BNP U-turn on Stroud headquarters

The British National party has shelved plans to move its national media department to a trading estate in Stroud, Gloucestershire following protests from residents and politicians. More than 100 people attended a meeting last night called to fight the BNP's proposal only to learn that the far-right organisation had reversed its decision. In a statement the BNP said the local economy had been deprived of a cash injection and jobs and blamed the "far-left" Socialist party for running a campaign against it. One of the organisers of the meeting, Chris Moore, a member of the Socialist party, said it was important to "remain vigilant" in case the BNP revived its plans. He said other mainstream political parties, not just the Socialist party, had fought against the proposals. In its statement announcing that the party was scrapping its plans, the BNP accused the protesters of being undemocratic. The statement said: "It is no problem to us, but is a blow to the local economy because all the office supplies, rates and taxes and ancillary business which employees in the area would bring, have now been lost to Stroud and Painswick." It added: "Previously, the BNP had announced its intention of moving its national media department to a unit on the Salmon Springs trading estate between Stroud and Painswick." The statement concluded: "The BNP is a recognised political party for which a million people have voted. We have five national offices across the country, and have many other accommodation possibilities open to us where we are welcomed by democratically minded people." Yesterday it emerged that Richard Barnbrook, one of the BNP's most senior figures, had been expelled as part of an increasingly bitter feud threatening to engulf the organisation.