I do not disagree with the BBC’s decision to invite Nick Griffin of the British National Party onto Question Time tonight.
I can see why they are protesting outside the corporation’s headquarters. I can understand the fear of granting publicity to, or tacitly legitimising, policies which are at best morally repugnant and at worst downright illegal. But this is how I look at it:
People who might be tempted to vote for the BNP aren’t going to be the sort of people who sit behind a desk skiving of a Friday afternoon, skimming through hand-wringing Guardian blogs. They’ll get their information from the glossy flyers that pop through their doors in the run-up to an election, masking the party’s racist polemic in nicely-worded policies of “democracy” and “identity” and “patriotism”. They’ll speak to door-to-door canvassers, who will prey on local fears of unemployment and crime and economic uncertainty; who’ll tell them that the BNP aren’t the “bad guys” the media portray them as, that they are unfairly denied access to nationally-funded unpoliticised communications channels.
No, the best way to expose Nick Griffin for the hate-filled, racist bigot that he is is to let him hang himself with his own words in front of an audience of millions. And I’ll be tuning in tonight, hoping that somebody in the studio has the guts to make sure he does it.
10 Things You Should Know About the BNP [The Independent]
Nick Griffin Question Time drinking game [Army of Dave]
Couldn’t agree more.
I agree that he shouldn’t be banned from appearing on TV, because I think if that were to happen, it’d make it easy for them to act as martyrs about it, and push leaflets through people’s doors saying, “We’re not allowed on the BBC! We’re just telling the truth, what everyone’s thinking, but we’re not allowed to say it! Isn’t this shocking?”
But I don’t think Griffin should have been invited to appear on Question Time. I’d much rather see him interviewed one on one by Jon Snow, or Paxman, and properly held to account. With a live studio audience, I’m worried that people will let their anger spill over and Griffin will stay calm, cool and collected, making him seem plausible and electable. And they don’t have enough time on Question Time to address all the points and do it properly.
I don’t think he will hang himself with his own words tonight, he’s too clever for that. He’s had plenty of time to prepare his responses, conceal his vile beliefs and seem perfectly reasonable. I’m worried about it. I’m still going to watch it, though.
Sorry, Lis, I think I might have said all that to you already before!
Worth saying again though on this forum! Because I’m as worried about how well-prepared he will be. Of course, now it looks from Twitter as if it might not even go ahead at all because of the protests…
I agree – whilst I totally sympathise with the Hope not Hate protesters, I don’t agree that he should be banned. There is always the hope that he’ll say something that reveals the true policies of the BNP.
But even if that does happen, how many of these disillusioned, non-Guardian reading, potential BNP voters will be watching?
As much as it pains me to say it, Nick Griffin is a shrewd politician and I think it’ll be unlikely that he’ll undermine his cause tonight – he wouldn’t have accepted the panel position if he didn’t think he could handle the questions which’ll be put to him.
But, as ever, I live in hope.