Nick Griffin made to step down as leader of the BNP
Nick Griffin has been made to step down as the leader of the British National Party (BNP) following disasters at the polls in recent European and local elections.
The announcement comes just months after he was declared bankrupt, and lost his seat as an MEP. The decision was made following a vote at a meeting of the BNP naitonal executive on Saturday.
It is reported that Griffin was made to step down following the election results, which saw the BNP lose all but two of its councillors, and all of its MEPs.
After almost fifteen years at the helm of the BNP, Griffin will be replaced temporarily by party chairman Adam Walker. Griffin will remain in the BNP as party president.
A statement on the BNP website reads: “Recently appointed deputy chairman, Adam Walker, has accepted the role of acting chairman of the British National Party after Nick Griffin stepped aside at a meeting of the BNP National Executive held on 19 July.
“The full national executive are united in their support for Adam in this role. Nick Griffin has taken up the position of president.”
Earlier this year, Griffin defended a BNP Youth video which claimed that “militant homosexuals” were part of an “unholy alliance” trying to “destroy the traditional family unit”.
The 54-year-old previously described gay people as “creepy” and admitted that he would like to ban civil partnerships.
He was criticised last August for homophobic and racist remarks, when he labelled a Twitter user a “hysterical little poof”.
He was also declared bankrupt in January this year.
