BNP

Me and Mubeen went along to the UAF demo against inviting Nick Griffin on to the BBC's Question Time. Not the hugest turn-out in the world, but it was good to see that people cared enough to protest. The debate around has been annoying me so here's what I think about the arguments put forward as to why he should be on...

Free speech means he should be on there - there's nothing stopping Nick Griffin from exercising his right to free speech (apart from the existing laws on libel, slander, conspiracy, incitement to racial hatred, etc). That doesn't mean you have to extend an invite to him on to a programme which is based on a shared recognition that the contributions of people are valid (even if you disagree with them) and that the debate is based mainly on reasoned arguments. A anti-democratic party mired in violence and lies and which denies the right of a large part of the population to contribute hardly meets the standards you'd expect and which you can debate with.

The BBC had to invite him on as it has a duty of impartiality - the BBC has a duty to ensure impartial coverage of news and current affairs, and can do by fairly reporting on the BNP. It doesn't have to invite Nick Griffin on to Question Time given the nature of the party and that his presence would act against other of the BBC's duties (including to avoid unjustified offence or likely harm). And surely the very nature of the programme which was all about Nick Griffin and what he has said or not showed that they couldn't in practice be impartial in this instance?

Question Time exposed Nick Griffin for what he is - the point of the BNP's appeal is that it's racist and everyone knows that (that's why people vote for them because they can blame a scapegoat for things they don't like about their lives or the society they live in). Having a racist on Question Time just helps to legitimise racist opinions. And no-one was making the case to expose the lies the BNP put forward about black or Asian people or "foreigners" being the reason for unemployment or long waits to get housing. That's why people vote BNP, and questioning Nick Griffing on what he might or might not have said about the holocaust or gay people is not going to change that.

The parties can't say that the BNP's voters are racist because they want their votes for themselves and it's why organisations like Unite Against Fascism are far more valid on this than, sadly, either Labour or the Lib Dems.

What Ken Livingstone said after the 7th July bombings could be applied to the BNP now: "I know you fear that you may fail in your long-term objective to destroy our free society and I can show you why you will fail.

"In the days that follow look at our airports, look at our sea ports and look at our railway stations and, even after your cowardly attack, you will see that people from the rest of Britain, people from around the world will arrive in London to become Londoners and to fulfil their dreams and achieve their potential.

"They choose to come to London, as so many have come before because they come to be free, they come to live the life they choose, they come to be able to be themselves. They flee you because you tell them how they should live. They don't want that and nothing you do...will stop that flight to our city where freedom is strong and where people can live in harmony with one another. Whatever you do...you will fail."