Morning:
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If turkeys had the vote, it is theoretically possible that they would join a party that was strongly pro-Christmas. Possible, but unlikely.
Yesterday, the BNP voted at an “extraordinary general meeting” in Essex to amend its constitution so black and Asian Britons can join its ranks. As Nick Griffin, the BNP's leader, told Sky News, this is likely to result in a “trickle, rather than a flood” of membership applications: and even a “trickle” may be pushing it.
The whole idea is, of course, innately hilarious: a party founded on the cultivation of intolerance and racial tension declaring that it has an open-door policy. In its 2005 manifesto, the BNP called for “voluntary resettlement” of immigrants and their descendants. So it wants you to leave the country but, before you do, invites you to join up and pay the membership fees (a standard rate of £30 pa, or £60 for the party's “gold” category, which presumably will entitle its new black and Asian members to a better class of dinghy when they are urged “to return to their lands of ethnic origin”).
Yet, even as we mock, we should be vigilant. The BNP is exploiting this constitutional change for all it is worth, both as evidence that it is being victimised and (the opposite claim) that it is voluntarily “modernising”. In truth, the new membership policy has been forced upon the party by the threat of legal action by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. On the BNP's website, there is currently a webcast by Griffin, complaining about the quango's attack on “this little party of ours”.
At the same time, the new membership policy fits neatly with his more general pursuit of incremental legitimacy. Like Sinn Fein-IRA with its “Armalite and ballot box” strategy, the BNP runs on twin tracks. Look at the so-called “security” at BNP gatherings if you doubt that the party still depends on a hardcore of skinhead brutes. At the same time, Griffin himself — a suit-wearing Cambridge graduate — has fought for years to bring the movement out of the Bierkeller and into mainstream political life.
This is why the election of two BNP candidates (Griffin and Andrew Brons) to the European Parliament last June was so depressing: it gave the party a claim to more serious media coverage, including Griffin's hugely contentious appearance on Question Time last November. The opening of the party's membership to non-whites is also part of this spurious process of “modernisation”: Clause Fourth Reich, so to speak.
Tony Blair had his Big Tent. Now Griffin will pretend that he has a Big Bunker, a rainbow coalition of prejudice. And it is certainly true that a plural society inevitably generates new tensions: where I live in east London, there is now a minor strain of hostility between second and third generation Afro-Caribbean Britons and newer arrivals from the enlarged EU: the working-class black community objects that it is being driven out of the service economy — cleaning, childcare — by Eastern European economic migrants who have undercut their wage-rates. In an age of globalisation and unprecedented population mobility, any complex urban society will generate such abrasions. And deplorable political movements such as the BNP will always be on hand to fan the flames and exploit the simmering anger.
As I wrote in November, Griffin and his gang are themselves refugees from reality, asylum seekers from the modern world. They choose to ignore the significant role that economic migration played (and will play again) in the years of non-inflationary growth. Worse, they seek to preserve something that never really existed: Britain is the historical product of nations and races coming together and commingling. Historically, this country has been a port rather than a fortress, a place of trade, exchange and racial interaction. Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, Normans, Huguenots, Jews, Afro-Caribbeans, Asians, Eastern Europeans: pluralism is the very essence of our island story. Some of my best friends are Jutes.
At the wonderful Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck concert at the O2 Centre last night, it occurred to me that Britain is the only country on earth that could take a black American musical form — the blues — adapt it to a new setting and, eventually, revive it in its very country of origin (as Clapton and many others did in the Sixties). The BNP has no grasp of the porousness and heterogeneity of true Britishness.
Yet, more than ever in its 28-year history, the party represents a clear and present danger. A matter of weeks from now, it will field a number of parliamentary candidates in the general election: most dangerously, Griffin himself in Barking. The seat is held by Labour's Margaret Hodge, defending a majority of almost 9,000.
Safe? By no means. Labour's own polling shows that the category of voter most easily described as “white van man” is warming alarmingly to the BNP: in seven out of 11 wards, more than 50 per cent of this tranche of voters — more than 70 per cent in some areas — think they might vote for Griffin. Ever willing to nurture the voters' anxieties and resentments, the BNP has prospered during the recession and exploited the collapse of trust in the political class. In Barking, it sees a real chance to pull off an extraordinary victory.
