Question Time

[brionon]

Yesterday on QT. A police Officer and a candidate Police Officer both said that they were ,as policemen,forbidden to be members of Any Political Party. The ''Expert'' on the panel said this was not so. He said that they were only forbidden to be members of 3 Right wing Parties. So who was right ?

[Octavius]

It depends on your use of English.

"Under the policy no member of the police service, whether police officer or police staff, may be a member of an organisation whose constitution, aims, objectives or pronouncements contradict the general duty to promote race equality.�

So if you said �are they banned from joining any political party�, I would say yes, the BNP, NF and IRA (perhaps others, I don�t know).

Or, you could say �are they banned from joining any political party�, and I could say no, except the ones that contravene the policy.

[brionon]

Octavius-BUT both men said that they were not allowed to be members of ANY Political Party. Again I ask-were they wrong ?

[Octavius]

Haven't I answered that?

[R1Geezer]

I don't know whether or not they can be in a political party or not but I would be surprised if they could be a member of some parties and not others. Surely you couldn't frame a law to cover that. I mean:

"Can be a member of a political party provided they are the sort of party that have thouroughly decent chaps who we mostly agree with"

sounds a bit unlikely to me. I know a couple of ex coppers and it was their belief that they could not join any party however I can imagine that to simplify the situation they where probably told that when they joined. No doubt technically it's not sepcifically prevented but would come under some general umbrella term of not joining any outfit where their membership may come into conflict with their job etc etc.

[kempie]

Membership of the IRA is not specifically banned.

The three banned organisations contained within the Police Regulations 2003 (as amended) following a determination by the Secretary of State are:

British National Party
Combat 18
National Front

http://www.knowledgenetwork.gov.uk/HO/circular .nsf/WebPrintDoc/319A2EAC673EF7EC80256FB7003DC 0E5?OpenDocument

[brionon]

Octavius Yes if ''I don't know'' was your answer but it's not enough,sorry.

[Octavius]

Yes that is cleerly wot I sed innit.

[brionon]

Octavius you said ''I would say yes, the BNP, NF and IRA (perhaps others, I don�t know). ''
Why so hostile ?

[New Judge]

Octavius has the correct answer in his second paragraph.

The issue is whether the party in question (in this case the BNP) has in it aims etc a contradiction to promote race equality.

This has not been tested and it is about time it was.