BNP candidate offends soldier's family at fancy dress party (From Croydon Guardian)
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BNP candidate offends soldier's family at fancy dress party
9:00am Thursday 22nd April 2010 in News Exclusive By Julia Kennard
An election candidate outraged a soldier’s family after she wore a burka as fancy dress to a charity fundraising party.
Charlotte Lewis, the British National Party parliamentary candidate for Carshalton and Wallington and for the Shirley ward for Croydon Council, was condemned by the mother of a hero soldier who lost both his legs in Afghanistan for turning up to a Help for Heroes fundraiser in a burka and fishnet stockings.
The woman, from Mitcham, who did not want to be named, claimed Miss Lewis laughed in her face when she confronted her offensive behaviour.
She claimed Miss Lewis, 37, who wore suspenders with the burka and drank alcopops, told her to “get a sense of humour” at the BNP organised event, at Singlegate Working Mens’ Club in Mitcham.
The mother said her son, who is struggling to adjust to life without his limbs as he rehabilitates in Headley Court, had been equally disgusted by Miss Lewis’ behaviour.
She said: “My son was seriously injured by a bomb in Afghanistan and still has shrapnel behind his eyes.
"The BNP said they would like to do something, but I said no as I didn’t want to be associated with them.
“All they were interested in was an image of my son just so they could use it to boost their BNP message, but I wouldn’t have it.
“They said they would do something for Help for Heroes anyway and I decided to go just to support that.
“But obviously walking into that it was just beyond belief.
"I said 'it’s not funny, it’s not correct, to dress like that when my son has lost his legs'.
“But she didn’t want to know. She said I didn’t have a sense of humour. Can you imagine how I felt? It was so insensitive.
“My son was not pleased when I told him, he doesn’t want anything to do with them. One of his best friends in the Army is black; they’ve both fought for this country.
“They [the BNP] were riding on the back of wounded soldiers to help themselves, it was insensitive.”
Miss Lewis used her Facebook account to post racist messages, including one calling for foreign “Paki” criminals to be executed.
In another message she encouraged attacks on the home of a teenager who killed a cat and said: “I hope she gets cancer.”
She told the Guardian she thought wearing the burka was “completely acceptable” and “hilarious”.
Bryn Parry, chief executive and co-founder of Help for Heroes, said the organisation would “strongly condemn anyone who used an H4H event to cause upset”.
He said: “The money that we raise at Help for Heroes is used to support wounded servicemen and women of every colour and creed and we strongly oppose any individual or political party who believes otherwise, and those who seek to use the charity’s name for their own political gain.”
Charlotte Lewis said: "The quotes attributed to me in the article are false – I did not say those things to that lady.
"I apologised for any offence I may have caused her, while at the same time asserting my right to wear whatever fancy dress costume I like to a Halloween party.
"I did not ‘laugh in her face’, and anyway even if I had then how would she have been able to tell – as my face was covered?
"I could have gone as a witch or a ghost, but they’re not nearly half as spooky/scary as militant Islam."
But what do you think?
Was the costume offensive, or merely harmless fun at a party?
Use the form below to let us know...
Comments(47)
ray prime
says...
11:05am Thu 22 Apr 10
take the hint visiting Muslim's
http://www.dailymail
.co.uk/news/worldnew
s/article-1267911/Be
lgium-set-ban-burka-
jail-women-covering-
up.html
Charlotte L
says...
11:18am Thu 22 Apr 10
The quotes attributed to me in the article are false – I did not say those things to that lady. I apologised for any offence I may have caused her, whilst at the same time asserting my right to wear whatever fancy dress costume I like to a Halloween party. I did NOT ‘laugh in her face’, and anyway even if I had then how would she have been able to tell – as my face was covered........? I could have gone as a witch or a ghost, but they’re not nearly half as spooky/scary as MILITANT Islam.
It is worth pointing out that the BNP is the only political party to demand an immediate withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan, thus ensuring there are no more injuries or deaths.
Charlotte Lewis,
Election agent to the BNP Croydon council candidates and parliamentary candidate, & candidate for Shirley.
kiloran
says...
11:32am Thu 22 Apr 10
adrianshort
says...
11:34am Thu 22 Apr 10
I expect the lady knew you'd laughed in her face because she could hear your voice through the "burka" even though she couldn't see your face.
