Times reporter Dominic Kennedy is evicted from the BNP meeting in Hornchurch
In much the same way last June’s egg throwing incident was a turning point for campaigns against the BNP, so too this Sunday’s roughing up of Dominic Kennedy was a turning point in the public’s perception of the BNP’s legitimacy.
The egging of Nick Griffin MEP in Westminster showed how the “no platform” policy had become a joke. Griffin had just been elected as an MEP and so had a democratic right to air his views in public. More worrying than this it played straight into the hands of the BNP by painting them as victims.
Griffin is trying to spin his reaction Sunday’s assault as him being a strong leader who will not tolerate bad behaviour. But whatever the BNP tries to do, the damage has already been done.
1. It has worsened the BNP’s legitimacy deficit
The concern most BNP analysts have about the elections of Nick Griffin, Andrew Brons, Richard Barnbrook and 50 plus councillors is that the “legitimacy deficit” (i.e. lack of acceptability) was wearing off.
Several academics have pointed to polling data which shows there is significant amount of the public that supports the BNP’s tough on crime, fortress Britain and “putting whites first” message, but it is the image of violence and racism etc that has prevented huge numbers of people from voting for the BNP.
The image of an attempted nose ripping of a British journalist in Essex will only re-enforce voter’s concerns about the violence and criminality of the BNP.
2. “Lonely patriot” narrative damaged
BNP propaganda poster sent out to party members in July 2009
Ever since the disgraceful violent assault on one of its Liverpool activists by anti-BNP protesters in March 2009, the BNP has relied heavily on a core message of being “lonely patriots resisting far-left extremism” as a narrative in its battle against anti-BNP campaigners. This has been very effective rebutting charges of totalitarianism.
However, voters will see that there is very little difference between the two factions and will return to mainstream instead.
3. Reveals how the party is lacking transparency and unaccountable to its voters
In recent years the BNP’s relationship has improved and it has managed to gain a significant amount of publicity. Simon Darby, the BNP’s chief press officer, has often remarked on this change of mood and it is clear that both he and Griffin enjoy the attention they have received from the media.
Sunday’s skirmish has shown to voters that despite the BNP saying they are committed to the democratic process it still refuses to take part in the two way process by allowing access to its officials through the press. Nothing British has on several occasions attempted to ask for answers from the BNP on issues of policy and it has chosen not to cooperate.
Voters will see that while the BNP basks in the media’s publicity, it gets all shirty when journalists want to scrutinize its policies or challenge its leaders.
4. The BNP empahasises its rights but not its responsibilities
BNP posing as "victims" after their right to free speech is denied
Party leaders like Barnbrook, Griffin and Darby have legitimately complained about attempts to silence them through “no platform”. As democratically elected officials they have a right to freedom of speech. They have a right to appear on Question Time. They have a right to question government officials. They have a right to access certain official documents. But with these rights come responsibilities. Most important of these is accountability to their voters.
By refusing to answer difficult questions from journalists and then forcefully kicking them out, the BNP is denying its voters their rights to see what their elected officials are up to through a free press.
5. Party of thugs
Griffin with his entourage of thugs
Richard Barnbrook, whose petulant response to an article in The Times caused Sunday’s episode, has written this week that his enemies are “shrill and strident” and compare badly to the BNP’s “conversational, engaging and professional approach”. He then said of his critics: “Let them shout and scream while we listen and discuss”.
In the minds of most voters who saw Sunday’s scenes they will regard Barnbrooks perception of the BNP as delusional – more thuggish than reasoned and serious politicians. This is Britain not Iran or Venuzuala.
Maurice Cousins
“Petulance is the Achilles Heal of the BNP”
“Heal”, Freudian slip or what!
I was going to stamp my feet & pout but I thought better of it!
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Ah but Iran & Venuzuala are on Maurice’s invasions to do list, Israel is not!
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wtf
maurice and his ilk always seem to put the brotherhood of their religion before any love for their country. Zionists no doubt.
The Jewish/Zionist lobby have infiltrated western democracies and their political systems, with the express intention of shoring up support for Israel. They have no love for the host nations involved, and are basically spongers and users.
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I’d like to say that I share your pain, Mo, but I can’t lie to you: I haven’t enjoyed myself so much in years. For the first time in decades a scab was put in his place.
Wonderful, wonderful news.
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That foto is like Starbucks, popping up all over the place!
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Maurice is clutching at straws again!
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Did Edmund help you throw this rubbish together Maurice. Oh and you missed Israel off the end, Britain is not Iran, Venuzuala or Israel.
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Lee, stay on topic.
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I gave him a tick just to stop a tantrum – see how I pander to a minority!
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While censorship is the Achilles Heel of Nothing British.
Nothing to say about Israel endangering the lives of British citizens today either Mr Cousins? That’s very odd.
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Yet another mindless assault on the BNP.
Do the masters of this site have a brain between them?
You attack the party that culls Labour votes and support UKIP which culls Tory votes.
