In recent months the South Shropshire branch of the British National Party (BNP) seem to be coming out of the woodwork; with leafleting sessions, fundraising dinners, candidates being stood in local elections and column inches filled in the local papers. They are also claiming 20 members in the area, and state that they will be standing candidates in the up-coming general election. Many people will be (quite rightly) shocked and alarmed at this apparent upsurge in local activity, but the truth is much as it is elsewhere; a few fascist organisers are calling the shots and a rag-tag bunch are following. This article hopes to expose the main players behind south Shropshire BNP and outlines some of their activities in the area.

Recent Activity

There has been a small amount of BNP activity in the area for a couple of years, with the BNP leafleting areas of Ludlow and attending the Ludlow Food Festival in the not-so-distant past. Despite very little organised opposition, they have come across some hostile locals in this time, being told where to go on the doorsteps a few times. The past 12 months or so seems to have seen the biggest ‘increase’ in activity, following the same trend across much of the country in the run-up to the European and local elections in June. They stood 3 candidates in these local elections. Treasurer of the group, Caroline Snyder, stood in the Ludlow North constituency, 26-year-old Christina Evans in Ludlow East, and the South Shropshire BNP organiser himself, James Whittall, in Craven Arms & Church Stretton.

After the thousands of leaflets distributed, the wasted canvassing hours, and the pre-election hype, our rag-tag bunch failed to make the breakthrough they were hoping for. James ‘Big Man’ Whittall came in at 9th place out of 9, with only 221 votes. Caroline Snyder came in last with only 54 votes, and their best result, Christina Evans, came in 3rd out of 4, with 113 votes. Even one vote for fascism is one too many, but taking into account the hype in local papers (such as the South Shropshire Journal, and the Ludlow Advertiser) in the run up to the elections, 388 votes between all three candidates is a poor result. Since the elections, news has reached us that there has been persistent BNP leafleting targeting Asian families in Craven Arms, leaving them feeling threatened and vulnerable. Is it possible that now the media attention is off them, the group are reverting to their true racist roots?

The people behind South Shropshire BNP

It appears that the 3 candidates stood in the June elections, are also the 3 core activists behind the local group.
Resident BNP couple, organiser James Whittall & his partner Christina Evans, fancy themselves as keen activists. They have attended (and spoke at) BNP events in both Hereford & Worcestershire, and also hosted BNP deputy leader and failed West Midlands MEP candidate, Simon Darby, for events in the area.

They can be found with their cat, at:
The Gable Barn
Snitton
Ludlow
Shropshire
SY8 3EZ

James can be contacted at:
07913 055566
 james_whittall@hotmail.co.uk

and Christina:
07779 482391
 christina_evans82@hotmail.co.uk

The days of Muay Thai are long gone James, and boy don’t we know it!


Treasurer, Caroline Snyder lives just down the road (how convenient). She can be found and contacted at:
South Farm
Snitton
Ludlow
Shropshire
SY8 3EZ
01584 891637
 wem@onetel.com

Caroline often posts on BNP & other fascist websites as SSL, Shropshire Lass, Schneider Lassie and so on.


Maybe if the South Shropshire group spent less time stuffing their faces at their fundraising dinners, they might make more political hay weigh in the region, but then again, we wouldn’t want to be giving them ideas would we?!

It is anyone’s guess whether South Shropshire BNP will keep up their activity in the coming months, but one thing is sure; opposition to them will be increased.