Perhaps for your next amusing costume you could try something that lets you be seen and not heard rather than heard and not seen. A gag, perhaps?
You're still invited to wear your "hilarious" costume in Sutton or Croydon town centres with a BNP rosette to see how many laughs you get.
Incidentally, the Green Party also favours an immediate withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan. I can't imagine the Libertarians are that up for it either, can you? Clearly politics isn't your strong suit. Try getting out more, but please, dress appropriately.
Charlotte L
says...
12:06pm Thu 22 Apr 10
adrianshort
says...
12:26pm Thu 22 Apr 10
I'm sorry to hear about all that. I knew your party was unpopular but I didn't think it was that unpopular.
Would you like to join me in condemning anyone that uses violence, threats and intimidation to further their political or social causes? I think it's an utterly despicable way to carry on.
Incidentally, did you consider finishing off your politics A-Level while you were in prison for making death threats against scientists? I expect you had plenty of spare time on your hands.
ashwicken boy
says...
1:31pm Thu 22 Apr 10
desa90
says...
2:08pm Thu 22 Apr 10
Danfader
says...
3:05pm Thu 22 Apr 10
Charlotte L
says...
3:32pm Thu 22 Apr 10
adrianshort wrote:I spent 6 weeks in prison - hardly enough time to study for an A level, oh and btw they were people who tortured animals for a living - not scientists. We'll see just how 'unpopular' the BNP are on 7th May....
Ms Lewis, I'm sorry to hear about all that. I knew your party was unpopular but I didn't think it was that unpopular. Would you like to join me in condemning anyone that uses violence, threats and intimidation to further their political or social causes? I think it's an utterly despicable way to carry on. Incidentally, did you consider finishing off your politics A-Level while you were in prison for making death threats against scientists? I expect you had plenty of spare time on your hands.
Sick of it all
says...
3:43pm Thu 22 Apr 10
What a nutcase. I'm glad these facists in suits have her as their representative. It would be worrying if it was someone with a brain
adrianshort
says...
4:32pm Thu 22 Apr 10
What do you think about people who raise and kill animals for food? Are they worthy of death threats too?
Mcbl
says...
5:07pm Thu 22 Apr 10
Comment Sense
says...
5:51pm Thu 22 Apr 10
Even if the party didn't hold values that the vast majority of people find abhorrent - they don't have any experience, they don't have any policies, they don't have a cat's chance in hell of ever being elected to governmental office.
Whilst I applaud the Guardian's attempts to let them hoist themselves with their own petard - the best way of dealing with them would be to ignore them.
I think we can credit the majority of British people with a bit more common sense than to fall for their rubbish.
Phil Bryant
says...
6:50pm Thu 22 Apr 10
I cannot for the life of me understand why she would be offended by someone dressed up as a Muslim unless she has a problem with Muslims per se!
I get the impression that this 'unnamed' woman would hate the BNP if Jesus himself was their leader. I mean, it's not like the BNP were to blame for her son's injuries!
As for Ms Lewis' criminal conviction for defending animal rights...well, she's not exactly Nelson Mandela who 'signed off' with the Church Street Bombing, is she.
Charlotte, you have immense courage and a wonderful sense of humour, in which case I will certainly be voting BNP at any and all forthcomming elections.
captainjack
says...
6:51pm Thu 22 Apr 10
And WHAT makes you think this article is so exclusive ?, it happened back in October 2009, 7 months ago.This is not good journalism is it ?.
The real shame of it all is a lot of good people gave up a lot of their time to help make this event a great success, and thanks to them it was. As for a public apology from you and your newspaper, I doubt if they will hold their breath although I do strongly believe that you should GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT before sending anything else to print.
adrianshort
says...
7:23pm Thu 22 Apr 10
Do you really think a convicted terrorist like Ms Lewis is a suitable candidate for Parliament?
That we should pay her £65,000 of public money a year to represent local people and help make our laws?
I know the BNP must be short of talent but surely this is scraping the barrel even by your standards.
