gifernando’s posterous

The BNP - and the ideology that defines our perception of it - were already all too real within British society. Perhaps our true negligence lies in a reluctance to acknowledge this, and to discuss it, and to collectively ferment our opinions and political actions in opposition to it.

You seem to be framing the BNP as if it's some kind of abstract idea. It's not, it's a very real political party based upon a central ideology most of us find utterly abhorrent - all the more so after last night.

I recommend reading this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/21/jack-straw-bnp-griffin-hain - personally I think it gives a much more accurate picture of where the real problems lie.

Hi - thanks for the comment. It's not the fact it's an ideology I was commenting about - it is very real, but hasn't so far been able to gain traction in the minds of wide enough of an audience (due to lack of funding to advertise and canvas etc...). The problem is whatever the debate, there are now more people aware of it. There are also enough stupid people in the UK who will now consider the BNP as an option due to many reasons (perception of being underdog etc...) - that they will now support the BNP. With all this talk of immigration, a simple "no immigration" message may be all that was taken away by enough people last night to make the BNP dangerous, where previously they did not have enough support or critical mass. However I agree they are abhorrent.

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The relative stupidity of the British people and your summary of the potential results isn't really the issue, I think. The fact is that the BBC had a moral requirement founded on it's charter to provide forum. That's it.

I think that's unfairly placing the blame at the door of the BBC. Like it or loathe it (of which I of course am the latter), the BNP are an elected party in Europe, albeit with only two seats.

Winning these seats, and the coverage they have achieved since doing so, has done far more to make the BNP real within a critical mass of people. This is not just the fault of the BBC. It is the fault of ALL media outlets that have put him on the front page ever since the elections, and primarily the fault of our politicians for not ensuring that the disenfranchised and unemployed feel they have a better option. The British people are NOT racist, give them an alternative and they will change their vote.

To attack the BBC alone is to attack the broadcaster that took a risk and gave the BNP a platform from which they could fall and hurt themselves.

Maybe at a functional level - I'm just worried about the consequences given I'm going to be having a mixed race child in about 3 weeks!

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The BNP has 57 councillors sitting in the UK[1] and 2 MEPs in the European parliament[2]. It's a very real force. We ("the liberal elite" for want of a better phrase) have been ignoring Nick Griffin for some time, hoping he will go away. He is not going away.

I think the BBC was right to provide a podium for the BNP. The license-fee paying public overlaps the BNP membership. The BBC must be representative. Free speech is nothing if it is not universally applied.

The issue here is not the BBC's decision. It is that Nick Griffin exists in the first place. The BBC have shone a light into one of the darkest corners of British politics. We must work together to clean house.

[1] http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/the-real-bnp/BNP-councillors.php
[2] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8088381.stm