Nick Griffin has been expelled from the British National Party. The former leader received a letter on Wednesday from new BNP chairman Adam Walker informing him of the Conduct Committee's decision.
The party accused Griffin of "trying to cause disunity". A BNP statement read: "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."
Griffin immediately took issue with the decision on Twitter:
Breaking news! I've just been 'expelled' without trial from the #BNP! That'll teach me to tell a member of staff he's a 'useless, lazy twat'
— Nick Griffin (@nickjgriffinbnp) October 1, 2014
Only thing is that the ruling Wigton Soviet are operating outside the constitution so I shall ignore their plastic gangster games.
— Nick Griffin (@nickjgriffinbnp) October 1, 2014
The committee said Griffin had prepared a report which lied about key party personnel and finances and approving the leak of the allegations on the internet. He has also been accused of harassing members of the party and making physical threats to one member of staff.
In addition, the committee alleged that Griffin 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 Walker. A spokesman for the committee said the "difficult decision" had not been taken lightly but stressed that 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."
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 been declared bankrupt.
Reaction on Twitter to Griffin's expulsion was less than sympathetic:
Do enjoy this collection of Nick Griffin's most embarrassing moments: