It is easy to blame the rise of the BNP on bigotry stirred up by the tabloid press. But the far bigger cause is government failure to deal with the genuine grievances of those left behind in modern Britain.
This week, a new campaign on the left, Expose the BNP , launched. Expose the BNP is an alliance of journalists, media workers and activists who join the growing consensus that just ignoring the BNP and trying to deny them the oxygen of publicity will no longer work. With two BNP MEPs sitting in Brussels, we need to take their ideas and politicians on. In this new environment, policies of “no platform” are not so much counter-productive (although they are) as irrelevant. In an online world, the BNP no longer needs the mainstream media to reach those left behind in modern Britain.
There is however a subtle but important difference of emphasis. There are those who take the view – as does Sunny Hundal in his article this week – that BNP support is kept alive by an inflammatory tabloid media playing up to the prejudices of disgruntled Britons. They believe that the best solution to stemming the rise in their vote is for the mainstream media to stop talking about immigration and the BNP to be shut out of political debate altogether.
And there are those of who believe that this ignores the genuine anger and frustration of the disaffected in our society. We won’t solve the problems of extremism unless we can give everyone a stake in the future of modern Britain. Ironically, the left seems more interested in berating its former voters than helping them.
While globalisation has brought unprecedented prosperity and diversity to many of our lives, there is part of our society that got left behind. As our manufacturing sector moved overseas, the skilled working class in places like northern mill towns found their jobs moved offshore or taken by better-skilled and hard-working immigrants. With their communities seemingly in terminal decline, and a political system obsessed with a tiny subset of fringe voters in the “golden triangle”, it is not so surprising that many voters felt they had nowhere to turn to in the mainstream political system.
This means politicians have to do what they’ve avoided for the last two decades, and actually listen to the concerns of working-class voters, not just patronise them. If you were trained to be a highly respected technician, it’s not so easy to take a job in a call centre or McDonald’s. Britain’s working class aren’t so much racist as seeing the communities they grew up in disappear. With little hope for the future, it’s not so surprising they turn to the BNP’s nostalgic view of the past.
It wasn’t the media that splintered Britain’s society, and neither is the real divide between whites and ethnic minorities. What matters is the gap between those who gained from globalisation, and those who were left behind – and the fault for that lies solely with our political class. Controlling the BNP needs more than a press strategy. It requires a complete mind-shift on the part of our politicians, and a commitment to tackle this problem head on.
James Bethell
This piece originally appeared here.
I dont know whether to take this post serious or not…
Is this NB admitting it was possibly wrong?!
Hot debate. What do you think?
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What a grovelling U-turn if it is LOL!
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You people are lazy. Cut and paste????
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Cut and paste????
Yep it is a stick up!
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I was looking at a load of colour photos on “Flickr” from the 1950’s & 1960’s that made me nostalgic & aware of what is being lost.
It reminds you not all change is progress & a lot of politicians rely on the public having short memories.
But if people do remember they are told it is an attack of “the good old days” syndrome.
This is why a lot of people don’t care what you or Rupert Murdoch or any politician says anymore & screaming don’t vote BNP makes people think “What could they do any worse?”
Some want revenge on the establishment for their self serving & hypocritical ways, I do.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Hear hear
http://www.bnp.org.uk
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Me too WTF. Oh yes..me too!! The condescension of that article by JB!!!Honestly!
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This old image will no doubt warm the cockles of your heart then!
http://www.hurryupharry.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/tyndall.jpg
It should help throw a little historical perspective on things. It’s where it all began for the BNP.
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Good heavens ! I agree with most of Mr.Bethell’s points. Is this a legitinate post , or was NB the victim of hackers ?
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Or is somebody hacked off?
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Thank god someone has stated the obvious. The left would rather that a voice like the BNP was no longer heard in there Britain. They would prefer to scream racist, fascist[when it is these individuals who are fascist].They would prefer to not hear the truth that perhaps all immigration is not good for this country, that perhaps not all foreighners are warm community minded individuals. There may be some bad ones to, as there is white indigenous Brits.Thats why we need a strong immigration policy.
The last thing this country needs is the BNP [in its present form]in power. Some nationalist policys ‘yes.
The trouble here is on one side you have the far left who have this utopian world veiw that;if you just let everyone roam the planet freely and settle where ever, it will all level itself out. Thats nonsense. I dont see a massive surge of humanity wanting to settle in the middle east or sub-saharan Africa.They wish to come here for a better life,us realists know we can not accomodate the worlds hungry and frightened. There has to be another way.
