MEMBERS of the extreme right-wing British National Party are trying to organise a meeting in Ipswich next month in an attempt to set up a branch of the party in the town.

By Paul Geater

MEMBERS of the extreme right-wing British National Party are trying to organise a meeting in Ipswich next month in an attempt to set up a branch of the party in the town.

The BNP has achieved some success by winning council seats in the north of England and the west Midlands – but there has been little sign of it in East Anglia.

But now party leader Nick Griffin, who was brought up in north Suffolk near Halesworth, is hoping to set up branches across the region.

"We're the fastest growing political movement in the country," said party spokesman Dr Phil Edwards.

"I know Nick Griffin is keen to go out and meet people – he's very keen to lead from the front and he would almost certainly go to a meeting in Ipswich," he said.

The party, which campaigns against multi-culturalism and wants to stop all non-white immigration into the country, has never made much headway in Suffolk.

Two BNP members were in the audience at this week's Ipswich council meeting to watch proceedings.

The party's latest proposals were today being discussed at the annual meeting of the Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality (ISCRE).

"This is very disturbing, it is certainly something we shall need to discuss at the annual meeting tonight," said Albert Grant from ISCRE.