Just to be clear, I take it you are the same Phil Bryant who wrote on your (now defunct) Battle for Britain blog:
"I must admit that when Brixton nail bomber (I heard/felt the explosion from Streatham) David Copeland was finally caught I shed a tear (yes, I have tear ducts), not because I advocate violence as a means to an end, but because if every other avenue of protest is closed down the only avenue left open is Bullet and Bomb Street (I live nearby)."
The reference, of course, is to the David Copeland whose nail bomb attacks in London in 1999 against ethnic minorities and homosexuals killed three people and injured nearly 200.
norman blue bottle
says...
8:16pm Thu 22 Apr 10
It has been our birthright in this country going back centuries, to dress how we want and to lampoon any religion, Pope, Archbishop of Canterbury included. We have never allowed the religious bigots to gain the upper hand in Britain and there is no rule that says Islam should be off limits. Disrespect them all, as is our right.
Oh, and please no sanctimonious mainstream politicians giving the BNP lectures on morality. It is precisely because they are all useless, self serving and corrupt and the country is ruined, that BNP are getting noticed. A woman wearing a burka at a private party with a drink is the least of our worries.
captainjack
says...
8:17pm Thu 22 Apr 10
Just listen to yourself, but say it slowly and you might just realise what you have said. 99% of politicians are crooks. They have stolen our money and never got done for it, they lie and cheat for their own benefit .They would have carried on doing it if someone had not spilled the beans. All that money and second homes.How many soldiers do you know who have a home when they return from war, crooks the bloody lot of them and I speak from experience. Not one person in the palace of Westminester deserves a halo....
adrianshort
says...
8:43pm Thu 22 Apr 10
I'm not sure you're talking about the Britain that actually exists or the one you'd like to exist. The latter, I suspect.
This country has had blasphemy laws and other laws for centuries that most definitely did and do regulate what we say about religion. Until the mid-19th Century you could be prosecuted not just for disrespecting Christianity but even for denying it. Atheists were prosecuted simply for refusing to believe.
Blasphemy against Christianity is still an offence in Northern Ireland today. There was a successful prosecution for blasphemy against Gay News in England in 1977. And the Racial and Relgious Hatred Act 2006 most certainly still regulates what we can say about religion and religious people.
Catholics still can't hold the throne and Anglicans get privileged special seats in our Parliament that no other religious enjoy.
Now whether you agree with these things or not, you certainly don't have the rights you claim and British people never have done.
As for the "useless, self-serving and corrupt" mainstream parties, for all their faults I don't notice any of them stooping to nominating a convicted terrorist for election to Parliament as the BNP have done here with Charlotte Lewis.
With her track record of breaking the law and your almost total ignorance of the law and our history, I'm sure you'll make excellent allies.
bob grimley
says...
9:00pm Thu 22 Apr 10
adrianshort
says...
9:00pm Thu 22 Apr 10
I'm not in the business of handing out halos. Many of our politicians have been corrupt. Many *are* effectively getting away with it by being allowed to retire gracefully with generous payoffs and pensions. Three MPs are being prosecuted.
Politicians are in an extremely privileged position (and very well paid to boot) and that's why we need to keep a very close eye on them.
That starts with not electing convicted criminals in my view. It's the worst possible place to start.
You're quite right that our troops and veterans deserve a better deal, whether it's pay, accommodation and equipment while they're still serving or jobs, housing and recognition when they leave. We ask them to risk life and limb for us. The least we can do in return is treat them with real dignity.
norman blue bottle
says...
10:05pm Thu 22 Apr 10
adrianshort wrote:Even more reason to be worried about recent historical developments and the march of Islam then Adrian.
Norman Blue Bottle, I'm not sure you're talking about the Britain that actually exists or the one you'd like to exist. The latter, I suspect. This country has had blasphemy laws and other laws for centuries that most definitely did and do regulate what we say about religion. Until the mid-19th Century you could be prosecuted not just for disrespecting Christianity but even for denying it. Atheists were prosecuted simply for refusing to believe. Blasphemy against Christianity is still an offence in Northern Ireland today. There was a successful prosecution for blasphemy against Gay News in England in 1977. And the Racial and Relgious Hatred Act 2006 most certainly still regulates what we can say about religion and religious people. Catholics still can't hold the throne and Anglicans get privileged special seats in our Parliament that no other religious enjoy. Now whether you agree with these things or not, you certainly don't have the rights you claim and British people never have done. As for the "useless, self-serving and corrupt" mainstream parties, for all their faults I don't notice any of them stooping to nominating a convicted terrorist for election to Parliament as the BNP have done here with Charlotte Lewis. With her track record of breaking the law and your almost total ignorance of the law and our history, I'm sure you'll make excellent allies.
