BNP launches anti-immigration campaign in Ireland

by Democrat reporter

THE FAR-RIGHT British National Party (BNP) has been accused of raising racial tensions in Ireland following the launch of an 'Éire First' campaign, obstensibly calling for the creation of an 'Irish National Party' to pursue an anti–immigration agenda.

A doctored version of the 1916 Proclamation was posted on the BNP’s site last month claiming among other things to “turn back the tide of non–Irish immigration which threatens that identity.”

The 'declaration' also called for donations to be sent for the creation of an Irish National Party and to place full page adverts in Irish newspapers.

Suspiscions were raised when the bank details contained on the site were all based in Britain. The BNP is raising funds to fight the European elections, to be held on June 10, and the 'Éire Fist' campaign is being widely viewed as a flimsy front to secure money from Irish racists.

The move comes as the immigration issue hit the headline’s in the twenty-six counties as the Progressive Democrat / Fianna Fáil coalition agreed to hold a referendum on Irish citizenship on the same June date as the Euro elections.

Justice minister Michael McDowell has claimed that Ireland has become the prime destination of “citizenship tourists” — non–EU nationals having children in the State and benefitting from automatic Irish citizenship.

The referendum will restrict the right of children of non–EU citizens to automatic Irish (and therefore EU) nationality.

Nationalist parties in the north have condemned the move as it calls into question the automatic right of everyone born on the island of Ireland (and particularly residents of Northern Ireland residents) to membership of the Irish nation.

The BNP — or any of it’s Irish representative has remained silent of the citizenship issue.

The BNP’s departure into Irish nationalist language has been viewed with incredulity by some commentators who contrasted the Éire First declaration with the previously stated BNP policy of securing the six counties within the UK “forever”.