Name Lawrence Rustem Education University of Greenwich | Role Political figure | |
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Lawrence rustem on the leadership challenge
Lawrence Rustem is a political activist in Britain.
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Born Timucin Rustem, he later adopted the name Lawrence. Rustem is of half Turkish Cypriot and half English ancestry. In 1991 he joined the far-left Anti-Fascist Action, but then subsequently joined the far-right British National Party (BNP).
BNP activist
Rustem was made Chairman of the "Ethnic Liaison Committee" of the BNP, a group set up in 2001 to co-ordinate work between the party and "non-British people with similar aims".
He studied politics as a mature student at Greenwich University, where his presence caused controversy. The NATFHE, the university lecturers' union, called for his expulsion from the University, on the grounds that his presence could encourage racist campaigning there.
He unsuccessfully stood for election as a local councillor in the Colyers Lane ward of Bexley. He then stood for Parliament in the Dagenham constituency in the 2005 UK General Election where he received 9.3% of the votes. In the 2006 local elections he was elected as a councillor for the Valence ward of Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council. In the 2010 General election, he contested the Greenwich and Woolwich constituency for the BNP and lost his seat on Barking and Dagenham Council in the 2010 local elections.
Rustem supported Eddy Butler in the BNP leadership challenge in 2010, complaining of the negative impact of Nick Griffin on voters. In 2011 he was suspended from the party and left the BNP in 2011.
Later activity
Rustem is involved with the British Democratic Party.
Elections contested
UK Parliament
London Assembly elections (Entire London city)
European Parliament elections