Straw joins debate alongside BNP

[Scorpion89]

BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Straw joins debate alongside BNP

Justice Secretary Jack Straw has said he has agreed to take part in a debate alongside the British National Party on the BBC's Question Time programme.

Speaking on the Politics Show in the North West, Mr Straw said he would join a panel which will include BNP leader Nick Griffin, the Tories and Lib Dems.

He said the BNP were defeated when Labour "fought them hard".

Labour does not share a platform with the party normally but said it would take on the its "disgusting politics".

Very interesting I see as usual the Labour are being idiots in this. If you wish to prove how much the BNP is or isn't a race party wouldn't you take part in any debate you can engage them in. Especially on the largest and most watch political show in England or is the Labour Party cowards. At least the Tories and Lib Dems have no problem with taking the BNP on and Labour wonders why they keep lossing.

 

[Laila]

Can't wait for this Question Time. Two weeks from now.

Me thinks Nick is going to get a unsympathetic audience.

 

[Scorpion89]

Can't wait for this Question Time. Two weeks from now.

Me thinks Nick is going to get a unsympathetic audience.

He may or may not it depends on how well he sounda and does plus really Labour needs to come out swigging in this one. The Tories have the upper hand on any debate with the BNP because they are one of the few groups who have engaged them in debate from the get go.

I will agree it shall be fun to watch.

 

[Laila]

He may or may not it depends on how well he sounda and does plus really Labour needs to come out swigging in this one. The Tories have the upper hand on any debate with the BNP because they are one of the few groups who have engaged them in debate from the get go.

I will agree it shall be fun to watch.

BNP rarely get a sympathetic hearing but the people i feel most sorry are for his poor constituents. Imagine being a ethnic minority and having Nick representing you, how are people meant to approach him.

Ian Hislop is due to be on as well! So it will be entertaining this season.
Labour made a mistake of talking up BNP and shying away from debate. Nice to see common sense has arrived.

 

[DeeJayH]

pffft

thought this was about the Bare Knuckled Pundit

 

[Red_Dave]

BNP rarely get a sympathetic hearing but the people i feel most sorry are for his poor constituents. Imagine being a ethnic minority and having Nick representing you, how are people meant to approach him.

Ian Hislop is due to be on as well! So it will be entertaining this season.
Labour made a mistake of talking up BNP and shying away from debate. Nice to see common sense has arrived.

It could only be better if Ian Hislop and Nick Griffin were on at the same time, he,ld be eaten alive:mrgreen:. I,ve been hoping for something like this to happen for ages, all thats needed to remove the BNPs (somewhat flimsy) facade of respectability is a bit of public scrutiny. Shame I wont be in the country to see it

 

[Laila]

It could only be better if Ian Hislop and Nick Griffin were on at the same time, he,ld be eaten alive:mrgreen:. I,ve been hoping for something like this to happen for ages, all thats needed to remove the BNPs (somewhat flimsy) facade of respectability is a bit of public scrutiny. Shame I wont be in the country to see it

No worries, i'm sure it will be on the ondemand or previous episodes page ... or youtube =P

I thought they were going to be together
It makes sense Nick goes on when they host in Manchester seeing up North is where his constituents lies and we already know Hislop will be on Manchester one as David already stated it on the show.

 

[Scorpion89]

I don't think it would be a good idea to have Ian on with Nick yes he would roast Nick but that would/could fall into the whole BNP of see were being attack for are beliefs with out given a real chance to explain are positions.

With mr. Frost on this should be more then enogh to destroy Nick along with who every Tories put on the show. I still can't beleive that Labour is still whinning about the fact that the BBC is allowing Nick to be on.

 

[Slainte]

It could only be better if Ian Hislop and Nick Griffin were on at the same time, he,ld be eaten alive:mrgreen:. I,ve been hoping for something like this to happen for ages, all thats needed to remove the BNPs (somewhat flimsy) facade of respectability is a bit of public scrutiny. Shame I wont be in the country to see it

This will not happen. Nick Griffin is a perfectly capable orator. In a format like question time he will make populist points about the EU, immigration and Islam, these will be met with raucous cheers by some and angry booing by others. No serious debate will occur as the other panelists will be just as keen to make their own populist points, in the other direction. In the end people will leave with their own opinions further entrenched and the BNP will have even more publicity.

The BBC are supposed to be acting in the public interest, dragging political debate down to the level is a million miles from that. What next, have a showdown between Griffin and that one armed Abu Hamsa fellow? If the idea is to "give everyone a voice", why not?