The press need to expose the Hierarchy of UAF,searchlight etc as to what there political motives are,as much as they need to expose Griffin and his cronies.
The left and right feed of each other, it galvanises there supporters.
Loads of BNP members,supporters,voters are good decent people who are sick of what is happening to there country. Also lots of anti-BNP will be good decent people who are afraid of what there country could become under the likes of Griffin. They are both guilty of dark propoganda to get there point over.
You want to destroy Griffin, put him under the spotlight [not like question time]. Like wise you wish to see what the left are so scared of and why they so much hate the BNP. Again put them under the spotlight.
What this country needs is a civic nationalist party who does not look at the colour of someones skin does not have holocaust deniers or ex-NF in its ranks and who realises this is the 21st century and works with that.
And above all else an honest party who does not rely on using propoganda a party that has Churchill as an icon becaus of what he stood for, not because of the propoganda effect.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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No,no. Why don’t we just put the MAIN three parties who have actually brought this country to its knees under the spotlight. The BNP have no case to answer.
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I think there are some interesting ideas in the post, “The BNP’s appeal to those left behind”.
However, it got me thinking about Nick Griffin and his own personal “appeal”. In short does he have any?
Only the BNPers who post on this site can answer why they think Griffin makes a good leader. To most people he appears shifty, ill-informed, and uncharismatic. His chauvinistic nationalism seems foreign and extreme.
I had a look for his writings to get an idea of his politics. I could only find a pamphlet of conspiracy theories about the Jews (Who are the Mindbenders?), and a neo-Nazi magazine called The Rune.
Surely he is an electoral liability to the BNP. Let’s hear your views BNPers!
Oh, do you also think he spends members’ donations solely on political matters and how did he lose his eye?
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With me the “Jury’s still out” as far as Nick Griffin is concearned. I remember him in my NF days back in the early 80’s and he was a good activist but a lot of mud was slung in the numerous splits. Some of it stuck, rightly or wrongly. I also knew him when he came into the BNP in the 90’s and have a copy of the magazine in question (The Rune). However, I believe that he was co-earced into writing that piece on the Waffen SS due to the Croydon branch (who were tasked with putting the Rune together) as there WERE prominant members who WERE neo-nazi. Nick, I feel, was trying to fit in. The Rune was an independant mag and was in no way an official BNP publication. A lot of people remember Nick, Gadafi, spilts and court cases but I think that this has been forgotten because Nick has tranformed what was 300 hardcore racists with no hope of electability to a party that now boasts over 10000 members, buildings, MEPs, councilers and hope.
http://www.bnp.org.uk
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Tell me how he lost his eye.
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The official version I heard was that a shotgun cartridge was thrown a fire by mistake & exploded.
The main thing that Nick Griffin has going for him is he isn’t the mainstream establishment, what happens if he becomes an MP I don’t know, I hope he is not bought off by the establishment to keep the status quo going, as it is a failed corrupt model that will destroy this country.
A lot of people are fed up with plastic politicians who don’t amount to much.
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You’ve yet to explain to me why you are so frightened of Nick Griffin.
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Peter,how right you rare. The BNP has turned into the Nick Griffin fan club. He has surrounded himself with ex NF, Butler, Wingfields etc. Nazi sympathisers like Collett,ex wanabe gangsters like Jefferson, and god knows Griffins comments in the past have made him the biggest liability in the party. However ‘he does a very good job of making the membership follow him.” THE MEDIA LIE THE LEFT LIE IT ALLS LIES, IF YOU BELEIVE ANY OF IT YOUR A RED A COMMIE A LIBERAL.THERE ALL OUT TO GET ME AND IF YOU BELIVE ANY OF IT YOUR NOT A TRUE PATRIOT”. Clever propoganda indeed. There a re alot of good inteligent people supporting the BNP but there are also the sheep unfortunately its the sheep who are the public face of the party.
This country needs a pro Britain party who has no one in its ranks sympathising with a foreign ruler from the forties.
And as for the left if they think were all being so unfair to Islam etc, well they can move to Saudi Arabia. Its the left that have destroyed this country theres been a lot of damage done, but by what I see of Griffins version of a Nationalist party the country would be still in serious trouble if he got any power.
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Griffin certainly is an oddball.
Have you seen the BNP website recently? The cult-like devotion of the BNP followers is embarrassing. There is no debate, no variation from the party line, just an endless tirade of conspiracy theories and leader worship.
Did you notice the recent “vote” on their constitution? Only 100 turned up to vote! They claim to have over 10,000 members and they held the most important vote in their history in the back room of a boozer!
