BNP poster campaign for British workers uses American actors

The poster demands “British jobs for British workers” and it shows three smiling men in hard-hats urging people to vote BNP. But the “building workers” in the ad – which is being driven up and down the country on a BNP vehicle called the “Truth Truck” – are not even British. They are American models who posed for a general photo agency shoot in Portland, Oregon, in the United States.

Another shot in the same set shows a black man working alongside white colleagues – but the racist BNP didn’t use that one.

Party bosses, led by Nick Griffin, have also printed millions of leaflets making bogus claims that a doctor and a respectable OAP couple are among their supporters.

A distinguished-looking medic is quoted saying: “I’m voting BNP because I see what immigration has done to the NHS. As a doctor I want to see an end to ‘health tourists’ and make sure British nurses are employed and paid fairly.”

But the man in the picture is another American model from a stock photo library.

The pensioners are quoted saying: “We’ve seen how this country has declined under the present government and we’re voting BNP because they will put pensioners before asylum seekers and ensure our future.”

But this couple are the Italian parents of the agency photographer. They can’t vote in Britain – and are appalled that their picture has been used to spread far-right propaganda.

BNP leader Griffin last week launched the party’s biggest election drive. His members are contesting 69 out of the UK’s 72 European Parliament seats and hope to win up to seven. But the party’s millions of leaflets could be BANNED if they are found to breach strict Royal Mail election material rules, following a complaint by Welsh party Plaid Cymru, who uncovered some of the photos.

Plaid MP Adam Price said: “These leaflets hideously misrepresent the views of the people photographed. I believe they have breached the guidelines set out for electoral communications and I call on the Royal Mail to stop distribution immediately.”

A spokesman for anti-fascist group Searchlight said: “This is a catastrophic own goal by Nick Griffin and the BNP.”

And senior Labour MP Jon Cruddas said: “How cynical can the BNP get? I can only assume no decent person would pose for posters or leaflets for the BNP so they had to make it all up. The British people will see this for what it is – a cynical con. How low can they go?”

Sunday Mirror