David Lovibond
David Lovibond is a journalist who regularly contributed to The Spectator magazine while Boris Johnson was the editor[1].
BNP Controversy
In 2003, the Wiltshire-based journalist wrote an article in the Spectator raising concerns that crime, in particular anti social and drug-related crime, had escalated in his local town Devizes. The article coincided with a campaign by the BNP to form a BNP branch in Devizes. The campaign involved sending leaflets about rising levels of crime, which were later condemned as being alarmist. According to the Wiltshire Times:
- The British National Party has been condemned for distributing an "alarmist" leaflet to homes in Devizes. The leaflet states "Don't let Devizes become a crime blackspot" and adds "Crime destroys communities, time for zero tolerance!" and has been produced as the start of a campaign to form a BNP branch in Devizes. The leaflet was delivered to 1,000 homes in the town and comes a few weeks after an article in The Spectator magazine by Devizes-based journalist David Lovibond raised concerns that crime, in particular anti social and drug-related crime, had escalated in Devizes. The BNP said the delivery of the leaflets was not connected with Mr Lovibond's article and instead was part of its campaigning for the European elections in June 2004.
The Wiltshire police told the newspaper that the BNP's campaign was formed at a time when crime had actually gone down in the area. [2]
Five years later, when Wikileaks published the BNP members list, Lovibond was listed as a BNP 'gold' member [3] and activist. [4] [5]
Articles
- David Lovibond, The real racists, The Spectator, 10th April 2004, accessed Jan 2012
- David Lovibond, Town and Out, 11 October 2003
Notes
- ↑ David Lovibond, The Real Racists, The Spectator, 10-April-2004, Accessed 19-June-2009
- ↑ Wiltshire Times, BNP faces flak over `alarmist' poll leaflet, The Wiltshire Times, 13-November-2003, Accessed 19-June-2009 (no longer online as of August 2012) but can be viewed at BNP faces flak over `alarmist\' poll leaflet in Devizies, accessed 11 August 2012
- ↑ Gold Membership – Go That Extra Mile – a Message from Nick Griffin
- ↑ BNP Membership List and BNP Members spreadsheet 2009 WIKILEAKS 2006-April 2009 British National Party (BNP) membership management information acc Dec 2012
- ↑ Oliver Marre, Mea culpa, mayor Boris?, The Observer, 23-November-2008, Accessed 19-June-2009
