Heartland

BNP ballerina provokes new storm

English National Ballet's principal dancer angers theatre union with political role

Ben Quinn
Sunday December 9, 2007
The Observer

When Simone Clarke, principal dancer of the English National Ballet, admitted she was a member of the British National Party, one of the voices opposing calls for her to be sacked was that of the trade union Equity. Now, however, Clarke has taken a leading role in an organisation with BNP links which has been set up to rival the established trade union movement, including Equity.

The acclaimed ballerina, currently appearing in an ENB production of The Snow Queen, has been elected to the executive of Solidarity, the British Workers' Union. Solidarity's website declares that it was formed as a reaction against 'betrayal' by unions affiliated to the TUC, which it accuses of selling out members by encouraging mass immigration.

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