Yorkshire fascist wins council seats - but without an election

[logged in]

Yorkshire fascist wins council seats – but without an election

NOTE: This article was published on 6 April 2025A huge victory! A stunning success! Total vindication of our strategy! Yes! Set up by ageing nazis whose political careers have been characterised by hideous extremism, bigotry, Holocaust denial, conspiracy-mongering and a good deal more, the BNP Retirement Division, otherwise known as the British Democrats, where older…

6 April 2025

Mark Scholl

reports

NOTE: This article was published on 6 April 2025

Frank Calladine, British Democrat fascist takes council seats without an election

A huge victory! A stunning success! Total vindication of our strategy! Yes!

Set up by ageing nazis whose political careers have been characterised by hideous extremism, bigotry, Holocaust denial, conspiracy-mongering and a good deal more, the BNP Retirement Division, otherwise known as the British Democrats, where older bigots go to die, has actually won something.

Two for one deal

But there’s even more. It’s a two for one deal.

Confused? You might be. We were amused, though underwhelmed, by the news, trumpeted home and abroad, that the British Democrats had won seats on two local parish councils in Yorkshire.

Tomorrow We Live! We are the coming storm!

Gun salesman

Turns out that gun salesman Frank ‘Butch’ Calladine, the BD’s Doncaster number one with a bullet, has swept to power not by fighting elections, but merely by filling in forms.

Other local political operators, obviously far less astute than 9-mm Frank, will no doubt shudder in fear as he takes his seat – if there is one – as a representative of East Ward on Sprotborough and Cusworth Parish Council, and Scawsby Ward on nearby Brodsworth Parish Council.

In reality, of course, there’s no power, or authority, or (it’s argued elsewhere on the far right) very much point giving time to such activities. Won’t bring about the Great White Awakening, you see. You’ll just spend lots of time engaging with issues around park benches and dog poo.

No elections

So, what happened? Well, Frank filled in nomination forms for both parish councils. And that was it.

No elections. No need to bother the voters at all.

There were too many seats and not enough candidates. So he snuck in unelected and now the residents of these wards on the two parish councils are ‘represented’ by a man who is ‘something in the gun trade’ and whose political mentors are aged nazis who deny the Holocaust and, in the case of their party President Andrew Brons, believe that arson attacks on synagogues are ‘well intentioned.

Andrew Brons, for whom synagogue bombers 'were well intentioned' — Andrew Brons, British Democrats President, for whom synagogue bombers were ‘well intentioned’

In 1965 Brons sent a letter to fellow nazi Françoise Dior, wife of NSM Fuhrer Colin Jordan, about a 'well-intentioned' comrade who intended to bomb synagogues — Andrew Brons, British Democrats President, for whom synagogue bombers were ‘well intentioned’

We are sure that, apprised of the situation, local electors might well have something to say about this.

Category: News

Keywords: Andrew Brons, British Democrats, Frank Calladine

Alf Dubs

Searchlight’s voice is more important than ever, and I am delighted that it will now be available to a wider audience than ever before in its new incarnation online. Searchlight has been extremely helpful over the years in exposing the far right, corruption, criminality and the murky links between organised crime and powerful interests in the UK and abroad. I wish Searchlight the very best.

Alf Dubs

Labour peer, former MP and Cabinet Minister, and Kindertransport child

Paul Holborow

In the campaign against the National Front, Searchlight provided a rich and utterly reliable basis for much ANL propaganda – particularly with reference to the two leading NF figures, John Tyndall and Martin Webster. The appearance of Tyndall in full nazi uniform, drawn from the archives of Searchlight, was a key part of ANL propaganda, coupled with deeply damaging nazi quotes from Webster.

Paul Holborow

Founding member of the ANL and National Organiser 1977-81

Peter Hain

British Jews have been persecuted over the centuries; British blacks since the Windrush generation of the 1950s; British Muslims, especially after the Islamist 9/11 and then 7/7 terrorist attacks in New York 2001 and London 2005. But until the last few years there has not been a simultaneous threat against all three British communities of Jewish, Black and Muslim Britons – meaning the need for Searchlight has never been greater.

Peter Hain

Labour peer, former MP and Cabinet Minster

Nick Davies

To investigate fascists takes real courage and unusual commitment. The government, police, mainstream media occasionally take a look, but in the UK only Searchlight have kept at it, relentlessly and admirably, regardless of threat or obstacle. It’s journalism that matters. A rare thing.

Nick Davies

Multi-award-winning investigative journalist and writer

Paul Nowak

The essence of trade unionism is solidarity, fairness and equality – for all workers – from all backgrounds. That’s why our fight against the far-right has always been part of our movement’s DNA. Searchlight is an incredibly important resource for trade unions and members to understand the contemporary tactics of far-right activity. Their work and intelligence gathering over the years have been incredibly insightful for the work we do, and how we fight the scourge of fascism.

Paul Nowak

TUC General Secretary

Professor Colin Holmes

Everyone who wants to understand contemporary racism and its historical background needs to read Searchlight.

Professor Colin Holmes

University of Sheffield