BNP leaflet delivered with police newsletter
Furious Northamptonshire Police officials have lodged a formal complaint with Royal Mail after leaflets for the right-wing British National Party were posted to homes stuffed inside the force newsletter.
The blue and yellow BNP European election leaflets were pushed through doors inside the May 2009 edition of Home Beat, an eight-page tabloid paper with news updates about the county force.
A leaflet advertising an insurance company was also included in the bundle, which was received in homes in Little Billing, Flore, Towcester and Wellingborough.
A spokesman for Northamptonshire Police said the force was "very disappointed" the leaflets for the controversial far-right party had been included with Home Beat.
He said: "We are an apolitical organisation and we wouldn't want any political leaflets delivered with Home Beat.
"These leaflets have been inserted and distributed by Royal Mail without our knowledge or consent and we are very disappointed that this has happened.
"We have taken this matter up with the Royal Mail to whom we have made a formal complaint."
Royal Mail said it had a legal obligation to deliver election material under the Representation of the People Act.
A spokesman said: "It appears that in a small number of cases some leaflets may have been folded together with other mail simply for ease of posting through letterboxes. This is not our policy. Our guidelines make it clear that no materials should be combined with another customer's mailing, and if this has happened we apologise."
John Walker, assistant press officer for the British National Party, said the content of the leaflets was not inflammatory as all election material was required to be checked before it was printed and bundling leaflets together made the job of postal workers easier.
He said: "I think the police are showing their own political bias. Would they have complained if it was a Labour leaflet? I have got no sympathy for the police in this matter.
"I would say don't blame the poor old postmen. I think the police are being a bit harsh on Royal Mail."
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