London:
Rajinder Singh, a 78-year-old retired Sikh teacher, is expected to be first non-white member of the right-wing British National Party (BNP) after it amended its Constitution to allow black and Asian members members into the party.
The BNP, which openly says that all immigration into Britain should be stopped and those in UK should be sent back to their countries of origin, was forced to amend its constitution to comply with anti-discrimination laws.
Singh, who migrated to Britain in 1967, has supported the BNP since 2001, and also gave a character reference to the BNP leader Nick Griffin in 2005.
Northamptonshire-based Singh has written for the BNP's newspaper, appeared on its Internet TV channel, and voted for them, but until now could not join the party because of its whites-only policy.
After the membership rules were amended, Griffin said: "I will be absolutely delighted to shake his hand and give him his membership card."
Martin Wingfield, the BNP's communications and campaigns officer, reportedly told party members: "I say adapt and survive and give the brave and loyal Rajinder Singh the honour of becoming the first ethnic minority member of the BNP."
Griffin said he expected a "trickle, rather than a flood" of applications from ethnic minority Britons. He said, "We are happy to accept anyone as a member, providing they agree with us that this country should remain fundamentally British."
A spokeswoman for the Equality and Human Rights Commission said,"We haven't yet seen what the changes are, but hope the BNP's revised membership policy is no longer discriminatory."
A spokesman for anti-fascist group Searchlight said: "This is a meaningless gesture by the BNP. No one seriously believes that thousands of black and Asian Britons will now be queueing up to join Nick Griffin's party. The BNP are as racist and extremist as ever."
The BNP won two seats in the European Parliament in 2009, and is likely to contest the forthcoming general elections.
The BNP, which openly says that all immigration into Britain should be stopped and those in UK should be sent back to their countries of origin, was forced to amend its constitution to comply with anti-discrimination laws.
Singh, who migrated to Britain in 1967, has supported the BNP since 2001, and also gave a character reference to the BNP leader Nick Griffin in 2005.
Northamptonshire-based Singh has written for the BNP's newspaper, appeared on its Internet TV channel, and voted for them, but until now could not join the party because of its whites-only policy.
After the membership rules were amended, Griffin said: "I will be absolutely delighted to shake his hand and give him his membership card."
Martin Wingfield, the BNP's communications and campaigns officer, reportedly told party members: "I say adapt and survive and give the brave and loyal Rajinder Singh the honour of becoming the first ethnic minority member of the BNP."
Griffin said he expected a "trickle, rather than a flood" of applications from ethnic minority Britons. He said, "We are happy to accept anyone as a member, providing they agree with us that this country should remain fundamentally British."
A spokeswoman for the Equality and Human Rights Commission said,"We haven't yet seen what the changes are, but hope the BNP's revised membership policy is no longer discriminatory."
A spokesman for anti-fascist group Searchlight said: "This is a meaningless gesture by the BNP. No one seriously believes that thousands of black and Asian Britons will now be queueing up to join Nick Griffin's party. The BNP are as racist and extremist as ever."
The BNP won two seats in the European Parliament in 2009, and is likely to contest the forthcoming general elections.
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