Burnley councillor resigns from BNP

Councillor Maureen Stowe, resigned from the BNP February 2004, continues as an Independent councillor on Burnley Council.

"I COULD never understand why all those people were calling the BNP fascists. Well I do now…..Don't vote for them. They are not what they seem and, like me, you'll regret it."

“I keep asking myself how I could have been so stupid as to have anything to do with them. What's frightening is that I got elected last May without campaigning and on a BNP ticket when I had no idea what they really stand for. I worry now about the elections in June and them conning more voters."

"I now think the BNP thought they could hide behind me, use me.”

"The BNP really hid the racism, certainly in my presence.”

"I wasn't formally a member of the BNP."

"I went to the Red White and Blue festival last summer. I was only there for ten minutes on the Sunday and I didn't like what I saw. It was really nasty."

"I began to see they were not interested in representing people. I know I must sound stupid to have ever gone along with them. I felt people round here were getting nothing. I suppose I turned a blind eye to what I considered the hotheads in the BNP were doing. I've woken up now…… take immigration. There are only 34 asylum seekers in Burnley . How can that be an immigration problem? People are people and we've got to come together to get the things we need."

"I'm frightened they will turn really nasty. It's not just them coming round here. They are also quite capable of making stuff up and trying to rubbish me. But I won't be deterred."

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