They are a strange bunch indeed.
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I personally see the BNP as force/organisation, that will do the things that other political parties wont/cant do!, i dont really care where the BNP came from, i care more where the BNP will take us, The point i’m trying to make is, that griffin, collett, or whoever make no difference to me, whenever i see the three letters…B…N…P, i see hope, and a future for Britian, i see a bigger picture when i see those three letters, and the fact that Nick griffin is the leader makes no difference.
The BNP is now a household name that reminds (some) people not to give up!
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Ive found these petitions on another web site.
You want to take the fuel way from the BNP fire, let people see other ways to voice there concerns with what is happening in this country.
No doubt the loony left will scream that these petitions are racist, they are official though on the downing street website.
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/no-UK-sharia-law/
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Madrasas/
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/troopsbackhome/
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/OutlawTheBurqa/
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/steps
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I think I have signed most of those petitions already!
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& I am voting BNP.
A sort of belt & braces approach, don’t you think?
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Dear James,
What is your ideal plan to ‘tackle this problem head on’?
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You’re looking at it!!
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The Tories really do take the biscuit. Dave is slipping like a mudslide in the polls. He has his last ditch speech today and he wasted it by telling us how glad we should be about the selection lists he has foisted on local parties (they are all hopping mad) and by spouting unpleasant vitriol about Nick Griffin. Surely this vitriol should be directed at Gordon? Something really weird is going on.
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Cameron referred to Griffin as “a ghastly piece of filth”, I believe. I can’t wait to see Griffin get hammered at the polls in May!
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NB were mocking the BNP votes before but looking at it you can see that a minor party with now financial clout or a pro-media can do well on issues that are concearning the gereral public. They are worried or they wouldn’t of put up this website
South Tyneside Primrose Ward election result 25th
1. Ken Stephenson Labour 854 Elected
2. Pete Hodgkinson British National Party 566
3. Aaron Luke Independent 213
4. David Alan Rice Independent 174
5. Anthony James Lanaghan Conservative 124
6. Susan Heather Troupe Liberal Democrats 100
The really interesting part are the postal votes, 57%???? Unheard of. How can anyone sit there and say that we live in a free and democratic society
Voters Voted
Voted in Booth 4234 840 19.8%
Postal 2073 1193 57.5%
Overall 6307 2033
http://www.bnp.org.uk
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The odds are far shorter on the BNP not winning a seat – but then you will have avoided those figures, or perhaps they were not posted on the BNP Pravda website.
Odds also reflect the level of public interest and the fears of bookies losing their money. I prefer polling data based on those who will vote in May.
As I said before I think Griffin will save his deposit and get over 10% but I can’t see him winning.
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You said first off that the BNP stand a chance in Barking, why say that then say they stand no chance?
I think you know the BNP stand a very good chance in Barking but hate that fact.
I think they will gain votes all over the country, but, time will tell.
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A black Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate has caused uproar within her party by declaring on an official Tory website that Nick Griffin “is right” and that “Britain is full.”
Loanna Morrison, who is the Tory in Bermondsey and Old Southwark for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, posted an anti-immigration message on the Conservative home website, saying “Britain is full, declares Nick Griffin at every opportunity, and he is right.”
While David Cameron is expected to reflect this in a speech in Brighton today where he will play the ‘patriotic card’, there was a stern warning from grandees of both main parties:
“If either party decide to push the button on immigration then the only beneficiary will be Nick Griffin and the BNP.”
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This is really a comment about the previous article on ideas.
You cannot be a believer in Darwinism and not believe that genes determine potential to a large extent, an idea that is present only in the BNP among major political parties in the UK.
The current conventional way to deal with this belief is to call it racism, and then to deny any further discussion by claiming the moral high ground. That the word racism is used in a perjorative sense without any serious effort at definition shows clearly the intellectual descent taking place. This was the case with the McPherson report, where the chairman was attacked for his ethnicity and history before committee had begun its deliberation, effectively limiting its findings if severe criticism and possible civil unrest were to be avoided.
If the EHRC had appeared in Alice and Wonderland it would not have appeared out of place.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Yes I think we are through the looking glass & going down the rabbit hole.
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I notice there are no short cuts to the most up to date postings but it proves one thing & that is us knuckle draggers can still navigate our way here, so we can’t be as thick as some paint us!
