Scott McLean: Griffin, you need professional help

Statement by Scott McLean

BNP member for 20 yrs

Scottish Organiser 1990-2007

Deputy Chairman 2002-2007

Candidate for the party in numerous Scottish, Westminster, and European elections, including 2010 General Election.

In my time as a party member, candidate and office holder I've experienced many situations. These ranged from the day to day activities of paper-selling and leafleting, to the serious business of running election campaigns in my region and the party's National Disciplinary Officer. As the party's youngest Regional Organiser in the early nineties I built up Scotland as the largest region in the whole of the party. I would like to think that the then party chairman John Tyndall, held me in high regard. As a region we didn't ask Central Office for anything. We just got on with the job. Scotland is and always has been the hardest place for the party to do well due to various circumstances.

Around the early Nineties the party was treading on water elsewhere in Britain. We had some success in London using techniques pioneered by a relatively young Eddy Butler. Apart from that, nationalism in the BNP reminded me of the brick wall and head equation. I knew something had to be done to move the party forward. No disrespect for the party leader John Tyndall. His outlook was more on the past than the future.

I read many articles from many people on Nationalism and discussed these with a couple of close comrades. After identifying two or three people who might fit the bill we decided to pursue two candidates. We made contact and arranged to meet them. Nick Griffin was by far the most impressive of the candidates. At the time I hasten to add we were looking for some new blood and new ideas and a possible leader for the future. At that time there was no one who could have fulfilled the leaders role if anything happened to John Tyndall. Nick did fit the bill and we hoped he liked what we had to say.

Anyway Nick took a look at the party and saw it's potential. A short time after that he became involved.

In 1999 circumstances led to Nick making a leadership challenge. In my opinion he had no option. Modernisers in the party myself included felt that the party was being held back by not embracing new techniques that had proved successful for our elections guru Eddy butler. He hadn't got the proper backing with finance and manpower when he needed it most. Nick was put forward as the candidate for change. His campaign manager was Tony Lecomber in the South with myself in the north. Mr Tyndall thought Nick had no chance although we new different. I advised Nick and his campaign manager Tony to run a clean fight. It was a credit to nationalism and internal democracy that they did. Mr Tyndall's camp ran a dirty campaign which I didn't expect from him. John Tyndall was a man of great honour and I thought he lost some of that in his campaign tactics. He was a great friend to me and I never saw him in the same light again after that. In defeat he was offered Honorary Presidency of the party, a lifetime seat on the ruling council and a party pension. He refused.

John Tyndall thought that the BNP was his and he found out the hard way that he was only a part of the machine. The BNP is all of ours. There is not one person who is or ever could be bigger than the machine, that spirit inhabits all of us and is to share amongst its beholders.

John Tyndall who should have been one of the great heroes that had guided our movement, is now in some eyes not that man. When time comes it comes and there is no will on earth that can stop it. Have the vision to accept that.

I have been in someway involved ever since in the party. I do not regret helping to elect our current Chairman. He was just what we needed at the time and I do still hold him in high regard.

Our new leader had many talents. There were however some decisions he should leave to others. Nick has never been good at management that's why he knows he needs a helping hand at that task. Nick is a politician and he should stick to that. Every problem I've seen in this party is due to the wrong people being given jobs normally because of who they are, not of what they can do. We've seen masses of talent get thrown out or leave the party. Ask yourself how many management people or officers are now gone because of policy disagreements? Very little. They are all gone due to mismanagement. Ask yourself why the party finances are a complete shambles? Lots of money going through over the years. Misspent and thrown away on stupid misguided actions. I say to you Nick, that you would have fired yourself, from where I'm standing. Your wrong actions have purged this party, our party of the best that we had. You take every bit of criticism as a personal attack. It's fair enough to say you have the hardest job in the country, but let people help you. The right people. There are plenty of people, managers, accountants, fundraisers, strategists and just plain people with common sense who are in this party. It's our party. We want to help.

First we have to get rid of the stranglehold we're in, no naming names. If you can't see that this party needs politicians to engage in politics, accountants to deal with the accounts etc. Our people appointed no one else. Our members.

Why are you so scared and employing underhand tactics when someone is left with no option than to stand for leader? It's disgraceful! And if Eddy Butler doesn't succeed in being nominated then what? Will we all go away and live happily ever after? You are too clever not to see what is on the horizon. I've seen you make many wrong calls over the years. No one could call them all right. I'm not saying that. We all need help. Even when there is a mess to clean up. All I'm saying is dialogue gets you everywhere, in silence we are sunk. It might be time to step upstairs, politics for politicians. Don't let your honour [What honour? AE] pass under the bridge Nick.

There are many, many good people who feel this way. I've been asked to mention a few although I'm not going to. There are plenty of so called Griffinites out there many in staff positions and organisers, officers of the party to scared to say what they feel. That certainly doesn't make me proud. Remind me is that not why we fight? To be able to say what we see?

For the party

Scott McLean