My thoughts on Dick (sorry I meant Nick) Griffin

There’s been a lot of talk recently about Nick Griffin, the leader of the BNP, appearing on Question Time recently. His appearance has only heightened the talk surrounding the ideals of the BNP, and personally can only be a good thing for them, as it is inevitbly getting people talking about them. In fact, I understand that since yesterday, they’ve received a record amount of donations. Even the BBC has profitted, obtaining record ratings.

I found it surprising why there was such a ferocious protest outside the BBC HQ to give him a platform to share his views. We live in a democracy and everyone has the freedom to express their opinions. In this case, Nick Griffin and the BNP are (unfortunately) representative of a small minority, and at the least deserve a platform to answer some of the feedback they’ve been receiving relating to thier outlandish claims.

However my main gripe is that instead of offering a platform for insightful debate around issues incorporating the Royal Mail strikes, MP’s expenses and other current affairs, it degenerated into centering around Nick Griffin defending himself to the onslaught he experienced from the other panel members and the audience. Understanbly he has to answer to some of his outrageous claims in the public domain. However to have the whole debate centered around them was a mistake, and potentially an opportunity wasted. This had the effect of seemingly victimising him and in the long run will probably play into the hands of the BNP, who already cast the BBC as a ‘hard-left organisation’.

On the whole, I think Nick Griffin came out of it rather poorly. This was exemplified incredibly by him trying to distance himself from ever denying the holocaust, by stating that he did not know why he he had changed his mind. Most people I’ve spoken to about this seem to think that the political establishment will not be shaking in their boots about the prospect of Nick Griffin taking the BNP mainstream, and I agree. However the real threat comes when someone who is intelligent enough to connect with the masses whilst upholding the values that the BNP stand for should come to power. That’s when I will be worried.