Intimidation has led the Durham Union Society to call off the debate between BNP northern double-act, Andrew Brons MEP and Cllr Chris Beverley, and the Conservatives’ unlikely pairing of Edward Leigh MP and Kulveer Ranger.
After extensive consultations with the Police on the issue of public safety, university authorities were cowered by the threat of clashes outside the university venue. The National Union of Students promised bus loads of members would be sent to Durham to close down the event, according to the DUS press release.
This is a bad day for the British value of freedom of expression. And a set-back in the fight against extremism:-
The university should show more back-bone. Carolyn Fowler, the University’s Registrar said: “The University statutes clearly state that any threat to public safety supersedes the importance of freedom of expression”. If even our universities make health and safety considerations paramount, who on earth is there left to fight for freedom of expression?
The police should do whatever’s necessary to uphold the University’s right to hold such a debate, not advising against such meetings. It defies belief that the police are handing the NUS a veto on debate in this country because of the threat of a few bus loads of students.
The NUS’s “No Platform” policy is a repressive, counter-productive throw-back to the arrogant student politics of the 1960s. Instead of bussing in students for a punch-up, the NUS should be teaching students how to win the argument against extremism.
No one likes the idea of life-long Nazi-sympathisers like Brons and young thugs like Beverley using a venue like Durham University to espouse their hate-filled, neo-fascist, racist ideology. Particularly before an election. But if we do not have the confidence to overcome these bullies on a challenged platform then we can be sure to beat them at the ballot box.
James Bethell
Tags: Andrew Brons, beverley, durham university, featured, no platform
James, so why does your leader continue to be a sponsor for the UAF?
Stop pretending you’re disappointed that this event has been called off. The reality is that your Tory man, Edward Leigh, is relieved at not having to defend the indefensible (“This house believes in a multicultural Britain”). Brons would have wiped the floor with him
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I am not so sure that the university authorities have the power to ban this debate because I don’t think that the Union Society is answerable to them. At Oxford that is certainly the case. It looks to me as if the society’s officials are using the university as cover.
To be fair to them they may have a point. The Oxford Union has a walled garden around it, but the Durham version is litle more than a converted house with a door onto the street. I can imagine horrendous security problems.
That said, giving in like this is just wrong in principle.
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The point is that this blog is simply redolent with hollow courage.
It points and screams, “who on earth is there left to fight for freedom of expression!”, at anyone who thinks twice about giving a platform to those whose views they find extremist.
But then, in the next breath, it goes on to condemn with vitriol those who have the actual temerity of doing so.
To paraphrase Pat Condell’s latest video,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96ZUZ9CPZII
it is that curious mixture of arrogance and cowardice that marks out the slavish advocate of multi-culturalism.
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“A sad day for freedom of expression.”
But if Nothing British was at all bothered by freedom expression, why was it so obsessed with preventing the Jobbik Friends of Hungary meeting here? I know of course, you find their views abhorrent, if you could understand them and from what I read you could not… but that’s not the point.
You either believe in freedom of expression or you do not.
At the time I recall that there was a massive campaign of intimidation against the landlord of a pub where this meeting took place (you didn’t condemn it), the Hungarian party issued a challenge to you to prove your wild accusations (you could not), in fact you did everything short of condoning violence to suppress this now much-vaunted Freedom of Expression.
Don’t deny it. Oh certainly you chose your words carefully but they were incitement nonetheless, and that is what they were meant to be, I quote:
http://www.nothingbritish.com/12/kentish-town-british-jobbik-association-meeting/
“We see no reason why this sort of meeting should go unchallenged in the UK.”
So is what you are in fact saying, that only British people should be granted “freedom of expression” in Britain?
Seems that way to me, quite an ironically nationalistic stance, wouldn’t you say?
The point is, you can only be said to approve of Freedom of Expression to the extent that you advocate and enthusiastically support the rights of other people to freely express views with which you are totally opposed; otherwise, like this blog, it’s just all a sham…
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So they believe in “This house believes in a multicultural Britain” but not in free speech when it comes to discussing this subject?
So this POV has to be accepted without dissent?
Then they wonder why people support the BNP!
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All it would take is a dozen genuine patriots to defend the debating chamber and the debaters from the screeching and walling anti free speech fascists. Without the authorities protection and support the grubby little UAF clown gang would of been toast years ago. “The tree of liberty must be refreshed……” And with the blood of the supporters of tyrants.
