SPACE expert Steve Bennett has vehemently denied having links with the far-right British National Party after his name appeared on a leaked list of members.
The rocket engineer was shocked to learn that his details were on the list published on the internet this week.
He believes his name and an old address were noted down by the party after he made a complaint in 2002 over an article in the BNP magazine.
The magazine article described the work of his firm Starchaser Industries and his attempts to build a rocket to take a person into space. It labelled him `a contemporary British hero'.
But he was unhappy at being associated with the magazine - and complained. Steve, 44, a research fellow at Salford University, received an apology and an acknowledgement in the magazine that he and Starchaser Industries have no links with the party.
Steve believes that as a result of the correspondence between his solicitor and the BNP, his name and an old home address have ended up on the leaked list.
The scientist said he is `absolutely not' a member of the BNP. He has already sought legal advice on what action he can take. He said: "I shouldn't have been on the list and I am angry about that. We are going to try to sort it out - but I don't know what can be done."
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Rocket man's fury over BNP link
November 21, 2008
ANGER Rocket man Steve Bennett
Showing comments 1 to 14 and replies | View All
ebble, manchester (22/11/2008 at 10:53)
Why should anyone care which political party he belongs to?
Ace Shakespeare , manchester (22/11/2008 at 18:00)
Lawrence Glendinning (22/11/2008 at 18:24)
Look what happened over in Yorkshire, a neighbour of some who is on the list had their car torched.
Hamish Macbeth, Whitefield (22/11/2008 at 21:28)
One is however surprisingly allowed to be a member of the SNP, Sinn Fein and the like and no=one bats an eye.
The general aims and underlying beliefs of BNP I find odious, but there can be no denying some of their policies are appealing and sought after by many of the electorate.
Labour and the Conservatives share the blame for the rise in BNP support by failing to get a grip of "key issues" such as immigration and law and order.
Dennis the Menace, Hyde (23/11/2008 at 01:32)
Is it not a "free country" where people can make their own choices ???
I do not agree with extreme policies by whatever party they may be submitted by but why demonise the BNP, are Labour and the Tories not as guilty with some of their polices ????, after all it is through years of bad government that this country is in the state its in !!!! so its no surprise that a party like the BNP gains favour .......
Uncle Buck, City of Manchester (not Trafford) (23/11/2008 at 03:17)
Now, if the BNP were anti-C-Charge, THAT would be interesting!
RT, UK (23/11/2008 at 12:19)
Its Website is also an example of that excellence to others.
It is so easy to get thrown on an email or mailing listing whatever you contact a business or other organisation about anything. I hope Steve gets no other repercussions.
Fran M (Permissum Populus Constituo) (23/11/2008 at 15:09)
So says RT,
It is little wonder that journalism has been dumbed down when it can be regarded as excellent.
MEN reporting is largely partisan and takes the form of a Blog rather than serious reporting. It is pretty poor indeed and that maybe because it is probably staffed by media graduates. That is only a guess on my part but the reporting is akin to a sixth form attempt at a newspaper.
As for this site and forum. Try posting anything bordering on the controversial.
Blunt_but_True, Manchester (23/11/2008 at 23:02)
Uncle Buck, City of Manchester (not Trafford)"
Well, Uncle Buck, surprise surprise the BNP IS Against the congestion charge - see
http://wiganbnp.blogspot.com/2008/11/vote-no.html
But then again, perhaps we shouldn't find it SO surprising that a party whose whole ethos is to misinform and attempt to create fear should support a NO campaign with nothing positive to say about anything and whose whole ethos is ....to misinform and attempt to create fear.
Fortunately Manchester isn't stupid enough to vote for the BNP and I'm confident Manchester isn't stupid enough to vote NO either.
Ace Shakespeare , manchester (24/11/2008 at 00:27)
Its only a free country if the main parties and the media want you to beleive its a free and democratic country?What a great way of keeping competition down (the main parties gang up) on the party that threatens them?.I have never seen a country so controlled and its people conned into thinking they have a free choice. People are guided into the party they vote for.
SamV, Manchester (24/11/2008 at 10:18)
Its very easy for someone to download the list, add the names and address of a couple of people they don't like and then redistribute it.
Vote NO.....you know it makes sense, MADchester (24/11/2008 at 11:12)
Employers be very aware of what you are doing legally, because if any employee sacked due to this list, you will end up as a story in MEN
Fat Eskimo (24/11/2008 at 11:16)
TracyR, Manchester (24/11/2008 at 14:08)
I appreciate this is also something that can be said about the other parties, but I prefer my racism buried deep.
We wouldn't need immigrants if even a third of the dolites got off their respective behinds and got jobs. Of course, there's a ready made excuse now that decent people who are being made redundant are fighting for the few jobs that are out there.