Time to shine some light on the BNP

Nick Griffin MEP will appear on BBC Question Time next week – the first time a BNP member has been invited to appear on the show’s panel. It still baffles me how so many people are passionately opposed to this decision.

That is not to say I don’t understand where the dissenters are coming from. I dislike hearing the putrid, xenophobic and poorly-disguised-racist bile that falls out of Nick Griffin’s mouth as much as the next guy. I could even see some merit in the argument that to give them a platform is to help promote them, that to put them on the same stage as Lib Dem, Labour and Tory MPs legitimizes them.

Those would be very valid points. Except, of course, when you take into account the fact that a combination of the BNP themselves and the electorate did all the legitimizing for them back in June. Like it or not (and I despise the very thought of it,) the British National Party now have two (European) Parliamentarians in Nick Griffin and Andrew Brons. UKIP and the Green Party, who also have MEPs but no MPs, have been invited to appear on BBC Question in the past. To deny this to the BNP would clearly be bias on the part of the BBC – a body which is legally bound to impartiality.

As for the merit of this decision, I’m a strong believer in the futility of prohibition. Whether it be alcohol, drugs or extremist views. Keeping them quiet just stops us from being able to hear what they’re up to. Some people will be racist. Some people will talk to each other, propagating their racist views. I’d much rather they did that in a forum where those of us who disagree with them can openly criticize them than in a secret meeting somewhere recruiting new members to their fascist regime without anyone giving these potential inductees the reasoned side of the argument.

If ever evidence against ‘No Platform’ was needed look at last June, as a result of the political and broadcasting institutions not engaging them in debate and flattening their ‘arguments’, the electorate we left bereft of the counter-arguments and elected two of these bigots to the European parliament.

All this aside, though, what surprises me more is the suggestion by Hammersmith and Fulham LBC recently that the BBC should be asked to pay for the policing costs. This is because there is expected to be large-scale protests outside the television studios against Mr Griffin’s invitation. If this is the case, then they should also be asked to pay the policing costs for every other elected official who appears on the show. I have no doubt there have been many protests outside BBC television centre over the years about unpopular politicians’ presence – this one should shoulder the BBC with no further responsibility for covering the cost.

So finally, I say to the protesters who will be outside the studio next week: by all means protest – it’s your right. You and I both disagree vehemently with the BNP and their racist aims and peaceful demonstration is one of the most powerful tools we have in voicing our disagreement. But please don’t make it a protest about Griffin’s inclusion, make it a protest about Griffin himself. For better or worse, like it or lump it, he’s an MEP now. The best thing we can do is prove him and his policies wrong at every possible opportunity and make sure we don’t return him to the European Parliament in 5 years time.