter the party from going forward. “We have to start somewhere, and we will be looking to build on the 3,258 votes we polled there the last time we stood.”

The BNP’s candidate, Mr Charlie Baillie, was born and spent his childhood in the constituency. He has been a party member since 2005 and stood in the Holyrood 2007 Campaign and in two council by-elections. He was also the BNP’s number two candidate on the Scottish Euro list.

North West regional organiser Clive Jefferson will be managing the campaign.

* A large number of people attended the recent BNP officials’ meeting in Perth, Mr Raikes said.

“I was happy to report to the meeting that the second phase of our restructuring process had seen a new surge of interest in the party. We are now processing a huge number of enquiries and have the highest number of paid up members in the party’s history in Scotland.”

Mr Raikes also revealed the new Scottish local organisers pack and the new quarterly Scottish newsletter, The Bugle.

The Bugle will go out to all members and around 1000 enquirers along with a copy of the latest Voice of Freedom, a membership form and standing order form.

“All agreed this was a professional undertaking that would hopefully produce the number of officials needed to ensure an official BNP presence in every local Authority area in Scotland, with the aim of having target wards being worked in each by the 2011 elections,” Mr Raikes said.