BNP man 'didn't blame all Asians'

A British National Party activist has told a court he did not blame "all Asians" for race problems in Britain.

Mark Collett, 25, is on trial with BNP leader Nick Griffin following speeches made in West Yorkshire in 2004.

Mr Collett, of Rothley, Leics, and Mr Griffin, of Llanerfyl, Powys, deny they intended to stir racial hatred.

Mr Collett told a jury at Leeds Crown Court he was not referring to all Asians when he said in a speech: "If you want these people out, vote BNP."

"That would not be party policy," he said, under cross-examination by Rodney Jameson QC.

"The full force of the speech would be about criminality that's disproportionately dealt with by the establishment."

Establishment attacked

He admitted that his speeches raised the possibility of white people being slaughtered "by any or all ethnic minorities".

"But in no way do I blame the ethnics for that," he said.

He repeatedly denied that a series of references in his speeches to "these people" referred to "all Asians", insisting that he had different specific groups of people in mind each time - including Asian criminals, rapists and rioters.

He insisted that he blamed the establishment, the Labour Party and the media for a series of race problems and said his only intention when he made the four speeches was to motivate his audience, who were party members and supporters.

Mr Jameson said Mr Collett's speeches were "all about race".

He said: "It's all about building up a picture of Asians and asylum seekers or any race as cockroaches, terrorists, rapists and murderers, to be feared and therefore to be hated."

Mr Collett replied: "Not at all. You are cherry-picking the best bits of these speeches."

The trial was adjourned until Wednesday.