It is bad enough that the party is represented in town halls and at Strasbourg. But the election of Griffin as an MP would be much, much worse. For the Commons is not just another representative assembly. Never forget: in our unwritten constitution, the Queen-in-Parliament is sovereign. I don't know about you, but the thought of the BNP having a share in that sovereignty, however small, makes me sick to the stomach, and more determined than ever that the battle of Barking should not be lost. In the end, in spite of all its absurdities, the BNP's advance is no laughing matter.
Reader views (29)
To start with I find the BNP a joke but its great to watch the faces of prospective Tory/Lab/Lib candidates when you say you are going to vote for them.
With your surname and denigrating the BNP and gushing how multiculturalism has enriched us is rather like allowing turkeys to write a column in favour for going vegetarian over Christmas.
You would be shocked at the reality of anger against the unknown number of immigrants let in by a Labour Government to destroy English culture once and for all and they have succeeded in just 13 years while with their left hand destroying the economy.
- Majorie, Basingstoke United Kingdom, 17/02/2010 16:51
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LB, have you ever heard of Combat 18? Thought not, I suggest you start researching your views before putting them on a public forum.
- Dan, London, 17/02/2010 13:51
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To the 'white van man' that now apparently likes the BNP. So what if the main parties don't do it for you anymore. They don't do it for me either, and guess what, I don't bloody vote. Or I'd throw my vote to a REAL protest party. The Monster Raving Looney Party, if only they stood in my constituency. But don't hide behind the lie that the BNP are your only option now. It's not true, and it's certainly not going to do you any better than voting again for a main party you don't believe in anymore.
- Callum, Newton Aycliffe, England, 17/02/2010 01:05
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I think the most 'dangerous' people in this world are the ones who try to repress freedom of all opinions, and freedom of speech to express such, whether it be left or right. It would appear the views of the extreme left such as the U.A.F and the 'Black Police Association' are not so much repressed but celebrated, whilst on the oppposite end of the spectrum it is crushed, quelled, slandered and tarnished with a sweeping brush.
- Angelica, London, U.K, 16/02/2010 23:02
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Yet another example of this reprehensible bunch being given column inches.
Any publicity's good publicity. I don't have a vast knowledge of policitics, but there are some people who are going to be voting for change rather than for a new Government, and these people need educating. We already know the BNP are racist - but we allow racists to vote.
Maybe if some media or political exposure was given to some of the weaknesses of the BNP manifesto in other areas, people would realise that, even behind a racist front, lies a party that would lead us from the frying pan to the fire. As I mentioned, I know next to nothing about politics, but shall consider the manifestos of all parties prior to a General Election and ensure that my vote is right for me and my country, and not wasted. My mind's far from made up, but many will have already made their minds up based on sensationalist journalism.
- Kc, Upminster, 16/02/2010 14:45
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"Griffin and his gang are themselves refugees from reality" - correct, Mr Griffin lives in Wales and has made no attempt to fit in, assimilate to the local culture nor learn the Welsh language. He behaves as if he still lives in his home country of England
- Paul, newport, wales, 16/02/2010 14:12
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@Frank, the Black Police Association is open to officers of all ethnic backgrounds - including caucasian - and always has been. Your point, then?
Also agreed with the commenters pointing out that mentioning Clapton with approval in an anti-BNP article is, um, unfortunate.
@Lb, actually, BNP members have been arrested for stockpiling explosives, like the recent case of Terrence Gavan in Yorkshire, and what about the Soho nail bomber, David Copeland? He used to be a BNP security steward.
- Jo, London, UK, 16/02/2010 11:12
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The 'Whites only' Constitution was used as the main grouds for denying BNP members work in the Prison Service and Police. Once the change is accepted I believe that both will have to review these bans. It would be very difficult to justify as proportionate under the new circumstances.
- Patrick Harrington, Edinburgh, Scotland, 16/02/2010 07:58
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So the BNP are dangerous are they? Well I don't recall
them planting bombs in bins, or detonating car bombs
in high streets, or shooting/blowing to pieces soldiers or police officers, etc. Who did those things....? Oh
yes, I remember now, the peace-loving, friendly murdering
terrorists in the IRA who are now in government in NI!!
But you seem to have conveniently forgotten that
Mr D(oh)' Ancona.
As for being heavy-handed, I seem to remember a similar
thing happened to an eighty y.o. at the Labour party
conference a few years ago. Did you worry about that?
