Comments on: The Media Blackout Has Not Worked: Bring on the BNP

By: Mike Smith

Mike Smith — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 20:39:25 +0000

The UAF are the government sponsered thugs, not the BNP.

By: Mike Smith

Mike Smith — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 19:32:34 +0000

I think you are all missing the point. This government has worked hand in hand with the media to suffocate a poltical rival. It smacks of 60's Russia. The BNP are the only realistic choice for English people who have been ignored for decades on key issues.
It might surprise you to learn that we all don't enjoy living in a replica of the Indian sub-continent, swamped by gang crime, and all the other nasties that cultural enrichment brings.
One day soon, the multi-cultural nightmare will be in your village, town city, you will have nowhere to run to.
Our once lovely England is no longer, it has been altered beyond recognition. American tourists no longer want to come here. Mosques are springing up all over the country. The braindead sheep will soon rue the day they were brainwashed by the government led media.
We are heading towards a nightmare scenario, mark my words, for you will live to bitterly regret the social engineering by the insane lunatics in the Labour/Conservative/Liberal parties, for they are all the same.

By: BOB

BOB — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:57:13 +0000

Boycott Britain!!!! Nation of Fascists!!

By: Aaron Frazer

Aaron Frazer — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:50:35 +0000

Their support has not increased as rapidly as it may seem. In the 2004 European Elections the BNP got 808,000 votes (4.9% of the vote) and in the 2009 European Election they gained 943,598 votes but 6.3% of the popular vote.Thats significant but It seems clear that even though the turnout increased it was the disastrous performance of Labour in key electoral constituencies that was crucial. The point you made below Matt about the BNP voters primarily supporting Labour is of fundamental performance. Though I am unconvinced that an attachment to Old Labour neccessarily shields you from reactionary ideals (eg the prevalence of discriminatory ideas, particularly concerning gender representation and immigration within parts the Union movment in the 1960's/70's) BNP voters are invaribely a demographic group firmly rooted in the Old Labour tradition. Gary Younge summarised the point neatly by stating that "New Labour presumed the white working class had nowhere else to go". The narrative or discursive construct of New Labour attempts to nullify and obscure the issue of class both as a tool of social identification and as a basis for political activism. You would never know the working class existed (or ever did) from the perpetual use of New Labour phrases like "hard working families", "people who play by the rules", "law abiding citizens/majority". Labour's discourse, as have many of its policies, have been a shamless attempt to woo the middle class and ideologically realign the party. A lot of people have lost their party.

By: mattkennard

mattkennard — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:34:29 +0000

This is nothing to do with free speech. Of course Griffin and his thugs should be allowed to say what they want and if they are newsworthy they should be carried on the news. But this is a panel discussion by invite which has basically given them so much oxygen.

And lastly this is nothing to do with British people being fascist or no. The point about Griffin is he is lying about what they stand for. He denied the Holocaust has fraternized with all sorts of far-right crazies, but now he says he has changed his ways and the BBC are letting him peddle these lies without challenge.

By: mattkennard

mattkennard — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:34:15 +0000

The BNP have a long history in the UK – they used to be called the National Front – and their members have planted bombs that have killed black and gay people in London. It’s all about publicity – when Le Pen was on national TV before his election his share of the vote when up to over 13% and he came second to Chirac.
The BNP have been on the news plenty of times before, but this is a panel discussion which is why it is so controversial.
– “some people are racist and have no justification for it”. If this were true of course the BNP’s support would be static because the same bozos would vote for them every time, but the truth is their support has gone up a lot recently.

By: Matt K

Matt K — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:37:14 +0000

By: Matt K

Matt K — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:36:35 +0000

That is because of the economic climate and the widespread disenchantment with the mainstream parties. If you look at the demographics most of the people who are moving to voting for BNP are ex-Labour voters (not your traditional racists). Were 95% of Germans genetically racist in the 1930s and 40s or do you think the fact that Nazism took hold might have had something to with the post-WWI settlement, the Treaty of Versailles, the Great Depression etc. This is just a ridiculous argument I’m quite stunned you made.
This is nothing to do with free speech. Of course Griffin and his thugs should be allowed to say what they want and if they are newsworthy they should be carried on the news. But this is a panel discussion by invite which has basically given them so much oxygen it’s sick.
You obviously know nothing about the situation Gizem – did you know for example that all politicians used to refuse to share a platform with him only a year ago? Probably not.

By: Matt K

Matt K — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:35:58 +0000

Gizem I’m sorry to say your comment shows a complete lack of understanding of the issues around the BNP, Question Time the program; in fact anything to do with this issue at all.
The BNP have a long history in the UK – they used to be called the National Front – and their members have planted bombs that have killed black and gay people in London. It’s all about publicity – when Le Pen was on national TV before his election his share of the vote when up to over 13% and he came second to Chirac.
The BNP have been on the news plenty of times before, but this is a panel discussion which is why it is so controversial.
But for stupidity the comment “some people are racist and have no justification for it” really takes the biscuit. If this were true of course the BNP’s support would be static because the same bozos would vote for them every time, but the truth is their support has gone up a lot recently.

By: Gizem

Gizem — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:32:01 +0000

I completely agree with this. People can make up their minds about whether they agree with what Griffin says or not. I don't understand why publicity is an issue when BNP and it's political stance is not a hidden or unknown phenomena in Britain. If people in Britain are fascist enough to join in the ranks of a racist party just because they saw the leader on a BBC show answering questions on social issues, then there's a more fundamental question here.

On the other hand, I don't agree that BNP's appeal may be coming from a certain detachment from mainstream politics, I simply think some people are racist and they have no reasonable justification for it. So I don't think letting them speak out and become more public might weaken their appeal.

By: Matt K

Matt K — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:26:40 +0000

Very well-written and logical piece Aaron… I happen to disagree on this one, I think the publicity this has generated for these fascists is appalling and is more to do with the BBC's quest for ratings…. I don't think they should be censored but they should be consulted when they are in the news, this is a general program where Griffin will comment on all sorts of social issues…