Tony Lecomber
Encyclopedia
Anthony "Tony" Mark Lecomber (born 1961)is a former Group Development Director for the British National Party
.
He joined the National Front in the early 1980s, but allied with John Tyndall
who was being blamed for the NF's poor performance at the 1979 general election
. When Tyndall split to form the New National Front and later the British National Party, Lecomber followed him.
He was editor of Young Nationalist, which the BBC describes as a racist and antisemitic magazine.
On 31 October 1986, he was injured by a firework that he was carrying to the offices of the Workers Revolutionary Party
in Clapham
. Police found 10 grenades, seven petrol bombs and two detonator
s at his home. For this offence, he received a three-year prison sentence at his trial on 28 November that year.
In the mid 1980s Lecomber received a three-year prison sentence after a nail bomb he was trying to deliver to the headquarters of a leftwing organisation went off prematurely in his car. When the Bomb Squad searched his home in Ilford, east London, they found home-made hand-grenades and electronic detonators.
In 1991, when he was Propaganda
Director of the BNP, Lecomber saw a Jewish teacher removing a BNP sticker at a London Underground
station and attacked him. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/programmes/2001/bnp_special/membership/advisory/tony_lecomber.stm Lecomber was released from his three-year sentence in time to play a key part in the BNP's by-election win
in Millwall
ward of Tower Hamlets
in September 1993.
Later in the 1990s, Lecomber became closer to Nick Griffin
and supported Griffin when he successfully challenged John Tyndall
's leadership of the BNP in 1999. In 2006 Lecomber was sacked from his position as Group Development Officer. This followed allegations made by former Merseyside
BNP
organiser that Lecomber had tried to recruit him to assassinate prominent politicians and members of the British establishment. Lecomber admitted that a conversation had taken place but stated that he hadn't meant the comments to be taken literally.
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
.
Background
Lecomber has been active in far-right politics since the early 1980s. His role is mainly behind the scenes in planning BNP election campaigns, but his history of convictions for violence have given him prominence in anti-BNP publicity and led to his removal from the party.He joined the National Front in the early 1980s, but allied with John Tyndall
John Tyndall (politician)
John Hutchyns Tyndall was a British politician who was prominently associated with several fascist/neo-Nazi sects. However, he is best known for leading the National Front in the 1970s and founding the contemporary British National Party in 1982.The most prominent figure in British nationalism...
who was being blamed for the NF's poor performance at the 1979 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1979
The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats...
. When Tyndall split to form the New National Front and later the British National Party, Lecomber followed him.
He was editor of Young Nationalist, which the BBC describes as a racist and antisemitic magazine.
Convictions
Lecomber was convicted for criminal damage in 1982, offences under the Explosives Act in 1985, and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in 1991 for an attack on a Jewish teacher.On 31 October 1986, he was injured by a firework that he was carrying to the offices of the Workers Revolutionary Party
Workers' Revolutionary Party (UK)
The Workers Revolutionary Party is a minute Trotskyist group in Britain. In the mid-1980s, it split several ways.-The Club:The WRP grew out of the faction Gerry Healy and John Lawrence led in the Revolutionary Communist Party which urged that the RCP enter the Labour Party. This policy was also...
in Clapham
Clapham
Clapham is a district in south London, England, within the London Borough of Lambeth.Clapham covers the postcodes of SW4 and parts of SW9, SW8 and SW12. Clapham Common is shared with the London Borough of Wandsworth, although Lambeth has responsibility for running the common as a whole. According...
. Police found 10 grenades, seven petrol bombs and two detonator
Detonator
A detonator is a device used to trigger an explosive device. Detonators can be chemically, mechanically, or electrically initiated, the latter two being the most common....
s at his home. For this offence, he received a three-year prison sentence at his trial on 28 November that year.
In the mid 1980s Lecomber received a three-year prison sentence after a nail bomb he was trying to deliver to the headquarters of a leftwing organisation went off prematurely in his car. When the Bomb Squad searched his home in Ilford, east London, they found home-made hand-grenades and electronic detonators.
In 1991, when he was Propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
Director of the BNP, Lecomber saw a Jewish teacher removing a BNP sticker at a London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
station and attacked him. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/programmes/2001/bnp_special/membership/advisory/tony_lecomber.stm Lecomber was released from his three-year sentence in time to play a key part in the BNP's by-election win
Derek Beackon
Derek William Beackon is a former British National Party councillor.Beackon joined the BNP in 1986 as an associate member, becoming a full member two years later...
in Millwall
Millwall
Millwall is an area in London, on the western side of the Isle of Dogs, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It lies to the south of the developments at West India Docks, including Canary Wharf.-History:...
ward of Tower Hamlets
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough to the east of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It is in the eastern part of London and covers much of the traditional East End. It also includes much of the redeveloped Docklands region of London, including West India Docks...
in September 1993.
Later in the 1990s, Lecomber became closer to Nick Griffin
Nick Griffin
Nicholas John "Nick" Griffin is a British politician, chairman of the British National Party and Member of the European Parliament for North West England....
and supported Griffin when he successfully challenged John Tyndall
John Tyndall
John Tyndall FRS was a prominent Irish 19th century physicist. His initial scientific fame arose in the 1850s from his study of diamagnetism. Later he studied thermal radiation, and produced a number of discoveries about processes in the atmosphere...
's leadership of the BNP in 1999. In 2006 Lecomber was sacked from his position as Group Development Officer. This followed allegations made by former Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
BNP
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
organiser that Lecomber had tried to recruit him to assassinate prominent politicians and members of the British establishment. Lecomber admitted that a conversation had taken place but stated that he hadn't meant the comments to be taken literally.