Former BNP leader Nick Griffin, from Welshpool, expelled from party
The British National Party has expelled former leader Nick Griffin for allegedly "trying to cause disunity" in a bid to destabilise the organisation.
A conduct committee, established by new BNP chairman Adam Walker, informed the ex-MEP in a letter yesterday.
Mr Griffin, who lives in Llanerfyl, near Welshpool, has also been accused of harassing members of BNP staff, allegedly making physical threats in at least one case, and of bringing the party into disrepute through public statements.
In addition, it is claimed, he published or caused to be published untrue allegations against the party in the form of emails giving a false account of his bankruptcy situation and disobeyed instructions given by Mr Walker.
The letter sent to Mr Griffin stated: "We believe that, since being given the title of honorary president, you have put all your efforts into trying to cause disunity by deliberately fabricating a state of crisis.
"The aim of this was to again embroil the BNP in factionalism designed to destabilise our party."
According to the committee, this included preparing a report which lied about key party personnel and finances and approving the leak of the allegations on the internet.
A spokesman for the committee said the "difficult decision" had not been taken lightly but stressed that Mr Griffin's behaviour had become "more erratic and disruptive".
He added: "Although we all appreciate that Nick has achieved a lot for our party in the past, we must also remember that the party is bigger than any individual.
"Nick did not adjust well to being given the honorary title of president and it soon became obvious that he was unable to work as an equal member of the team and alarmingly his behaviour became more erratic and disruptive."
Mr Griffin was chairman of the BNP for 15 years until leaving his position in July. He had previously lost his seat as an MEP and was declared bankrupt in January.
