Question time

[DeludedGuy]

Awful show, pointless, nothing new was brought to light, the BNP surely didn’t lose any voters, it didn’t gain any new ones either, I hope.
Jack Straw was awful, the baroness was surprisingly good, but failed to reply to Mr Griffins remarks of Islam treating women with no respect.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

The Key moment for me was when Straw was directly asked by a gentleman if the rise of the BNP was attributed to the immigration plicies of the Labour government - in his response Straw may as well have given his view on the Brazilian grand Prix - complete deflection of the question and the pivotal moment of the whole show, that Mr Straw is why the BNP have 2 MEPS and Nick Griffin is seated to your left.

The BNP bunch and their predecessors have been against the immigration policies of all UK governments for the last couple of decades and of cause in a recession it is easy to blame soft targets. When the last recession happened in the 1970s the NF had increased popularity too. If anything again you should look at the rise of NSDAP in Germany. There is nothing new here. It has happened around the world several times in the last 100 years!

[Skii]

The BNP bunch and their predecessors have been against the immigration policies of all UK governments for the last couple of decades and of cause in a recession it is easy to blame soft targets.

All true, but this government has allowed it to go unchecked to such a degree that we now have a sizeable increase in the UK population, people who would have traditionally voted Labour are angry because they are having to compete for social housing, benefit, employment, etc, and they feel they are losing out. This is causing a large amount of resentment particularly at a government that is continuing to allow the issue to exacerbate and not listeneing to anyone. This is where the BNP support comes from, and it will contunue until a government makes a stand on the issue. Pelting Nick Griffin with rotten veg isn't going to make the problem go away.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I think most of the recent large scale immigration has been from countries within the EU AFAIK. If these people pay taxes then I think they should have the same rights as everyone else TBH. I can fully understand the resentment if they are not though. There are hundreds of thousands of UK citizens living in Spain too so I think everyone needs to be more considered in their approach about this. If we start chucking out people who legally working here other countries will do the same for our citizens who live abroad and have made a good life for themselves!!

[Skii]

I think most of the recent large scale immigration has been from countries within the EU AFAIK. If these people pay taxes then I think they should have the same rights as everyone else TBH. I can fully understand the resentment if they are not though. There are hundreds of thousands of UK citizens living in Spain too so I think everyone needs to be more considered in their approach about this. If we start chucking out people who legally working here other countries will do the same for our citizens who live abroad and have made a good life for themselves!!

Fully agree with that

[manwithnoname]

I didn't watch Question time, but I did see the news earlier in the day, I'm not sure which MP it was but they were says that the BBC were wrong to have Mr Griffin on the show - why should the BBC be judging the freedom of speech laws, if that MP does want members of the BNP party on Question time then they should pass a law to explicitly state that the BNP cannot appear on question time.

[AledJ]

I didn't watch Question time, but I did see the news earlier in the day, I'm not sure which MP it was but they were says that the BBC were wrong to have Mr Griffin on the show - why should the BBC be judging the freedom of speech laws, if that MP does want members of the BNP party on Question time then they should pass a law to explicitly state that the BNP cannot appear on question time.

It may have been Peter Hain- he was arguing that the BNP is an illegal party due to its constitution and rules on who can be a member.


What ruined QT for me was the lack of question about the BNP's other policies!! Now I know they have no other policy other than there vile views on race!!! However, had question been asked about their education, defence, economic, and health care policies I believe it would have been an own goal for the BNP.

[Terbinator]

You can't deny that Jacks Straws projected figures for immigrants coming from 'home' countries was lolable, it does give the BNP some credit - whether they deserve that is up to you. As iv'e mentioned what i didn't like was the constant mongering of one person/group when most people don't know fudge all and are and i agree David Dimbleby was playing a new fag part.

BBC bias. Rightly so i think you'll agree.

[nichomach]

I'm struggling to see where it's a bad thing to be biased against a racist homophobic anti-semitic mendacious piece of slime like Griffin. Or, to put it another way, if one is "biased" against racism, homophobia, anti-semitism and mendacity (amongst other things) then a perceived "bias" against scum like Griffin is surely a natural, indeed ineluctable, consequence? As Sky put it:

Sky's chief political correspondent Jon Craig said: "It was a propaganda victory, certainly.

"But more likely a propaganda victory for the organisation that staged this TV debate rather than for the BNP leader, Nick Griffin.

"Griffin was exposed on Question Time as a nasty piece of work, with unpleasant views on race, immigration, Islam, homosexuality and Winston Churchill."

[dangel]

I'm struggling to see where it's a bad thing to be biased against a racist homophobic anti-semitic mendacious piece of slime like Griffin. Or, to put it another way, if one is "biased" against racism, homophobia, anti-semitism and mendacity (amongst other things) then a perceived "bias" against scum like Griffin is surely a natural, indeed ineluctable, consequence? As Sky put it:

I quite agree - what next, the British Peodophile Party?

[nichomach]

Complete with creepy election broadcast...?

[Blitzen]

The reason Nick Griffin managed to get on the show is because, like or not, he was elected into a sphere that allows him to air his, and his 'parties' opinion in public.

If a cleric from a Muslim section of the public was voted in and allowed on the show, and decided to spout on about Muslim laws in the UK were good and need to be implemented straight away, or had other views that conflicted with the majority, would they be treated in the same way? No!
It wouldn't be seen as PC and we would all pander to it.

The audience really did not, in any way, shape or form, show representation of the British public either and this all to the 'staged' effect of how the program came across. Although he did a good job of making himself look foolish, Griffin had no chance from the off anyway.

Remember also that although Griffin deflected alot of questions, and back himself up many times, this is nothing different to what your average tory or labour politician would do.
The man, although loathsome, is actually more politically known that Clegg. It must say something.
He does speak out for what many indigenous UK people think and that must be supported, if only to make himself look more and more intolerable and to lose what little credibility he has.

(and no i don't support the BNP. I do however support the fact that he is allowed to speak openly about his views)

[Terbinator]

My point was that the whole programme revolved around the race issue and thats all people wanted to do/hear - why? they already think they know everything about the BNP and/or Nick Griffin. i would of much preffered a proper debate like usual QT.

[shaithis]

Apart from the content of what he said, he acted - and reacted - the same as every other MP I have seen on such programs.....they are all slimey, lying, toerags.

The only reason he got an MEP seat is due to how many people are sick of the immigration situation in this country......the other parties need to take a better look at it, because in this day-and-age if someone like Nick Griffin can get into the position he now holds, it speaks volumes.

[dangel]

it speaks volumes.

For apathy, sure.

And why not? Certainly the past decade has done nothing to improve politics in the eyes of the average voter.

[Revilgo]

Since immigration is often cited as the reason for the BNP's rise, here's my penny's worth.

Any government/nation state is often no different from a giant organised protection racket of give and take arrangement between those with political power and the masses, be it taxation in return for services or votes in return for benefits. It breaks down when this relationship for whatever reasons cannot be sustained. Governments resort to immigration simply because the new arrivals represent a new source of taxable activities, particularly when the local population consumes more than what they contribute to the common pot, consequent of political promises/delivery of services for votes.

Having done volunteer charity work in some sink estates, my experience is that it is often the new immigrants, irrespective of race or ethnicity, who are not only more appreciative of the help they get and are therefore also more likely to get help, but are also the ones who are eager to persist with the opportunities presented to them with a much better work ethic and attitude. In other words, for many reasons they are simply hungrier for work and success than many who are born in this country who too often have become indolent on social benefits and unfounded pride. As the more religious would say, "God help those who help themselves".