The trial Leadership Challenge mounted in 2007 was meant as a forerunner for a serious challenge in 2008. However, the situation in the Party is now so confused that the serious challenge has been postponed until 2009. A separate challenge for 2008 has been announced by a group of disenchanted former officials of the Party. In our view this is a frivolous challenge with no likelihood of success. Up until a few months ago the promoters of this challenge were lauding the Party Leadership and denigrating supporters of the 2007 Challenge. They are also very much associated with liberal policies, which we view as contrary to proper nationalist principles.
          The current Leadership have apparently abandoned preparation for the next General Election, (If a snap election had been called in the spring, the Party would have had no prior preparations). We believe that fighting Parliamentary elections is the single most important function of the Party. (See further details on this point discussed on http://thenationalparty.org.uk/strategy). When campaigning for Parliamentary seats we can put forward our proposals. At Council elections, as the campaign is fought on local issues and the suitability of the candidate, it is difficult to campaign on national issues without appearing absurd.
          The current Leadership are putting all their effort into the Euro-elections. There seems no political reason for doing so as MEPs have no real power or function beyond boosting the European Commission. It has been suggested that the reason for the Leadership diverting Party resources to the Euro-elections is that a Euro-MP makes around £1,000,000 over the 5 years he is in office and then receives a pension.
          With the above in mind, we are promoting an organisation to support people who want to stand as nationalist candidates in the General Election. Under BNP rules and Electoral Commission rules this would be effectively impossible if we operate as a separate section of the BNP! What we propose is that people ‘sign up’ temporarily as individuals. When an election is called they can then decide to stand as a nationalist candidate, (In extremis, if the BNP refuses to allow them to stand as a BNP candidate, to stand for another nationalist party). We would not support a candidate against an official nationalist candidate.
          Candidates and supporters can collect money for their campaign. They can either keep the monies in their own account or put it in a central account, which we will keep in trust. See http://thenationalparty.org.uk/sterlingwork It must be emphasised that money saved as above, cannot be money that has been donated to the BNP, or any other political party, as under Electoral Commission rules, this money must be reported to a party’s national treasurer. However, there is nothing preventing organisations that are not political parties from collecting money, for example, the Sterlingwork trust.
          (We believe that supporters are loathe to donate to the BNP, because it appears from the published accounts, that 90% of the money donated to the BNP ‘disappears’ into Head Office overheads?)