- Lb, Bromley, 16/02/2010 03:51
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In another column, "Labour is blind to the truth of a broken society", 25.01.10, Matthew asks the reader: "What is politics for if not to respond to the issues that animate the public, and to give voice to their anxieties?"
Indeed Matthew. So why have the big 3 refused to give voice to public discontent over 12 years of mass immigration? Either respond to the publics concerns or get out of the way of political parties who will.
- Isabellepem, London, 16/02/2010 01:58
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I have absolutely no sympathy for the BNP, however the day you, Mr Ancona, and the rest of the Labour Party sit down and admit that you were the BNP's best recruiting sergeant is the day you will start to address what exactly has gone wrong.
You pursued your multiculturalist agenda without the slightest effort at understanding or acknowledging the tensions you were creating. You expressly sought to destroy any concept of a British (and in particular an English) identity in pursuit of that agenda. Funny that multiculturalism is supposed to acknowledge the worth and value of diversity but is principally founded on the idea that the overwhelming majority of the people of this country have no identity at all.
Families who have lived in the same town or county for generations woke up and found that they had become an ethnic minority in their own home. And when these people complained you turned your back on them - even worse you and the comrades humiliated them with cries of 'racist'.
I am not sure which is the more stupid - a square headed racist thug from the BNP or the Labour Party trotting out 2-2 level sociology and pseudo-history.
- Mark Morgan, London, 16/02/2010 01:36
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Frank, Home Counties, England,
"".. founded on the cultivation of intolerance and racial tension declaring that it has an open-door policy."
Bit like the National Black Police Association then?"
No, not really. It doesn't seem to matter how many times this lie (that the NBPA isn't open to white members) gets debunked, somebody will always bring it up.
The NBPA is open to white folk. This is made very clear on the front page of their website.
"The NBPA is open to all in policing on application and there is no bar to membership based on colour "
- Dave P, London, UK, 15/02/2010 21:53
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Mr d'Anconda, i'll think you find that the working classes are becoming increasingly fed up with the 'diversity' and 'enrichment' whereby you and your class get the cream and plum positions in society. They hampered by poor education (managed and regulated by your class) have to take on all comers, to fight over the crumbs.
- Richard, London, 15/02/2010 18:22
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Clapton achieved his success as a solo artist with his inferior versions of classic songs by Bob Marley and B.B. King amongst others, and then had the cheek to denounce black & asian peoples contributions to our multicultural society through his support of Enoch Powell.
- Ashwin, london, 15/02/2010 15:35
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The sad part about all of this, is that the mainstream parties have avoided any sensible discussion on immigration, hence pushing people towards parties like the BNP. A sensible debate on immigration and what it means to be British needs to be take place. Part of what is great about being British is our tolerance, however real world examples of massive resentment to migrants exists all over the UK. Its only getting worse and shying away from the debate is adding to this and will certainly add to the BNP's appeal to people who feel let down by the incumbents.
- Mark, south london, 15/02/2010 15:16
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Comparing Sinn Fein with the BNP is little strange considering the unapologetic Marxism of the poliical wing of the IRA.Perhaps that is why NULAB is so happy to be chums with people who have spent years blowing civilians into the next world.
- Garibaldi, suffolk uk, 15/02/2010 15:10
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Dangerous? They havn't got a single MP in Westminster! and who is scared of them anyway? The main two parties who seem to think it is their god given right to govern forever no matter how much the population despises them and their policies are the only ones who are scared. They can see the gravy train leaving without them on it, And it will be flying the BNP colours if they don't wake up to the reality of the god awful mess they have created and at leat TRY and do something about it.
- Jimbob, Kensington, 15/02/2010 14:47
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If mainstream parties want to see the back of the BNP then it can be done democratically. Just by cherry picking what they consider acceptable from the BNP manifesto. I wonder how many votes they would win back by the simple expedient of allowing pubs to have Smoking Rooms. (as an example)
- Oceaneagle, Berkshire, 15/02/2010 14:37
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Wrong picture surely? Isn't that the Labour Party manhandling that old chap out of their conference?
- Tv, Hounslow, 15/02/2010 14:26
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Please do some research Mr. D'Ancona. Your selection of Eric Clapton was poor. Note that he still stands by his 1976 rant - "Enoch had the foresight and vision to see what was going to happen and stand up and say so".
- Jeremy, Germany, 15/02/2010 14:09
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".. founded on the cultivation of intolerance and racial tension declaring that it has an open-door policy."
