Le Pen to join forces with UK far-right party
By Lisbeth Kirk
Jean-Marie Le Pen was in London recently to discuss the possibilities of forming a far-right alliance with similar British political groups. British National Party leader, Nick Griffin yesterday confirmed meeting Le Pen for the first time.
Dining in London on the last weekend of April, the two right-wingers discussed possibilities of how to join forces and establish an ultra-right political group in the European Parliament after the June 2004 elections.
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The BNP leader is opposed to the present system which allows political parties at European level to be financed through the European Parliament - but which denies the same opportunities to parties at national level. "But, since this is the way the system works, then we will bring ourselves in a position to use it as the others", Mr Griffin said to The Sunday Times, quoted by Yahoo France.
Having 17 councillors elected, the BNP scored last week the largest number of candidates in British municipal elections in the party's history. In Sunderland, 13.75 per cent of those that turned out, voted for the party.
Jean-Marie Le Pen's National Front failed to win any seats in the French parliamentary elections in June 2002.