Eddy Butler
Encyclopedia
Eddy Butler is a former National Elections Officer of the British National Party
(BNP) and was dubbed the party's "elections guru" by its newspaper, Voice of Freedom, until being suspended and expelled from the BNP in 2010 by Nick Griffin
.
Butler was originally the Tower Hamlets
organiser for the National Front but, after having been expelled from that party by Griffin, in 1986, joined the British National Party in the same year. Butler first came to prominence in the early 1990s when he was party organiser in Tower Hamlets. Whilst in charge here Butler masterminded the 'Rights for Whites' campaign, a locally-based initiative that sought to highlight council bias against the White British
. The campaign, which initially presented itself as independent before linking directly to the BNP, was instrumental in building up support for the party in the area, which culminated in the election of Derek Beackon
as a councillor in Millwall
in 1993.
Butler's success brought him promotion within the party and he was soon appointed National Elections Officer. Whilst in this position, in 1994, he was the victim of a knife attack, allegedly carried out by members of Combat 18
. Butler also became closely associated with party 'modernisers' such as Tony Lecomber
, Michael Newland and others associated with The Patriot magazine. Butler left the BNP in 1996 only to rejoin in 1998. As a member of the Bloomsbury Forum, Butler was closely linked to the founders of the Freedom Party
and joined that party in 2001.
Although appointed as the Freedom Party's Campaign Director, Butler subsequently returned to the BNP in 2003, again as its National Elections Officer, played a part in the party's campaigns in the 2006 local elections
. In 2009 he was the party's lead candidate for the European Parliament election
in the Eastern region, in which the BNP's party list achieved 6.1% of the vote. He was the party's candidate for Harlow
in the 2010 General Election. and also a candidate in Barking and Dagenham in the London borough council elections, held on the same day.
On 18 June 2010, Butler announced that he would challenge the current leader, Nick Griffin
, for the leadership (office of National Chairman) of the BNP the following month. On 11 August 2010, it was announced that he had not obtained the very large number of nominations (840) required to trigger an election.
On 13 October 2010, Eddy was expelled from the BNP, allegedly for breaching the party's code of conduct.. He was denied a disciplinary tribunal, to which he was entitled, on the spurious grounds that he had less than two years' continuous membership of the party at the time of his alleged offence(s).
On 26 November 2011, Eddy Butler joined the English Democrats.
European Parliament elections
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
(BNP) and was dubbed the party's "elections guru" by its newspaper, Voice of Freedom, until being suspended and expelled from the BNP in 2010 by Nick Griffin
Nick Griffin
Nicholas John "Nick" Griffin is a British politician, chairman of the British National Party and Member of the European Parliament for North West England....
.
Butler was originally the Tower Hamlets
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough to the east of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It is in the eastern part of London and covers much of the traditional East End. It also includes much of the redeveloped Docklands region of London, including West India Docks...
organiser for the National Front but, after having been expelled from that party by Griffin, in 1986, joined the British National Party in the same year. Butler first came to prominence in the early 1990s when he was party organiser in Tower Hamlets. Whilst in charge here Butler masterminded the 'Rights for Whites' campaign, a locally-based initiative that sought to highlight council bias against the White British
White British
White British was an ethnicity classification used in the 2001 United Kingdom Census. As a result of the census, 50,366,497 people in the United Kingdom were classified as White British. In Scotland the classification was broken down into two different categories: White Scottish and Other White...
. The campaign, which initially presented itself as independent before linking directly to the BNP, was instrumental in building up support for the party in the area, which culminated in the election of Derek Beackon
Derek Beackon
Derek William Beackon is a former British National Party councillor.Beackon joined the BNP in 1986 as an associate member, becoming a full member two years later...
as a councillor in Millwall
Millwall
Millwall is an area in London, on the western side of the Isle of Dogs, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It lies to the south of the developments at West India Docks, including Canary Wharf.-History:...
in 1993.
Butler's success brought him promotion within the party and he was soon appointed National Elections Officer. Whilst in this position, in 1994, he was the victim of a knife attack, allegedly carried out by members of Combat 18
Combat 18
Combat 18 is a violent neo-Nazi organisation associated with Blood and Honour. It originated in the United Kingdom, but has since spread to other countries. Members of Combat 18 have been suspected in numerous deaths of immigrants, non-whites, and other C18 members...
. Butler also became closely associated with party 'modernisers' such as Tony Lecomber
Tony Lecomber
Anthony "Tony" Mark Lecomber is a former Group Development Director for the British National Party.-Background:Lecomber has been active in far-right politics since the early 1980s...
, Michael Newland and others associated with The Patriot magazine. Butler left the BNP in 1996 only to rejoin in 1998. As a member of the Bloomsbury Forum, Butler was closely linked to the founders of the Freedom Party
UK Freedom Party
The Freedom Party was a right wing political party in the United Kingdom.The party was founded in December 2000 by former members of the British National Party , dubbed "ultra-Tories" by BNP leader Nick Griffin, who were disaffected with the party's refusal to moderate its position on race...
and joined that party in 2001.
Although appointed as the Freedom Party's Campaign Director, Butler subsequently returned to the BNP in 2003, again as its National Elections Officer, played a part in the party's campaigns in the 2006 local elections
United Kingdom local elections, 2006
Local government elections took place in England on Thursday 4 May 2006. Polling stations were open between 7:00 and 22:00.All London borough council seats were up for election, as well as a third of the seats on each of the metropolitan borough councils, and a third of some unitary authorities...
. In 2009 he was the party's lead candidate for the European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 2009 (United Kingdom)
The European Parliament election was the United Kingdom's component of the 2009 European Parliament election, the voting for which was held on Thursday 4 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections in England. Most of the results of the election were announced on Sunday 7 June, after...
in the Eastern region, in which the BNP's party list achieved 6.1% of the vote. He was the party's candidate for Harlow
Harlow (UK Parliament constituency)
Harlow is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
in the 2010 General Election. and also a candidate in Barking and Dagenham in the London borough council elections, held on the same day.
On 18 June 2010, Butler announced that he would challenge the current leader, Nick Griffin
Nick Griffin
Nicholas John "Nick" Griffin is a British politician, chairman of the British National Party and Member of the European Parliament for North West England....
, for the leadership (office of National Chairman) of the BNP the following month. On 11 August 2010, it was announced that he had not obtained the very large number of nominations (840) required to trigger an election.
On 13 October 2010, Eddy was expelled from the BNP, allegedly for breaching the party's code of conduct.. He was denied a disciplinary tribunal, to which he was entitled, on the spurious grounds that he had less than two years' continuous membership of the party at the time of his alleged offence(s).
On 26 November 2011, Eddy Butler joined the English Democrats.
Elections contested
UK Parliament elections| Date of election | Constituency | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Harlow Harlow (UK Parliament constituency) Harlow is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :... |
BNP British National Party The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982... |
1,739 | 4.0 |
European Parliament elections
| Year | Region | Party | Votes | % | Results | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 European Parliament election, 2009 (United Kingdom) The European Parliament election was the United Kingdom's component of the 2009 European Parliament election, the voting for which was held on Thursday 4 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections in England. Most of the results of the election were announced on Sunday 7 June, after... |
East of England East of England (European Parliament constituency) East of England is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 7 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :... |
BNP British National Party The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982... |
97,013 | 6.1 | Not elected | Multi-member constituency; party list |