Bit like the National Black Police Association then?
You have to thank the policies of Labour for their rise. It is nothing the BNP have done to make themselves more "appealing".
When the Lefty-Liberals turn around and tell a nation that is overwhelmingly 90% white and 70% Christian, that we are a multicultural society, then implement policy and a social engineering project based on that flawed premise, then of course you are going to get a rise in the Far Right. It is not rocket science.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 15/02/2010 13:58
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The best approach to the BNP is a media blackout. This has been done to good effect on other fascist parties in Europe. They never deserved a place on Question Time either, the benchmark has always been 5% of the vote in a general election to get any mainstream coverage but the liberals at the top decided that 2% was now sufficient. It is also worth noting that the Scottish Socialist Party was ignored by the Scottish media because of dislike but that bias does not apply with the knuckle draggers, fancy that.
- Dan, London, 15/02/2010 13:12
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If Labour wants to win back disaffected working class voters it should abandon support for failed Thatcherite deregulation of the labour markets which replaced central bargaining, worker participation and security with a sleazy Dutch auction on pay rates and labour rights as well as a refusal to train up more young Britons in skilled apprentices.
UK social dumping has not only failed to produce lower unemployment rates than other EU countries but even encouraged British workers to stay on benefits due to lowering wages and ruthless means testing.
- Ian, London, 15/02/2010 12:58
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Which is worse. Ex terrorists in UK & German governments or extremists of any kind.
I do not appreciate ex unilateralist disarmament looneys in power - neither would I support extreme right wing views - such as we are seeing in Germany and UK & France.
The solution is in the vote.
- Richard Prior, Salisbury, England, 15/02/2010 12:48
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Britain is the historical product of nations and races coming together and commingling. Historically, this country has been a port rather than a fortress, a place of trade, exchange and racial interaction. Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, Normans, Huguenots, Jews, Afro-Caribbeans, Asians, Eastern Europeans: pluralism is the very essence of our island story. Some of my best friends are Jutes.'
This is a ravist fantasy. The geographical entity that became known as Britain has a settled genetic poll for ten thousand of years.
95% of all immigrants to the the UK have come in the last fifty years. Muslims, Africans and so on are all aware that they are descended from people who lived in other parts of the world. In fact their ancestors lived in these places for so long that evolution took place which is why anyone tell a Chinese from an Nigerian.
This nonsense will not wash. Even Stalin would have blanched at such a preposterous notion.
- Richard, London, England, 15/02/2010 12:42
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I just love the way the press and media always carry on about how certain causes, groups or personalities are getting too much attention and thus clout in politics and celebrity circles - and then proceed to write about them in great detail.
Are they that stupid that they don't realise they are fanning the flames of these organisations or people - right or wrong, deserved or undeserved - anyway?
Makes one think who is behind all this and who is gaiing financially from their plights? Lovely conspiracy theories
- Anthony Bonnett, London UK, 15/02/2010 12:36
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As odious as Matthew D'Ancona might find the BNP, the fact cannot be ignored that their stated policies are proving to be attractive to many of the electorate. Taking apart the arrant racism, they have published a manifesto that has many ideas that mainstream parties would not consider putting before the people, but many right of centre voters see as their chosen ground.
These policies are not being offered by any other party. Why not? If that is what the voters are asking for?
Do the ever so clever self-righteous Liberal media scribes not realise that every time they write attempting to villify the BNP, they do the exact opposite. It's all publicity for the BNP!
Why on earth do we need a body called "The equality and human rights commission" to attempt to damage a political party with a clever-Dick legal challenge anyway.
If people didn't want a party like the BNP to exist, it would die through apathy. It is alive and kicking and thriving partly because of the bullying attitude of the Left.
Just another point Mr D'Ancona....how many supporters of the BNP do you think know what "heterogeneity" means?
- Ronnie, what used to be England, 15/02/2010 12:30
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comparing the BNP's new suit and tie look with Sinn fein making out they were interested in helping peace is a desgracefull thing to say,how can aming yourself physically more presentable be comparable with retending you don't kill people anymore
As for clapton claiming the blues for himself, he was the bloke who said Enoch was right
- John, london, 15/02/2010 12:30
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As I said in another paper, it's like a pack of Hyenas inviting a Gazelle to join their pack.
- John, London United Kingdom, 15/02/2010 12:00
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