Sharif Gawad

Sharif Abdel Gawad was the British National Party's candidate in a Bradford city council ward in the UK local elections, 2006.

It was reported in the Guardian on 8 April 2006 [http://www.guardian.co.uk/Politics/farright/story/0,,1749555,00.html] that the choice of Gawad, a "totally assimilated Greek-Armenian ... Not a Pakistani Muslim", has apparently created a rift in the party. The BNP claims his name reflects not upon a Muslim heritage, but upon his mother's choice of naming him after her idol, Omar Sharif. However, the BNP has yet to explain the portion of his name "Abdel Gawad," which is Arabic, and has nothing to do with Armenia, Greece, or Omar Sharif. Upon hearing that a "non-white" candidate was to stand, the party leadership received several calls from angry members. BNP spokesman Phil Edwards countered the criticisms, saying that those members who refuse to accept candidacy of Gawad had no place in the party. The affair follows a previous unsuccessful attempt in 2004 by Nick Griffin, the BNP's leader, to allow "non-white" people to join the party.

External links

* [http://www.bnp.org.uk/news_detail.php?newsId=854 BNP news item on Mr Gawad]
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/Politics/farright/story/0,,1749555,00.html "Guardian": BNP in turmoil as members row about 'ethnic' candidate]