The British National Party has declared the “English Defence League” a proscribed organisation and it will be a disciplinary offence for any party member to be involved with that group.

Making the announcement today in a special organiser’s bulletin circulated within the party, national organiser Eddy Butler said that although the proscription had been ordered a while ago, it was being made public today because the controlled media continues to lie about the BNP and the EDL.

“Time and time again the lying media has linked the BNP with the EDL’s activities,” said Mr Butler.

“Most recently the media and the BBC Eastern regional service, in particular, lost no time in blaming the BNP when Muslim rioters attacked police in Luton.

“The BBC coverage of that event specifically said that the BNP had planned to march through Luton, and this was why the Muslims had rioted,” he said.

“This is, of course, an utter lie. The BNP does not march in the streets but rather campaigns in an ordinary democratic fashion in elections, door-to-door canvassing and leafleting,” Mr Butler continued.

“It is completely malicious and unwarranted to blame the supposed activities of organisations such as the EDL on the BNP, when there is no common ground between the two groups at all.”

The EDL has, in fact, gone out of its way to distance itself from the BNP, while the party has no interest in the sort of confrontation in which the EDL seems to seek.

In his official statement, Mr Butler said the proscription of the EDL meant that it “will be a disciplinary offence for British National Party members to associate or participate in any event or activity organised by the English Defence League or hold membership of the English Defence League.

“The reasons for this proscription are that the English Defence League, through its activities, brings nationalist and patriotic politics into disrepute. If the English Defence League is not instigated by and its activities are not encouraged by the state (which it quite possibly is), then the track record of this organisation shows that it is run by people who will only bring discredit and probable arrest for anyone who attends its events.

“The British National Party does not wish to be associated with the English Defence League in any way whatsoever.”  Mr Butler’s circular ended with a request for any party official who becomes aware of any member who breaks this rule to report such incidents to elections@bnp.org.uk.