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A shotgun cartridge was disguarded in a bonfire at his home, went off and a pellet hit him in the eye. This was in the late 80’s I think
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Thanks, I know how Nick Griffin lost his eye in an accident in France. In 1990 he was involved in an accident in which he lost his left eye when a shotgun cartridge exploded in a fire while he was clearing out a building. The shotgun cartridge was in a piece of furniture thrown on the fire.
I was looking for Peters version?
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I wasn’t sure. I had heard two conflicting reports; a shooting accident and an injury whilst on “survivalist manoeuvres”.
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I hope your right Sean I really do. One of the things that bothers me is this;weve all seen how politicians lie,weve all seen how political partys dont have to live up to there promises and manifestos. Whats to say the current BNP if in power would not revert to the promises of the past “all white Britain,everyone out no matter if born here etc”
Loads of Iranians want nuclear power but if they got it at the moment with the mad man in charge god help us all. Can the same be said for griffin?. well know nazis and NF in the ranks.
Would he revert to what they say about him. thats why the party needs a complete over haul to make them truly electable
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@Shaun,
“The fact that Nick Griffin is the leader makes no difference.” You need to re-think this.
Have you read the constitution of the BNP? The membership of the BNP have almost no control over Chairman Griffin. I believe he has ammended it again during the recent court case consolidating even more power at the top.
I imagine quite a few people in Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia articulated similar views to you – they ended up with Hitler or Stalin.
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I’m not frightened of him. I think he is a buffoon.
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Just say he was on survivalist manoeuvres? So what. Everyone watches Bear Grylls or Ray Mears with envy don’t they. Whats your point?
http://www.bnp.org.uk
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Well there are plenty of those around but nobody builds websites specifically to destroy them or composes posts railing against them. You definitely have to fear Nick Griffin in some way.Go on,do tell. I’m fascinated.
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I admit that I am a bit worried about what lies beneath the suits and election rosettes.
ahttp://theratcatchersofthesewers.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/bnp-nick-griffin.gifnd was a BNP organiser.
One of Griffin’s old bodyguards lets the mask slip.
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Sorry, bad link.
http://www.thebnp.org/images/bnpmickholmes02.jpg
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Standards had certainly slipped by the eighties. Look at this jobless layabout!
http://theratcatchersofthesewers.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/bnp-nick-griffin.gif
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No Peter it doesn’t, my Brother who was a skinhead at the time looking for a fight, complained all the NF do is sit in pubs drinking & talking about doing something but doing very little.
I guess they can be praised for keeping the pubs going at the time.
At the time I regarded the NF as too extreme & a certain grocer’s daughter took the wind out of their sails politically.
Looking back at my old fotos reveals a stunning death toll of white working mens pubs.
As for Nick marching, there were plenty, if not more leftie types marching as well.
I am sure you can turn up a Jack Straw under the red flag?
I have never been on a march, though I photographed the anti Iraq war one.
Which proved to me that marching usually achieves little.
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I went on loads of marches with the NF in the late 70’s and early to mid 80’s. What a laugh. I was young, immature and was looking for excitement which I found in bundles. However as you grow you mature, learn and realise we are a dying country. Hopefully I’ve used that maturity to educate other people to the deceitfulness, corruptness and hypocrisy of the self serving scum who make our laws and subjagate us. I don’t think I’ve been brainwashed or want a 4th reich. Just want to be safe and the knowledge that my family will be safe. At the moment we arn’t and I wont be a part of the “Emporers new clothes” set. I can see that everything is NOT alright.
http://www.bnp.org.uk
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Exactly its Grifins party and he knows it.
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And if he doesn’t?
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I think Barking is the only place they stand a chance, but I think they’ll lose. They will get hammered everywhere else. They peaked two years ago. National prominence has exposed them.
The BNP did a day of action leafletting in Barking recently and they had to bring activists down from Manchester to help out – they just don’t have the supporters necessary.
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Where is Nick Griffin standing?
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He’s carpet-bagged Barking.
I should have said that I was looking forward to seeing the BNP get hammered in May. I think Griffin could get about 15% in Barking – but he’ll lose.
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Time will tell, the bookies will give you 3-1 on the BNP getting a seat, it was 500-1.
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No, I think Barking is difficult to predict. I don’t think the BNP will win.
The boundaries have changed, and the vote traditionally splits in Barking – allowing minority parties a look in. This then attracts even more parties to stand and the whole thing becomes a circus.
The BNP and the NF before them have long campaigned in the area and do have support there. The anti-BNP groups will also be there.
However, I wonder if you have considered just how unpopular Griffin is as a person? Obviously BNP zealots like him but the rest of us either recoil in horror or start sniggering when he speaks (I do both as the mood takes me).
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