BNP stirring up fears over paedophiles

The York BNP blog is continuing to try and stir up fears about paedophiles in the local area. Specifically it suggests that convicted paedophiles being housed at the Southview Bail hostel have been filming children playing at Poppleton Road Primary School.

Helpfully the York BNP blog includes images of what appear to be official BNP leaflets entitled “Paedophile Scum out of our Community”.

The address given on these is PO Box 669, YO32 2WB. This is the same as the contact address provided by the York BNP blog. Why does this matter? Well the York BNP blog claims that

We are an independent Community Voice Group in York that supports the British National Party. Please note that these posts are entirely the opinion of the author/s and not the British National Party.

So the York BNP blog claims not to represent the opinions of the BNP but it is based at the same address as the BNP in York. So are the York BNP confused about their opinions, or their address or both?

John Upex - UKIP

John Randall Upex was born and raised in Leeds. He has had a long career in engineering and owns and runs his own manufacturing company. He is 63, married with two grown up children. He has lived in Harrogate since 1984.

John Upex has stood in a number of elections in recent years. In the 2005 General Election he stood in the Wakefield seat for UKIP, finishing in 6th place with 1.1% of the vote. In 2008 he stood as an independent in the Haltemprice and Howden by-election gaining 0.2% of the vote. Also in 2008 John Upex stood in the Nidd Valley Ward of the Harrogate Borough Council Elections where he got 2.6% of the vote.

As one would expect John Upex's main concern is with Europe. In election literature attributed to him during the 2008 Haltemprice and Howden by-election he likens the EU to Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union and claimed that if he was elected he would overthrow the government and lead a peasants revolt in order to remove Britain from the European Union.

Jeff Kelly - BNP

Updated 24/01/10 with picture of Jeff Kelly

Jeff Kelly stood in the recent council by-election in the Heworth ward of York gaining about 6.7% of the vote and finishing in 5th place.

Jeff Kelly also stood in the Rydale Distict (Norton Division) of the North Yorkshire County Council elections in June 2009 where he got over 10% of the vote and beat Labour into 4th place.

Jeff Kelly's website doesn't contain any biographical information on him and none seems to be available from the official BNP website. Jeff Kelly's website does not contain much in the way of policies. Instead it concentrates on the unfairness of the York Press Newspaper not publishing his letters.

The BNP did not field a candidate in the York constituency in any of the last three general elections (1997, 2001 or 2005).

Contact Details

The Secretary, PO Box 699, York, YO32 2WB

Telephone: 07531 339238

email: Heworth_BNP@live.co.uk

Eddie Vee - Monster Raving Loony Party

Elvis impersonator Eddie Vee is the official Monster Raving Loony Candidate for York Central. Eddie stood for the Monster Raving Loony Party in York in 2001. He officially stood as "The Yorkshire Elvis, Minister for Yorkshire Tea, Yorkshire Puddings and Elvis Music", with one of his main aims to get an Elvis Presley Memorial Garden set up in the Museum Gardens in York.

Alongside his political and musical careers Eddie has appeared on numerous TV shows including The Weakest Link, Trisha and This Morning.

Check out Eddie Performing

Andy Chase - Greens

The Greens got 4.5% of the vote in York in the 2005 General Election (up from 3.1% in 2001 and 1.5% in 1997).

Andy Chase is 37 years old. He has previously stood for election to York City Council. In May 2007 he beat both Conservative and Liberal Democrat candidates to finish in second place to the Labour candidate in the Micklegate ward.

Andy Chase has lived in the Micklegate Ward for over 10 years and has been active in a number of local campaigns, particularly on planning issues. He opposed the Coppergate II shopping mall scheme and plans for the former Terrys chocolate site. He spoke out in favour of re-opening the Barbican centre as a non-profit community run venture. He has also been vocal in opposing the introduction of ticket barriers at York Railway Station.

His blueprint for the City of York includes introducing congestion charging, increasing the number of night buses and promoting independent retailers.

Contact Details

York Green Party, Basement, 22A Fishergate, York YO10 4AB

Telephone: 01904 636239

e-mail: yorkoffice@greenparty.org.uk

Christian Vassie - Liberal Democrat

Christain Vassie has been the City Councillor for the Wheldrake ward since 2003. Christian Vassie was educated in York at the Minster Song School and later at Archbishop Holgate's School.

Christian Vassie studied African Languages and World Music at the School of African and Oriental Studies in London from 1978-1982 graduating with a BA (hons.). Since graduating he has worked as a musician and composer, running his own production company since 1986 creating music for various TV productions and films. Christian Vassie is also a published author of both children's and adult books.

Christian Vassie claims on his website (as of 10/01/2010) that he is currently a member of York City Council's ruling executive with responsibility for Leisure and Heritage. He was sacked from this job in May 2009. He has since been critical of his council colleagues on a number of issues.

