Ex-BNP chief's Derry link

Paddy McGuffin:

A former civil rights leader today expressed surprise at a revelation that the former head of the British National Party John Tyndall, was related to a former Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe.

According to an obituary in a national newspaper, fascist John Tyndall was the nephew of Bishop Charles Tyndall who in 1968 criticised the Paisleyite movement, warning of the rise of "an ideological force based on invective and hatred".

Ivan Cooper, former MP and civil rights leader, said today he remembered Dr Tyndall as a moderate man who held no truck with extremism in any form.

Mr Cooper said: "I remember Dr Tyndall very well.

"He was a very progressive man with strong convictions. I was not aware that he was related to John Tyndall. The two were polar opposites, it just goes to show the contradictory nature of life and politics."

John Tyndall was an unrepentant fascist. At the time of his death last Tuesday at the age of 71 he was facing charges of incitement to racial hatred.

He was the founding figure and leader of numerous far-right groups including the National Front and the British National Party.

He died days before he was due to appear at Leeds Crown Court charged with hate crimes.

John Tyndall

A racist, violent neo-nazi to the end: BNP founder Tyndall dies