Patricia Richardson (politician) explained

Patricia Richardson
Office:Epping Forest District Councillor
for Loughton Broadway
Term Start:1 May 2008
Term End:3 May 2012
Predecessor:Thomas Richardson
Successor:Leon Girling
Office1:Epping Forest District Councillor
for Loughton Fairmead
Term Start1:10 June 2004
Term End1:1 May 2008
Predecessor1:Albert Farren
Successor1:David Wixley
Birth Date:1944 or 1945
Birth Place:Stoke Newington, Greater London, England
Death Date:2022 or 2023 (aged 77–79)
Birthname:Patricia Feldman
Party:For Britain Movement[1]
Otherparty:British National Party
Spouse:Thomas Richardson

Patricia Richardson ( Feldman, 1944 or 1945[2] – 2022 or 2023[3]) was a British politician, most notable as the British National Party's first Jewish candidate, though she did not practise Judaism. In 2004, Richardson said the party was not anti-Semitic.

Early life

She grew up in Stoke Newington, close to the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Stamford Hill, as the youngest of three sisters. Her father, Abraham Feldman, came from Romania, while her mother, Fay Groner, was born in the East End of London, and was of Lithuanian descent.[4] Her father died of a burst ulcer when she was 16, leaving her religiously Jewish mother to raise her and her siblings in Chingford.

Political career

BNP

In the 2004 local elections, she won a seat on Epping Forest District Council, representing the Loughton Fairmead ward with a narrow majority of 13. Her husband, Thomas Richardson, also a BNP candidate, won the nearby ward of Loughton Broadway.[4] [5]

In the 2008 local elections, she was elected in the Loughton Broadway ward, covering part of the Debden council estate, with a majority of 123 over Labour. Her old Fairmead seat was lost heavily to the Loughton Residents Association.[6]

From 2009, she was the leader of the BNP group on the local council,[7] but in the 2012 local elections lost her seats in both the district and town councils. She also served on Loughton Town Council 2008-12.

Under her leadership, the BNP campaigned against Muslim prayer meetings in Loughton, claiming in a leaflet approved by her (the Epping Forest Patriot) that the community hall used would be turned into a mosque. Following allegations of abduction and a firebomb attack on his home, the prayer meeting's organiser accused the BNP. He was subsequently questioned by police on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. Richardson said the BNP was not behind the alleged attacks and told The Guardian, "Firebombing is not a British method. A brick through the window is a British method."[8]

She was the BNP candidate for Epping Forest in the 2010 general election.

For Britain

In the 2019 local elections, Richardson stood in Waltham Abbey Honey Lane ward for the For Britain Movement, coming second to the Conservative Sam Kane. She contested the same ward in 2021, finishing third.

Elections contested

UK Parliament elections

Essex County Council elections

Date of election Constituency Party Votes % Result
Loughton Central 768 9.9 Not elected (4th)
Waltham Abbey 1,072 21.0 Not elected (2nd)
Waltham Abbey87 2.6 Not elected (6th)

Epping Forest District Council elections

Date of election Constituency Party Votes % Result
Loughton Fairmead 258 26.6 Elected
Loughton Broadway 469 39.7 Elected
Loughton Broadway 94 11.3 Not elected (4th)
Waltham Abbey Honey Lane 250 23.0 Not elected (2nd)
Waltham Abbey Honey Lane 242 18.1 Not elected (3rd)
Loughton Broadway 16 2.0 Not elected (4th)

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Anti-racism campaigner takes aim at new nationalist party filled with ex-BNP members. 17 August 2018 .
  2. Web site: Why I'm in the BNP. 13 April 2012.
  3. Web site: Council Meeting. Loughton Town Council.
  4. Web site: Leslie Bunder. BNP Jewish win. Something Jewish. 11 June 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20040616015449/http://www.somethingjewish.co.uk/articles/1009_bnp_jewish_win.htm. 16 June 2004. 23 October 2021.
  5. Web site: Epping Forest District Council. 2004 election: Ward Results. https://web.archive.org/web/20081122015513/http://www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/local_democracy/elections/2004/district_election.asp. 22 November 2008. 9 November 2013.
    - News: BNP win three Epping Forest seats. BBC News. 11 June 2004.
  6. Web site: Your Councillors by Party. Epping Forest District Council. 28 August 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110606001310/http://www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/local_democracy/democratic_services/default.asp?modgovlink=http:%2F%2Frds.eppingforestdc.gov.uk%2FmgMemberIndex.aspx%3FFN=PARTY&amp%3BVW=LIST&amp%3BPIC=0&amp%3Bku=22272926$twn . 6 June 2011 . dead .
  7. BNP: Voice of Freedom no. 70, p5
  8. Vikram Dodd, "Muslim man claims he was kidnapped at knifepoint over prayer sessions", The Guardian, 27 August 2009, p4
    - Viktam Dodd, "Community leader arrested after BNP attack allegations", The Guardian, 4 September 2009. (Online version "Police arrest Muslim community leader who claimed he was abducted by racists", 3 September 2009.)
  9. The Guardian: "How Britain voted" supplement, 8 May 2010