Christian Vassie was involved in a three year legal battle with his neighbours over their garden boundary. In 2007 this resulted in him having to pay £22, 500 in legal costs.

Christian Vassie identifies his two main campaign interests as the environment and civil liberties.

Contact Details

Chritian Vassie, 10 Blake Court, Wheldrake YO19 6BT

email: christian@vassie.co.uk

Susan Wade-Weeks - Conservative

Susan Wade-Weeks has recently moved to York from Sussex in order to stand as the Conservative Party's candidate in the 2010 General Election. Educated at the prestigious Cheltenham Ladies College (1970-1975), Universite de Lille (1976) and St Andrews University (1976-1980) she graduated with an MA in French Language and Literature.

Susan Wade-Weeks' professional career has largely revolved around advertising and marketing with one of her biggest clients being the Sofa Workshop. Alongside her professional career. Susan Wade-Weeks has raised three children, Honeysuckle Weeks, Perdita Weeks and Rollo Weeks. All three have become actors and Susan often accompanied them on set as a tutor and chaperone when they were children.

Susan Wade-Weeks joined the Conservative Party in 2005. She was elected to Chichester Borough Council in May 2007 and resigned her post in May 2008 after being adopted as the Conservative Candidate for York Central in March 2008. During this period Susan Wade-Weeks says that she

achieved a number of local improvements, campaigning to support village shops, save local post offices and fighting to retain local accident and emergency services, as well as facilitating and funding the introduction of broadband internet access.

In her own PR material Susan Wade-Weeks concentrates on the importance of the family, improving schools and the NHS and highlights her campaigns on behalf of local small businesses. She also highlights her support for green issues and her opposition to the war in Iraq.

The Guardian have an interview with Susan Wade-Weeks from September 2008 which covers her views on Tax, the Family and Europe.

Contact Details

1 Ash Street, York, YO26 4UR

email: susan@susanwadeweeks.co.uk or susanwadeweeks@yahoo.co.uk

Find her on Facebook and Twitter (empty when I last looked).

Hugh Bayley - Labour

Hugh Bayley has been the Member of Parliament for the City of York (now York Central) since 1992. At the last election his majority was over 10, 000.

Hugh Bayley is considered to be a loyal backbencher with a solid voting and attendance record. Although he had claimed close to the maximum allowed his expenses claims have not raised too many eyebrows.

Hugh Bayley has voted for the war in Iraq, ID Cards, Student top up fees, the hunting ban and the smoking ban. He has voted against inquiries into the war in Iraq and some climate change bills. More details on his voting record can be found on They Work for You, The Public Whip and The Guardian.

Hugh Bayley has in the past served as a junior health minister. He is currently on the International Development Select Committee and the Chairman's Panel.

Hugh Bayley was born in Oxford in 1952. He is married with two children.

He got his first degree from Bristol University with a subsequent degree from the University of York.

• From 1977 to 1982 he was a National officer with NALGO
• From 1982 to 1986 he ran the International Broadcasting Trust making documentaries about international development issues.
• From 1986 to 1992 he worked as a lecturer and research fellow at the University of York.
• He was a councillor in Camden (London) in the early 1980s.

Contact Details
Publicly available contact details

Hugh Bayley, 59 Holgate Road, York YO24 4AA

Telephone: 01904 623713

Email: bayleyh@parliament.uk

Facebook Page

The Candidates

So far there appear to be 7 candidates standing for the York Central constituency in 2010 General Election.

Labour Hugh Bayley (sitting MP)
Green Andy Chase
BNP Jeff Kelly
UKIP John Upex
Liberal Democrat Christian Vassie
Monster Raving Loony Eddie Vee (Elvis)
Conservative Susan Wade-Weeks

I have put links up to their personal websites/blogs on the right hand side of this page. The exception being John Upex from UKIP for whom I could not find a site (or even a profile of him on the UKIP website).

The York Central Constituency

There has been a boundary change in the York area creating two new constituencies. York central (largely based on the old York City constituency) and York Outer. York Central Covers Acomb, Clifton, Fishergate, Guildhall, Heworth, Holgate, Hull Road, Micklegate and Westfield.

The sitting MP is Hugh Bayley (Labour) who has a majority of over 10,000 and almost 47% of the vote. .

Hugh Bayley has been the MP for York since 1992 when he took the seat from the Conservatives. Since then the conservatives have consistently finished 2nd with around 24% of the vote.

Over the same period the Liberal Democrats have increased their share of the vote from just over 11% to nearly 22% putting them only 2.6% behind the Conservatives in the 2005 general election.

You can see a more detailed breakdown of the voting figures on the Guardian website.