Manchester UAF statement on BNP moles

 

Two BNP members joined and were active in Manchester Against  Racism/ United Against Fascism over the past ten months. Their  names are Joseph Finnon and Diane Stoker. Both are students:  Finnon in the Chemistry Department at Manchester University,  Stoker in the Humanities Faculty at the Metropolitan University.

They 'came out' on the BNP website, with a photograph of  themselves alongside BNP leader, Nick Griffin, and BNP youth  organiser, Tony Wentworth.

Those who knew and worked with them have, of course, been  personally shocked by the revelation.

On the same BNP website, Nick Griffin warns his fascist co- thinkers to be ready for 'hard times ahead'. The BNP did not make  the 'big breakthrough' they hoped for in the June elections. This  sense of crisis, compounded by the recent TV programme  exposing the BNP's thuggery, may be why they have publicised the  Finnon-Stoker adventure. Perhaps their members will think this at  least has been a 'success'.

But what did Finnon and Stoker achieve? They boast that they  gained access to secrets on the British Left. In reality, their  activities were counter-productive.

Unite Against Fascism has always been an open organisation - it  publicises its aims and principles openly and proudly, it welcomes  everyone who is concerned to combat fascism in Britain into its  ranks, it discusses and recruits people to its activities openly. Its  officers and meetings are public knowledge. UAF has no secrets to  be uncovered.

The same is true of the other bodies Finnon and Stoker joined.

In order to gain credit among anti-fascist activists, Finnon and Stoker felt it necessary to be very active. They gave out thousands  of anti-BNP leaflets, and worked to get other people to join them  in this activity. Diane Stoker played a leading part in the campaign  to oppose Tony Wentworth's candidature in the Salford University  student union election.

These campaigns were successful - the BNP failed to get a seat in  the European elections, and Wentworth received a famously low  vote.

Their work for UAF proved effective - but can hardly count as a  success for the BNP.... Not quite the Master-Plan of the Master-Race!

Now that Finnon and Stocker have outed themselves as BNP  members, UAF in Manchester will work to contain any influence Finnon and Stoker may seek to obtain, whether in their colleges or their workplaces.

UAF will continue to recruit openly, and to work in a very public  way to expose the BNP as fascists and enemies of liberty.

August 2004