Official Nicky G on QT thread...

typically good response there Oliver. I disagree slightly about the bit about whether he should have had a platform or not. The fact that they have elected representatives despite their reprehensible views means that they would have made the argument again and again to appear and I think denying them a place on QT would be unsustainable after a while and plays up to their "victim" status. In the end it is probably 6 of one and half a dozen of the other. They are on the political landscape, they have been elected and thats just something the people of the UK have to deal with and our politicians and media respond to.

Thanks. I agree they have to be dealt with. I just don't think QT or similar programmes are the right platform. The BNP currently only have a foothold in certain councils and in the European Parliament. A concerted campaign for a higher turnout in the European elections, and indeed action in addressing people's reasons for voting BNP in those councils, would deal with it better. You should certainly have an informed debate in public, but it has to be the right public. Large areas of the country are completely unconcerned with the BNP and now have heard of them and of Griffin. There was no need for that. Experience has shown that if you largely deprive such parties of publicity, then all their underground organising and trying to influence people at the local level will not translate into political longevity, which is what they crave. (They need money first and foremost.)

I hope the response is to try to bridge the disconnect between the public and our mainstream politicians who aren't all evil baby eaters, even if they are often flawed. Sadly it looks like the media response is to follow Griffin about and jump on anything contraversial/disgusting that he inevitably says giving him more publicity than he deserves. It would be so much better if we could just say that was last night's TV and move on to something new and more important than the rancid whitterings of some sad MEP.
I agree.