Letter to the Observer
Dear Sir
As one who is generally in favour of political platforms which include the 'democratically' elected BNP, in order that it may be discredited, I fully endorse what Andrew Rawnsley had to say in his article – ‘The more people see of the BNP, the worse for the party’ – Comment, last week. I am only sorry that the BBC missed a better opportunity than it took to even further expose Nick Griffin and his party's reprehensible policies.
Unfortunately David Dimbleby early on in the recent Question Time programme (unusually for him) lost the plot and, in his rage, initially allowed himself to become part of the mob baying for Griffin's blood. This, although he (a little too late) pulled himself together, meant that serious debate could not be entered into.
Griffin, when he did get the chance to respond, was showing himself to be the shallow fascist that we knew him to be. However on each occasion, just before he was left to wordlessly flounder, one or other politico on the panel saved him by intervening and spouting diatribe in an attempt to promote their own party.
No one was really challenged on the question of why there is a rise in support for the BNP, i.e. the failure of New Labour, the Tories or the Lib Dems to represent the 'working class' and address the issues which most trouble it. In view of this the representatives of the 'major' parties were permitted to resort to the use of the fascist deception of scapegoating, so that they could provide a smokescreen for their own shortcomings. In view of this Griffin was quite possibly no less honest than any other politician on the panel!
In any event I suspect that many members of the BNP (with or without hindsight) probably would have preferred their leader to have been refused the opportunity to put forward their policies, as they then may then have been able to gain some sympathy from attacking our ‘selective’ multi-cultural democracy.
Nevertheless sadly for him - and thankfully for all decent folk - he and the BNP were portrayed on Question Time - and in the aftermath throughout the media - as the least acceptable face in British politics.
Yours faithfully
Ashley Gunstock
