Legal concern over Union racism policy

The Union of Students is defiantly sticking to its anti-racism policy despite concerns that aspects of its campaign against fascism may be illegal.

The matter was raised at the first meeting of the newly-elected Students’ Union Council last Thursday.

Members agreed to continue a campaign to thwart the British National Party’s local election chances, particularly at the European elections this June.

But Brian Thwaites, representative for the Institute for Lifelong Learning, said he was worried that political campaigning of this sort may be illegal because of the University’s status as a tax exempt charity.

Union Women’s Officer Fiona Edwards claimed at the meeting that the BNP "stand in the tradition of Hitler".

She said: "The Students’ Union anti-racism policy has been in force for many years, regularly supported by students and noting with concern the electoral rise of racist organisations.

"Students have played an active part in slowing the resurgence of fascism in our city and our region in recent years and with the European elections just around the corner we must redouble our efforts to keep Sheffield a Nazi-free zone."

Formally, the Union is separate from the University itself. But charity regulations also apply to organisations that serve a particular purpose in connection with a charity.

If this applies to the Union, it too will be governed by rules stating that charities can only be involved in politics to help them achieve their "charitable purpose".

The University’s main charitable purpose is education, although other acceptable purposes do include promoting racial harmony.

During the meeting, Brian stated that he knew BNP leader Nick Griffin. But afterwards he was clear in his opposition to the far-right group, describing himself as a socialist.

He said: "The only thing that’s concerning me was the potential that we would be in breach of charities regulation, which could potentially cause the Officers some problems."

With its roots in the National Front of the 1970s and 1980s, the BNP is widely regarded as racist. According to its Constitution, it is "wholly opposed to any form of racial integration between British and non-European peoples".

Its aims include restoring the "overwhelmingly white makeup of the British population that existed in Britain prior to 1948".

The party has had clashes with students’ unions in the past. Griffin was booked to attend a debate at Oxford University last November, but the event was cancelled in the face of overwhelming student opposition.

Locally, the BNP has begun to enjoy some electoral success. In this year’s local elections in May, they won two seats on Rotherham Council.

They came second in three wards in Sheffield, with 742 votes in Firth Park, 1031 votes in Southey and 846 votes in Shiregreen and Brightside.

Robert Cooke