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“The NUS should be teaching students how to win the argument against extremism.”
Can’t see this happening, it means having to teach students how to think for themselves. That would never do, they might start questioning their marxist indoctrination agenda as well
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So much for freedom of expression. These student turds will be the future leaders of Britain; anyone calling them fascist….. thought not.
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“Cowered”? perhaps the author of this post missed quite a few English language Lessons during his Oxbridge education.
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He might have had estate duties to perform?
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You know Jim, I still can’t work out your reasoning for this site. It’s obvious to a blind man that it’s a complete failure. Come on man. Retire to the library with your service revolver.
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Some years ago, a friend of mine was in a similar dilemma. He was in charge of the debating society at UEA (Norwich Uni) and he invited two BNP candidates to the debating society to speak. His reasoning, which many years on he stands by, was that by letting them speak he would expose them for the unreconstructed bigots that they really were – and that, faced with an intelligent young audience, they would be metaphorically torn to pieces. He was proven right, but not before he had been vilified for inviting them along. He was, and is, a dedicated anti-racist. Think. Sometimes giving these “people” a voice is a more powerful weapon than gagging them.
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“Think. Sometimes giving these “people” a voice is a more powerful weapon than gagging them.”
I am not sure that is working out.
We hear PC mainstream orthodoxy all the time but people are less accepting of it, the brainwashing seems to be getting rinsed out.
My experience of Uni types is that they maybe very intelligent but lack worldliness & can be quite ignorant of certain things that I thought were common knowledge.
Using mob tactics to shut things down seems a very Stalinist/Fascist/Nazi thing to do.
I think it proves a point the BNP often make.
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Nick Boldock says:
“and that, faced with an intelligent young audience, they would be metaphorically torn to pieces.”
like we are being torn to pieces in nothing british Nick?
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there nothing british about the bnp
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If there is nothing British about the BNP, there certainly isn’t anything British about the other political parties that are suppose to represent Britain & it’s People.
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Well Dave has certainly got his name on the list of founding members of http://www.uaf.org.uk/aboutUAF.asp?choice=4
What a truly odd thing to do – why would he want to be associated with them??
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A list of shame, certainly worse than being outed by as a BNP member!
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Oh… I don’t like the fact that the Conservative Party has to setup a group “Nothing British” to do it’s dirty work for them. The Conservative Party can do it themselves, just another reason why i hate the hypocrisy of this establishment, it’s no different than Saddam Hussien or Stalin. Politics belong’s to the People not the Politicians or their respective political parties! The British may be lemmings for now, but that’ll soon change, and the only people changing it, are the politicians!
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mlj
yes i think it was jack straw who said “the english arent worth saving as a race” I bet hes regretting it now though
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Jack Straw is not worth saving as a politician!
His Father thought the same, sitting in jail rather than fighting Nazi’s.
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i like jack straw ,me!
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Oh no you don’t!
Next you’ll be saying you like Dave!
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jack straw also said “the english are intrinsically violent” . imagine if he’d said that about blacks for example or muslims. mind you its made me realise who the real racist is here- sam pauli (he would probably say its not racist to be racist agin people if they are white) lol
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Jack Straw’s are intrinsically idiots!
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Isnt that a bnp policy to tell the truth?Oh i see ,we dont like the truth when its about us do we!
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you saying the english arent violent?check some of the enlightened peoples posts
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Another lie, you have called me racist several times, but i suppose having the brain of a goldfish you have forgot.
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Just because an MP says something it doesn’t mean that it is true.How gullible of you Sam.
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no but are you saying the blacks arent violent for example, or the muslims or chinese or any other nationality
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I know that feeling, it is Russian roulette for comments!
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Thats right your”mob” dont do Irony,do they?
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This type of behaviour is typical of the fascist left, not only in Britain but in other “softtouch” countries. The only way to deal with these sort of renegades is to face them down , as they did in Spain with the help of the Germans. It has now come to the crunch. It is time to do what Franco did, clean the slate and restore us to our former standing.
