LONDON, June 24 (UPI) -- The British National Party's whites-only policy violates the law, a national commission warned.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission demanded that the party change the policy by July 20, The Times of London reported.
If the anti-immigrant party does not change the policy, the Manchester Evening News reported, an injunction could be issued requiring it to do so.
Refusal could be considered contempt of court, which could lead to jail time, the News said.
In a statement quoted by The Times, the commission said, "This exclusion (of non-whites) is contrary to the Race Relations Act, which the party is legally obliged to comply with."
Nick Griffin, the leader of the far-right party, won a seat in the Northwest this month.
Griffin told The Times the BNP's rules were "entirely legal" because the party fell under exemptions to the Race Relations Act.
"Ethnic groups who need special protection, such as English in their own country, who are now second-class citizens," he told The Times, are "entitled to discriminate on that basis and not on the grounds of color."
