Egg on the face of the BNP

The word 'disdain' has featured in both of my previous entries. But I fear that mere 'disdain' is neither sufficient nor expletive enough when describing my feelings (and I hope everyone else's feelings) towards the British National Party. These apes in suits continuously refute the claim that they're racist, whilst simultaneously claiming that there's 'No such thing as a Black Briton', refusing the right for different races to create families and repatriating all ethnic minorities, regardless of if they were born in Britain or not. These are Nazi policies. Nick Griffin (BNP Leader) was quoted as saying that 'Adolf went a bit too far'. A bit too far!? He is said to covet 'Mein Kampf' and the principles of Hitler, his only qualm with Hitler being that his legacy harms the image of the BNP in modern day UK.

They are a horribly confused, horribly disillusioned and horribly wrong party who's own integral slogan is even contradictory. 'British jobs for British Workers'. They claim that immigrants are taking 'our' jobs, whilst at the same time claiming that immigrants are claiming 'our' benefits. How can they both dominate our jobs and our benefits? Something doesn't add up. In truth, only 2% of immigrants claim on benefits.

But despite these facts, the recent European elections mean that the BNP now have 2 seats in the EU. In Barnsley I think, the percentage BNP got was around 25%. A massive blow for major parties, particularly Labour, and I think a massive blow for democracy in the UK. I admit people must be angry with Labour, the Presidential style of Prime Minister that we have in the UK has caused a section of Brown's cabinet to flee like rats from a sinking ship. But why would people vote BNP over Labour. How can Labour's policy be so flawed, that the electorate are ready to vote racist and undemocratic, than for a party that has legitimate, equal policies that ensure democracy in the UK. Or any of the main parties for that matter. It defies me.

Have you ever actually met a BNP member? Chances are you haven't. They sneak around our schools, our banks, our hospitals (if they're very sneaky) like dementors from Harry Potter. They're weak and irrelevant until Lord Voldermort comes to power, and in this case Voldermort is Nick Griffin himself (got to love Harry Potter analogies!). It seems that despite the 6% or so that voted BNP, there's a large level of embarrassment at being 'BNP'. There's a reason that the leaked list of BNP members caused so much scandal as there's a reason they're not allowed in our Police force; because racism is based on nothing more than irrational hatred and prejudice. How can you build a party around that.

But the something to keep in mind is that the large majority of the UK have the sense to realise that it's wrong. The reality is that the BNP have a minute chance of coming to power. People only turn to extremist parties in extreme situations, for example WWII. An extreme situation like WWII in modern diplomacy is unlikely and as such the BNP within the Westminster system are irrelevant. They find it almost impossible to win a seat with the First Past the Post system, and thus will have little to no power and should be stuck in a corner and left to rant their little lungs out. The main worry is with a hung government. FPTP has a positive of almost always creating a strong single party government. However, if a more Proportional electoral system is introduced and there was a situation in which parties had to make coalitions to rule the House of Commons, then the BNP could become a very powerful party indeed. They could agree to voting with say Labour, if Labour agreed to integrate some BNP policies into their own. If the BNP did gain some seats in the Commons then that is a major worry.

But I think we can rely on a fair amount of common sense and a large majority of BNP haters to keep them at a relatively safe distance (if there's such a thing). Democracy and political freedom is important, so we can't rule out the BNP as a political party. But a legitimate party must be based on something more than prejudice, surely? The BNP's policies come as a product of their racist motives and that can't be right, policies must be for the people, not a product of the people. 

So I think we can count on many more people to throw eggs at the face of the BNP in the future.