| Simon Darby | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1964 West Bromwich, UK |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Known for | Deputy Leader of the British National Party |
Simon Darby (born 1964) is the Deputy Chairman and National Press Officer of the British National Party.[1]
Contents |
Background
By occupation a computer communications consultant, Darby began his political career in the National Democrats, most of whose activity was centred around his West Midlands base. When the local group defected en bloc to the BNP in 1998 Darby also made the move and soon became associated with the modernising wing of the party led by Nick Griffin. He was appointed local organiser following Griffin's election as leader and was courted for membership by the Freedom Party upon their foundation, although he refused to leave the BNP.[2]
Election to Dudley Council
Darby's involvement in local politics led to him being elected to Dudley council in 2003, although he lost the seat in a round of elections the following year. Despite this loss, Darby remains one of the leading figures in the BNP, to the extent that Griffin designated him as stand-in leader were Griffin to be imprisoned during his 2005-6 trials for inciting racial hatred which Griffin was cleared of twice.[3]
Darby stood in the 2007 Welsh National Assembly Elections in the North Wales region but was not elected.
Controversy
In April 2009, he sparked controversy when he attended a conference in Italy organised by Roberto Fiore's Forza Nuova party, at which he was photographed by Searchlight being given Nazi salutes. When asked about the incident, Darby responded, "I can't do anything about that. There were 500 people and three of them were caught doing that stupid behaviour."[4]
General elections contested
| Date of election | Constituency | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Merseyside West | NDs | 718 | 1.2 |
| 1997 | Dudley North | NDs | 469 | 1.0 |
| 2001 | Dudley North | BNP | 1822 | 4.7 |
| 2004 | West Midlands | BNP | 107,794 | 7.5 |
| 2005 | Dudley North | BNP | 4022 | 9.7 |
| 2009 | West Midlands | BNP | 121,967 | 8.6 |
References
- ^ "Simon Darby Biography". BNP. http://bnp.org.uk/?ibegin_share_action=get_content&id=15347. Retrieved 2009-05-10.
- ^ N. Copsey, Contemporary British Fascism: The British National Party and the Quest for Legitimacy, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004, p. 121
- ^ BNP Targets the Heart of England The Guardian
- ^ BNP City Hall official meets neo-fascists at Euro summit Evening Standard
External links
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