 

[Red_Dave]

This will not happen. Nick Griffin is a perfectly capable orator. In a format like question time he will make populist points about the EU, immigration and Islam, these will be met with raucous cheers by some and angry booing by others. No serious debate will occur as the other panelists will be just as keen to make their own populist points, in the other direction. In the end people will leave with their own opinions further entrenched and the BNP will have even more publicity.

The BBC are supposed to be acting in the public interest, dragging political debate down to the level is a million miles from that. What next, have a showdown between Griffin and that one armed Abu Hamsa fellow? If the idea is to "give everyone a voice", why not?

I think just asking him about his involvement in the national front, his parties links with violent gangs/individuals, and the record of some of his councillors would be a step in the right direction given that most of those voting for the BNP dont actually know about these things. Most BNP voters are causual racists/xenophobes or just people who vote spitefully and wouldnt be confortable voting for a traditional facist party if the BNP marketed itself as such. This is why it pretends to be respectable.

One such example is the way Nick Griffin claimed in his post-election speach that the BNP had not problem with imigrants as long as they came "to work and contribute" Anyone who has the faintest idea about the history of the party knows this is an outright lie but many people dont know this because the BNP is never placed under scrutiny.

I think surpressing the BNP just allows them to carry on with this silenced majority/politcal correctness eroding our civil liberties, crap.

 

[Slainte]

I think just asking him about his involvement in the national front, his parties links with violent gangs/individuals, and the record of some of his councillors would be a step in the right direction given that most of those voting for the BNP dont actually know about these things.

But he isn't actually going to answer any questions like this, he will likely just ignore everything said about him and his positions and go on to describe his policies in his own words, which he can actually do well enough. To be fair, that is more or less what every politician does, except, normally, their policies don't involve thinly veiled bigotry.

Most BNP voters are causual racists/xenophobes or just people who vote spitefully and wouldnt be confortable voting for a traditional facist party if the BNP marketed itself as such. This is why it pretends to be respectable.

And this is a great opportunity to increase their respectability! Whatever happens the BNP are going to use an appearance on the nations number one debate programme to claim they are now in the mainstream.

One such example is the way Nick Griffin claimed in his post-election speach that the BNP had not problem with imigrants as long as they came "to work and contribute" Anyone who has the faintest idea about the history of the party knows this is an outright lie but many people dont know this because the BNP is never placed under scrutiny.

But if Griffin denies this no one is going to prove he is a liar in their 30 second or so time limit, especially as they are going to be more concerned with getting their personal message across.

I think surpressing the BNP just allows them to carry on with this silenced majority/politcal correctness eroding our civil liberties, crap.

This is much less of a vote winner than their anti-EU, anti-immigration, anti-muslim stances.

 

[Red_Dave]

But he isn't actually going to answer any questions like this, he will likely just ignore everything said about him and his positions and go on to describe his policies in his own words, which he can actually do well enough. To be fair, that is more or less what every politician does, except, normally, their policies don't involve thinly veiled bigotry.



And this is a great opportunity to increase their respectability! Whatever happens the BNP are going to use an appearance on the nations number one debate programme to claim they are now in the mainstream.



But if Griffin denies this no one is going to prove he is a liar in their 30 second or so time limit, especially as they are going to be more concerned with getting their personal message across.


This is much less of a vote winner than their anti-EU, anti-immigration, anti-muslim stances.

Sure but if he refuses to answer the questions this will demonstrate the kind of slimey individual he is. Look at how Micheal Howard never managed to live down being asked the same question 16 times by Jeremey Paxman. The BNP loves to portray it self as not being like other politicians but it will be exposed as being even more hypercritical then the other parties.

I expect its more likely he,ll be owned in a similar fashion to this.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EajKlwB30L0"]YouTube - Ian Hislop on Question Time 18th Sep 2008[/ame]

 

[mikhail]

Well bravo Jack Straw.The only way to take these scumbags down is to have them forced to debate so people can listen.Only problem is Nick griffin is smart enough to no what not to say get some of the regular members to speak they will be destroyed.

 

[Scorpion89]

Well bravo Jack Straw.The only way to take these scumbags down is to have them forced to debate so people can listen.Only problem is Nick griffin is smart enough to no what not to say get some of the regular members to speak they will be destroyed.

Very true one thing you can say about Nick is he knows how to debate and whne to turn the screws on others. The thing is this if labour come's out and starts attacking them for their Racist stuff then it will give BPN what they want.

What they need to do is bring someone in who usually doesn't ask question or better yet open it up to the audiance.