"NEO NAZI" PIPE BAND INFILTRATED ST GEORGE'S DAY PARADE

28-04-2008

Sandwell Council has denied booking an Ulster marching band accused of having “neo-Nazi links” for the borough’s St George’s Day parade last week. Website reports suggested the British Ulster Alliance Flute Band were officially selected to lead the march from Stone Cross to Dartmouth Park.

The allegation was made at www.westbromblog.blogspot.com and when we raised it with the local authority last night, they promised an urgent investigation (see the link).

Now the Cabinet member for Culture and Leisure Linda Horton has told us: “The only bands hired and paid for by Sandwell Council were the Northfield Caledonia Pipers and Dancers and the West Midlands Fire Service Band.

"If anybody else has come here they have infiltrated."

She said she was “gobsmacked” by the news.

Horton said the issue would shortly be discussed at a debrief meeting, and commented: “We need to look at the fundamentals of the parade. It might be a good idea to make it more like the Tipton and Wednesbury carnivals, and maybe not have the march.”

One of the organisers Geoff Collins said he, “felt sick to the stomach” at the revelation.

"We definitely didn't book them, and we have no links with the far right.  Our parade has always been for everybody, and want nothing to do with any political party."

Our research suggests that the role of the British Ulster Alliance Flute Band may have been exaggerated by the West Brom blogger – but there’s no doubt they were represented.

Given their alleged links with extremist groups that’s worrying enough – though perhaps not as worrying as the fact that an official band can be seen on a youtube video apparently leading a singalong of “No Surrender To The IRA”

Join the Sandwell St George’s Day thread on The Stirrer Forum.