The BNP's Nick Griffin on Question Time, what are your thoughts?

[overmydeadbody]

link here

Gosh, no one?

I am quite interested to hear what he will have to say for himself, but am in two minds about whether it is a good idea, what with all publicity being good publicity and all.

of course it's a good idea...he has just as much right to be heard as anyone else...he is the leader of a legit political party..

I think it is right and proper that he should be on.

Whatever we feel about him personally (and I loathe everything he stands for) he is entitled to the chance to give his opinions.

All publicity isn't always good- think Gerald Rather, Leslie Grantham.....

Anyway I can hardly scream about his approach to society if I then try and deny him his rights can I? Hypocrisy is not pretty.

He should be on. Once you try and silence people then their ideas gain a weird romance- as if they are bravely fighting the establishment. I would like to see him on question time so that some bright panelists and audience members can kick the proverbial shit out of him.

I think it's a good idea and I'm looking forward to watching it - should be interesting

As others have said I believe that by banning stuff like this it only makes it seem more martyred and takes on a romantic edge. By bringing it out into the open and encouraging debate over it people can see it for what it is.

Exaclty pagwatch. Silencing him would give it more of a romance wouldn't it?

lol at Nick Griffin having a romantic edge....

I'm looking forward to it too - he's not going to be given an easy ride.

However the BNP have very conveniently started toning down their manifesto in the weeks building up to the QT appearance - opening the doors to ethnic minority membership etc.

they had to let in "non whites"....they were taken to court..

NG will do ok...he went to Cambridge...

yep, let him say his piece.

They are taking in non whites because they were told to. Although am sure that he will try to hold that up as proof that he is not a racist.

He scares me. The only thing worse than a fascist is a clever fascist.

I do hope people will take him to task on the BNP's notion of separate 'cultures'. They have hijacked debates on multiculturalism to argue for 'white' or 'English' cultural rights.

Fecking odious.

Nancy - sadly I think you're wrong and he will get an easy ride because of the lightweights they have on with him.

when is this due to be broadcast?
it's going to be compelling tv.

It's on Thursday BBC1, after the 10pm news.
It is right that he should appear, and hopefully someone will point out how idiotic it is to argue for the "indigenous Caucasian" population of Britain; British people are all descended from all over the place, what a nonsense.

it's Thursday I think.

Hilarious that they've now been made to open their doors to non whites - i bet black, asian and Jewish people are queuing round the block to join the BNP!!

As I understand it Question Time is a programme where people with an interesting and hopefully illuminating perspective can be INVITED, according to editorial decisions, to give answers on a wide range of subjects. God knows which idiot (perhaps the person responsible for RATINGS???) thought that NG would have interesting views, but now that they have invited him, I don't see that he can be 'banned'. I don't think he should be 'banned' from speaking on TV, I just don't think they needed to have invited him. Newsnight isn't a party political broadcast - there is no more obligation, presumably, to invite him as a guest, than anyone else.

i think they should have him on. He will soon show himself up. They are a bunch of absolute cement heads most with form as long as your arm. Just give them enogh rope...

Let him on, otherwise the BNP supporters will be whining about censorship. Let's expose him and his party for what they are - a bunch of thugs.

There was an interesting article in our local free paper. We have a BNP councillor, and the local paper ran a story about how little he had accomplished. The following week, some BNP heavies visited local companies which advertise in the News Shopper and told them to cease advertising there, or they would lose business.

They have also tried this tactic with the Manchester Evening News. Intimidating small local businesses is hardly on message, but their supporters are not the sharpest knives in the drawer.

I think that they should be allowed to go on, they are a legitimate political party and they should be heard. Like others have said I think that silencing them gives them a certain underdog appeal. I'm also a firm believer in free speech, I do not agree with what they say but I support their right to say it.

Personally my opinion is that they really don't want to go on it. Nick Griffin is an idiot and their arguments don't really hold any water what so ever once exposed to the light of questioning.

Their best hope is that they get banned from appearing, that way they get lots of publicity and don't actually have to face up to some tough questions.

Now that it appears that they're not going to be banned they seem to be insulting the other guests in the hope that that will get them banned.

If that fails I wouldn't be surprised to see them try and egg on some anti-fascist backlash that either disrupts the show or prevents them for appearing for security reasons.

They can then play the "help I'm being oppressed card" and avoid the embarrassing and revealing questions.

For the record I'd also like to make clear that I believe the BNP to be a bunch of f**k headed numpties whose nastiness and spite are in inverse proportion to their intelligence.

That was quite strong.

But my Grandparent's generation died fighting their sort, I'm ashamed that certain people forget that so quickly.

BP;

Nick Griffin is not trying to take over the world...

unfortunately...some people feel very let down by this government, they feel like strangers in their own country....they feel the BNP are the only ones listening to them......

Mad I used to work at the 'Shopper - great local newspaper. Never a dull moment

BadgersPaws - interesting - you may well be right - about their realisation that NG will not hold up well, and about the anti-fascist backlash scoring an own goal.

It's a good job that Nick Griffin isn't trying to take over the world, who would he blame for it's problem then? Martians? That would be an expensive repatriation program, and about as effective as the BNPs current plans.

Yes there are problems and yes people do feel let down, which in part is why I think that the BNP should be heard in a public forum, no matter how vile and ignorant they may be.

The tale about the BNP thugs threatening advertisers of a local Newspaper speaks volumes about both their grasp of the meaning of "Free Speech" (both words have one syllable, the thugs should be able to pronounce them) and the party's true natural tendencies.

So bring them into the light and let's expose them for the lying, petty, thuggish scuttering insects that they are (apologies to insects there).

If people still feel like the BNP are the only ones listening, well that's democracy and I hope that they are listening to the rustling noises that will be our ancestors turning in their graves.

let hi, talk and I don't think the panellists are light weight although I dislike Jack Straw and he is pretty awful at making any kind of coherent argument

I expect Griffin will just look like an arse to most people and like ah ero to his followers