A dozen Midland police in BNP

Twelve serving West Midlands Police officers are paid-up members of the far-right British National Party, the Sunday Mercury can reveal today.

The news comes just a week after BBC1 documentary The Secret Policeman exposed racism in three police forces and resulted in seven officers being suspended.

Now Simon Darby, the BNP's West Midlands regional organiser, has lifted the lid on the true extent of the party's officers within West Midlands Police force.

Last night the BNP councillor for Dudley Metropolitan Council confirmed that 12 serving officers within West Midlands Police are active members of the BNP, which peddles anti-asylum seeker propaganda.

And he also revealed that former West Midlands Police inspector John Phazey is running as a BNP candidate in next year's Euro elections.

"There are between six and 12 police officers serving within West Midlands police who are members of the BNP," said Mr Darby, who is also running in the 2004 European elections.

"They want to remain anonymous because if anyone found out they could lose their jobs. After what happened to the officers in The Secret Policeman it's not worth the risk.

"We've even got a retired police inspector from the West Midlands who is among our ranks. "John Phazey was a distinguished officer who has joined our party and has applied to become a BNP candidate in the European elections."

Last night the Black Police Association and the Anti-Nazi League were reeling from Mr Darby's explosive revelations.

Kirk Dawes, chairman of West Midlands Police Black Police Association, said he was concerned that BNP members were serving among their ranks.

"There is a big difference between patriotism and racism on the far right," he said. "The police have to serve everyone and we need to be able to provide a fair, equitable service to one and all."

Weyman Bennett, national organiser of the Anti-Nazi League, called upon the Government to prevent police officers becoming members of far right organisations.

"We intend to expose officers who are members of right-wing organisations," he said. "We want a clause introduced into officers' contracts which prohibits them from becoming members of these groups."

Last week BNP member John Phazey, from Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, spoke about his time with West Midlands Police.

Mr Phazey, who retired from the force a few years ago after 30 years service, said he routinely heard officers using derogatory terms for Asian and black people.

The ex-copper, who helped police the Handsworth riots in the early 80s, added: "Of course you heard words like 'paki' and 'nigger' but it didn't mean any more than someone saying Paddy for an Irishman or Jerry for a German.

"It was just the language of working class blokes. There was a fair bit of leg-pulling but it was never malicious. "I remember there was one officer who, whenever an Asian officer came into the room, would go 'Coon, coon' like he was making the noise of a pigeon.

"It's like saying Paddies are as thick as two short planks or Jocks are tight-fisted. It was just jokes in the canteen. You'll get that anywhere when you have men in their 20s and 30s together."

Mr Phazey, who spent a stint with the Referendum Party and ran as a UK independence party candidate in the 2001 general election, claims he is one of the more "moderate" members of the BNP. "Nick Griffin (the BNP party leader) has strong views on the coloured community, but I don't share those fully," he said.

"I'm not racist. I live and let live. "I joined the BNP because they want out of Europe - I believe in England for the English - and they don't promote homosexuality as being normal."

Mr Phazey's comments will serve to add more fuel to the fire that is now raging over the undercover footage of police officers in training school acting in a blatantly racist fashion.

Last night a spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "It is impossible for us to confirm or disprove the claim that a small number of un-named West Midlands Police officers are BNP members.

"Police officers are not required by law to disclose affiliation to political parties and the BNP is a lawful organisation. "At the same time we are quite clear that racism has no part in the police service and will not be tolerated.

"All of our 12,000 officers and staff know that if their behaviour falls below the very highest standards they will be challenged and any necessary action taken.

"West Midlands Police is committed to equality, honesty and fairness in everything we do and while there is still work to be done, we have already achieved much."