I'm not keen on people who torture animals either I have to say.
Next you'll be telling us that the wearing of a burka by a non-believer is a crime along with telling jokes about the Pope. I understand that France and Belgium are about to ban that garment in certain public places in defence of the secular state.
BRITJOBSFORBRITPEOP
says...
10:24pm Thu 22 Apr 10
Oudinot
says...
10:30pm Thu 22 Apr 10
Come on folks-its time to ditch all the politicians and woefully inadequate wannabes like Lewis who seek to control our lives and spend money that isn't theirs.
adrianshort
says...
10:31pm Thu 22 Apr 10
Here's Nick Griffin speaking about a debate he took part in this year on Christianity in Britain:
"I intend to press home the increasing Islamification of the UK, the decline and censorship of Christian values, history, traditions and culture in politically correct Britain."
Griffin isn't a secularist, is he? He -- and the BNP -- strongly supports what he sees as Christian values and culture and opposes those of Islam.
The fact that most Christians and Muslims wouldn't recognise the BNP's images of Christianity and Islam aside, I don't see the BNP campaigning for everyone to believe and practice whatever religion they choose, or not to believe, without being privileged or disadvantaged for doing so.
"Next I'll be telling you" other things that happen to be facts rather than fantasies, falsehoods or suppositions.
France and Belgium are very different countries to ours, with different histories, legal systems and political cultures. France is a secular republic, whereas Belgium is a predominantly Christian monarchy that actually recognises Islam as an "approved" (though not official) religion. It very much remains to be seen whether those countries' proposed bans on the veil are enacted, and if so, whether those laws will stand.
If it's secularism you want, it looks like you're backing the wrong party, doesn't it? Or shall we ask jailbird Ms Lewis if she and her party supports the dismantling of official Christian privilege in this country and the right of all people to be treated equally by law regardless of their faith or lack of faith? I think I can guess the answer.
lord scoffer
says...
9:50am Fri 23 Apr 10
Brian Z Sewering
says...
12:22pm Fri 23 Apr 10
The Great Britain
says...
1:43pm Fri 23 Apr 10
english scoffer
says...
2:36pm Fri 23 Apr 10
luluandbuster
says...
6:38pm Fri 23 Apr 10
bob grimley
says...
8:16pm Fri 23 Apr 10
Frank Forte
says...
8:51pm Fri 23 Apr 10
Good luck to you in May.
norman blue bottle
says...
10:50pm Fri 23 Apr 10
Of course European countries each have different cultures and variances of culture but they are still recognisably European to most people. How long will we be able to say that with the insideous Islamification of Europe where Muslims are rapidly making up a large perecentage of the population. It's the Muslim theocracy that worries me because your equal treament certainly won't come into it. Ask any non-believer in the Muslim world whether they feel the warm glow of equality under Islamic rule.
ray prime
says...
9:41am Sat 24 Apr 10
april scoffer
says...
10:36am Sat 24 Apr 10
the baker
says...
12:36pm Sat 24 Apr 10
mcblount
says...
4:13pm Sat 24 Apr 10
Bryan B Sewering
says...
5:24pm Sat 24 Apr 10
april scoffer
says...
9:19am Sun 25 Apr 10
Bryan B Sewering
says...
11:47am Sun 25 Apr 10
No its not clegg mate he is like toffey nosed cameron wouldnt vote for any of the main 3 they all go on about the mp fiddles then when you look they didnt stop the mps scandal when the knew it was happening its disgusting mates
Now im taking my kids pony riding cant do that in croy so tutty bye 4 now
Bryan B Sewering
says...
7:07am Mon 26 Apr 10
april scoffer
says...
9:52am Mon 26 Apr 10
miss honeymoney
says...
3:25pm Mon 26 Apr 10
fair scoffer
says...
6:42pm Mon 26 Apr 10
fair scoffer
says...
10:11am Tue 27 Apr 10
lord scoffer says...
10:09am Thu 22 Apr 10