Christian Council of Britain
FormationApril 2006
TypeBritish National Party-affiliated Christian lobby group

The Christian Council of Britain (CCoB) is an organisation founded by Robert West. While the CCoB claims to be "an independent, non-political organisation autonomous of any political party in Britain," it is closely associated with the British National Party,[1][2][3] and West has been described as the BNP's religious affairs spokesman.[4]

Founder

The Times has stated that West is "an ordained elder" of the Apostolic Church;[5] however, the church denies knowledge of him and has distanced itself from his views.[6] In 2006 West, then a Conservative Party councillor on South Holland District Council in Lincolnshire, was suspended from the Party[7] after Lincoln's Race Equality Council expressed concerns over his links with the BNP.[8] BBC News subsequently reported that he had set up his own church, based in a house in Holbeach, to preach "traditional Bible beliefs".[7] He later stood as a BNP candidate in the 2009 Norwich North by-election and in Lincoln during the General election of 2010, losing his deposit in both cases.

West also stood unsuccessfully during the 2009 European elections in the East Midlands region.

Beliefs

The CCB claims that the Bible justifies its support for the BNP's repatriation policy,[9] i.e. "firm but voluntary incentives for immigrants and their descendants to return home."[10]

Opposition

The Christian Council of Britain has been criticised by a number of mainline British Christian organisations, who claim that "Christian belief is incompatible with any political party or philosophy that is based on hatred or treats people as inferior because of their race, beliefs or for any other reason"[9][11] and argue against the CCoB's theological views on the separation of races.

See also

References

  1. ^ Pigott, Robert (7 April 2009). "Faith Diary: Vote Jesus?". BBC. Retrieved 16 June 2009.
  2. ^ BNP members involved in 'Christian' front, Ekklesia (think tank), 14 March 2006.
  3. ^ "BNP helping to establish church group based around racial ideology". Ekklesia. 16 March 2006. Retrieved 16 June 2009.
  4. ^ "Church debates BNP ban for clergy". BBC News. 8 February 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  5. ^ Thair Shaikh (15 May 2006). "Conservative councillor joins BNP". The Times. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  6. ^ Bartley, Jonathan. "Does any church claim 'Rev' Robert West?". Jonathan Bartley's blog. Ekklesia. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  7. ^ a b "Suspended councillor moves to BNP". London, United Kingdom: BBC News England. 15 May 2006. Retrieved 12 April 2012. Mr West said he had been a lecturer in political philosophy and equal opportunities law.
    He has set up his own church, based in a house in Holbeach, to preach "traditional Bible beliefs".
  8. ^ "Councillor faces enquiry over BNP". BBC News. 5 May 2006. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
  9. ^ a b "No connection to the "Christian Council of Britain"". Church of England. 5 April 2006. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  10. ^ "BNP General Election Manifesto 2005" (PDF). BBC. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  11. ^ "Countering political extremism at the ballot box" (PDF). Baptist Union of Great Britain, The Methodist Church, The United Reformed Church. Retrieved 27 May 2013.[permanent dead link]

External links

Far-right politics in the United Kingdom
British National Party
Categories