British Democratic Party - World in Action Incident

World in Action Incident

The BDP became embroiled in a 1981 scheme developed by the World in Action documentary series in which an American claiming to be a neo-Nazi gunrunner (but who was actually working for the programme) was put in touch with the BDP. Before long, Hill became involved in order to facilitate the sting. 'Bob Matthews', as the American claimed to be called, told Herbert that he needed a gun in order to raid a US Army armoury, and Herbert agreed to supply a single weapon for £200, with BDP member John Grand Scrutton chosen to ferry the weapon, a luger pistol, to a secret location arranged in advance with 'Matthews' before phoning the American to let him know more details. The resulting phone call, in which Scrutton suggested that the BDP could get hold of six more guns and telling 'Matthews' to send payments to Herbert's address was recorded by World in Action and broadcast in the show.

Herbert learned of the ruse from a journalist just before the episode was screened as did Scrutton, whose finger prints were on the luger which was in police custody. Herbert sent Scrutton, under Hill's care, to the Republic of Ireland but before long he returned to Britain and had to be brought back to Ireland by Hill. Herbert eventually told Scrutton to go to South Africa and Scrutton, along with Hill, was put on a plane that stopped over at Paris-Orly Airport. However Hill had informed Searchlight about the plan and they in turn had tipped off the French authorities who arrested Scrutton and Hill before sending them back to Ireland. Under Hill's prompting, Scrutton contacted the show's producer Geoffrey Seed and after three days of interviews they convinced him to return to Leicester and give himself up to police. Scrutton did eventually return and made a full statement, but despite this statement no charges were ever brought against Scrutton or any member of the BDP in regards to the weapons offences.