If Labour get back in you will shoulder a lot of the blame. You should be promoting the BNP, fools.
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A bit of advice. Abandon this site and start a new one – “Everything European about UKIP”.
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You can play down the BNP all you like, come the general election you may be very suprised! “winks”
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“but it is the image of violence and racism etc that has prevented huge numbers of people from voting for the BNP.”
The image of Violence and Racism, yes the False image, made with lies and smears by MSM and the likes of you.
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“Sunday’s skirmish ”
Skirmish! What skirmish? A reporter broke the law and was expelled. Had the BNP broken the law, the police would have appeared faster than a dodgy curry!
“Nothing British has on several occasions attempted to ask for answers from the BNP on issues of policy and it has chosen not to cooperate.”
Well you have the chance here but you tend to delete the answers as they tend to ask questions regarding your stance.
It is a two – way street. At least it should be in an open, democratic debate.
Are you ready for one (or is this another question to be ignored)?
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Dont the bnp advocate free speech?the guy “broke the law” because he dared to disagree with the bnps “ideoligies”…i can see a pattern forming here. The bnps new slogan should be You Dont Have To Be Racist To Work Here,But It Helps….
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Whereas the Conservative one is “You don’t have to be a Tory toff but it helps!”
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He is a journalist. He is not supposed to be there to give his own views but to report (rather than invent). He has continually lied about the BNP, showing his own prejudice so is not allowed at their meetings. Other journalists attended and remained.
Please try to keep up Sam.
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What a great photo nothing British did you know that most of the BNPS security teams are ex soldiers.Now please digest that.
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I thought a picture of violence would stir your emotions.Youll be signing up to be a bnp stormtrooper once they dismantle the army then?
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But whose hand is that on the journo’s nose?
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Well studying the “YouTube” video there is a man in a green coat at the back of the scrum & I think he reaches around to grab his nose?
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I keep trying to find it on YouTube – with no luck. Could you do a link or tell me what to search for? Ta.
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try bnp violence…….be patient though
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MLJ
Go to the text above saying “Griffin is trying to spin his reaction”, press on “trying” which should take you to the BBC webpage “Nick Griffin: Ejection shows BNP not gone ’soft’”.
On that is a 27 second clip of the ejection & probably the man you are looking for!
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Some one said the BNP want to “dismantle the army”.NO they dont,the want our boys and girls brought back home alive and well from an un- winnable conflict that is not our business.They want our troops to patrol our islands to protect us and repel Islamic invaders and bogus asylum seekers.And before any bleeding hearts say they need our “dole etc”,asylum means applying at the first safe point not an island two thousand miles further on.They only come here to collect McBroons dole money and vote Labour!
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You are trying to tell me the might of the British war machine would be used to protect our borders from a few asylum seekers living in a squat in Islington?I think theres a far more sinister plot from the bnp.
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The BNP is an open democratic party anyone can make a comment on its website,Unlike the MSM,who try to send in leftie thugs like Kennedy to cause trouble again.He had nothing to say and was acting on the behalf of a woman Journo who had complaints upheld for publishing lies about the BNP.The government sponsored Fascist UAF thugs attacked a BNP leafletter in Liverpool with a claw hammer,hardly democratic.They got a UAF renta crowd to threaten Nick Griffin before the infamous QT fiasco too!The MSM and the three main party are riddled with expenses corruption as is UKIP and are ROTTEN TO THE CORE!
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Maurice Cousins and nothingbritish are frontmen for Israeli interests. What a pity they could not put their efforts into alieviating the pain of working class, indigenous British.
This site seeks to weaken British culture, and at the same time, strengthen multiculturalism in Britain, which is a favourite cause of the unpatriotic zionist lobby.
Only the BNP have the true interests of Britain at heart.
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Maurice you’re not getting petulant are you?
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I’m not Lee, Maurice, you’re getting as bad as Sam.
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Is Lee Barnes in the house?
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nice of you to think about me CONSTANTLY regiured(truth denier)
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As long as he isn’t clutching at my throat!
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WTF you know i dont have any love of the tories.
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Yes I couldn’t picture Sam as a Tory toff, It. Does. Not. Compute.
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I didn’t think they allowed squatters in Islington but now Tony has moved out, maybe.
Besides asylum seekers don’t seem to go in for squatting, they’re usually given something by the council or sent to estates in Scotland?
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They must be really discreet in Scotland!!Or maybe they are just more willing to embrace our culture,rather than some of the other nations of the UK…Wha s Like Us
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Sam,your Mr Brown asserts that we are in Afghanistan to stop islamic nutters getting control of nuclear arms in Pakistan.He also admits there are at least 2/3thousand would be terrorist plots being watched at any time and its always muslims.A prominent Muslim MP boasts that they will take over by out breeding us.Your leftie government admits that it has no idea how many illegals are here but is busy issuing national insurance numbers to them to gain more votes.We do need our troops here now and even more so while the “Argies” are sabre rattling!
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