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why do the enlightened(sic)when losing always resort to personal tirades…reguired,jayboy ,peggy mitchell,davey swayze,the really are like the gang from the private scheme ganging up on the kid from the council scheme.Just shows you that money does indeed maketh the man.tank feck im skint
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Advocating violence? didn’t you want to jump on (or upon) my heid earlier? hypocrite.
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that would be after you requested i jumped UNDER a taxi,as i said advocating violence,lying and being very careful not to mention the”other”….bore bore blah blah
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dont do requests……
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all you ever do is advocate violence and glorify war,but when faced with it on a personal basis you run screaming to the teacher,what you like squirt?
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well well well jayboy,at last your true colours are flying !
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What is a fascist? it is someone who wants illegally to impose their will on others. That is what those so called students did, threatened to break the law and as such the authorities who are all part of the chattering class inverts backed down, really because they are more scared of the BNP than pussywillow lefties. One must study the tactics as used by the che guevara lovers called shinners in Ulster, they used illegal actions to get where they are today. Now, what does that tell you, yes friends, power comes from brute force , ignorance and the barrel of a gun. BNP have resorted to no such methods, neither do they need to because truth is coming home to roost. Ifeople want to be free, British free, they must vote BNP.
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To answer your question pollybaa, if I had been alive during the Spanish civil war I would have fought for Franco. I hate reds.
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maybe then youd have lost them in San Sebastian rather than goose green,i suppose it is a little bit more romantic than losing them to defend some sheep.
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Unadultarated hypocricy from Jayboy…still what else do you expect from erm “nationalists”
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Viva La Quinte Brigade
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This debacle over the masdurbate is indicitive of the impossibility to discuss any contentious ideas in the open media. If one does not agree with the politically correct way to think, you are rubbished, verballed, shouted down or branded an …ist of some description or other.
In effect, these undemocratic cretinous udergraduate mass debaters have basically stated that they are prepared to use violent means to stop freedom of speech. The Tory backed UAF seem to use the same tactics.
What is NB’s position on the means employed by the UAF to stifle debate and free speech?
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No answer I suspect. How can they defend the indefensible?
Come on Jimmy, answer the man.
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Sorry to say folks ,i have decided to leave for good.reguired ,is only on here to take football rivalry that is the old firm to a new level.Sadly there are thousands of sites dedicated to such a cause.AA and WTF its been a pleasure chaps.To the rest.Pog Ma Thon
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Sad Pauli, i never mentioned football, ya Bheast.
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Missing you already comrade.
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Farewell Sam, I’ll be here until I find something better to do with my time & this site might not be about after May anyway (is my guess).
Let’s see what the GE brings us, interesting times maybe?
I’ll have to get a tartan version of my Che Guevara T shirt in memory of you or failing that a Bay City Rollers one!
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Will you come back under your new name of. Reeperbahn. St Pauli????
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The students are behaving in true chattering class dictatorial fashion, with threats of violence, actual violence,and lies, the more lies you tell, and the more persistant you go on with the lies, the more people believe. Hence the rise in the BNP, because they tell the truth as it is, as is known by the ordinary citizen, and that is why they will eventually gain power. I just cannot wait , the exitement is really overwhelming. The truth cannot be witheld for ever. It is coming out. Guys like you are on a hiding to nothing. You have nothing to offer only broken down factories and long dole queues, because that is how you get recruits, through misery, and lies. I will get the local pp to say a prayer for you, that you will let the light shine.
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By the way poolybaa, Spain is now a thriving democratic country all because Franco had the balls to say enough is enough. The students there had the same policies as they have over here, and look what happened, the people made the right choice. Lies and deceipt are finite, the truth is eternal.
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There has always been a trendy leftie influence on young students, because they are the next generation. Once they get into power they do the usual, gulag, firing squad, death camp, take your choice. Look all over the world and you see these things have been going on. They tried it in Chile and got their come uppance. Good old Maggie, she knew what she was on about. That is why the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. Did you ever see mass street protests against communist occupation of Tibet for instance? No, and you will not either.Easier to protest against weak chattering class governments, why? because they will not shoot you.
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Thanks!
Funny how the BBC haven’t mentioned this!
I wonder why, election coming, upset apple carts & votes for the BNP & all that.
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No you’re quite right. They all hate us and go out of their way to destroy our traditions and customs wherever and whenever they can.I think that one of the Labour Party said that the British weren’t worth saving!
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