BBC stands by Nick Griffin (BNP) invitation to Question Time
Discussion
I should hope so too.
News article said:
The BBC has rejected a call from Cabinet minister Peter Hain to drop British National Party leader Nick Griffin from the panel on BBC1's Question Time this Thursday.
Mr Hain, a long-standing campaigner against apartheid, has written to BBC director general Mark Thompson warning he could face legal action if he allows Mr Griffin to take part in the flagship political show.
The Welsh Secretary argued that the BNP was currently "an unlawful body" after the party told a court last week it would amend its whites-only membership rules to meet discrimination legislation.
In a letter to Mr Hain, Mr Thompson responded: "According to the advice we have received, the British National Party is not prevented from continuing to operate on a day-to-day basis and its elected representatives continue to sit on councils and in the European Parliament.
"It remains the BBC's obligation to scrutinise and hold to account all elected representatives and to do so with due impartiality. We are also advised that if there were to be any election - local or national - tomorrow, the BNP would still be able to field candidates.
"We therefore do not agree that the developments in the Central London County Court proceedings legally inhibit the BBC from allowing Nick Griffin to participate on the Question Time programme and our position remains as set out."
Mr Griffin is due to appear on Thursday's edition of Question Time alongside Justice Secretary Jack Straw, representatives of the other main parties and black writer Bonnie Greer.
But in his letter, Mr Hain said that the invitation to the BNP leader should be suspended until he is able to agree a new constitution with his party that meets the requirements of anti-discrimination laws.
"If you do not review the decision you may run the very serious risk of legal challenge in addition to the moral objections that I make," he warned.
Anti-fascist campaigners plan to stage a protest against Mr Griffin's presence on the show at the BBC's Television Centre in west London when it is filmed on Thursday.
Mr Hain, a long-standing campaigner against apartheid, has written to BBC director general Mark Thompson warning he could face legal action if he allows Mr Griffin to take part in the flagship political show.
The Welsh Secretary argued that the BNP was currently "an unlawful body" after the party told a court last week it would amend its whites-only membership rules to meet discrimination legislation.
In a letter to Mr Hain, Mr Thompson responded: "According to the advice we have received, the British National Party is not prevented from continuing to operate on a day-to-day basis and its elected representatives continue to sit on councils and in the European Parliament.
"It remains the BBC's obligation to scrutinise and hold to account all elected representatives and to do so with due impartiality. We are also advised that if there were to be any election - local or national - tomorrow, the BNP would still be able to field candidates.
"We therefore do not agree that the developments in the Central London County Court proceedings legally inhibit the BBC from allowing Nick Griffin to participate on the Question Time programme and our position remains as set out."
Mr Griffin is due to appear on Thursday's edition of Question Time alongside Justice Secretary Jack Straw, representatives of the other main parties and black writer Bonnie Greer.
But in his letter, Mr Hain said that the invitation to the BNP leader should be suspended until he is able to agree a new constitution with his party that meets the requirements of anti-discrimination laws.
"If you do not review the decision you may run the very serious risk of legal challenge in addition to the moral objections that I make," he warned.
Anti-fascist campaigners plan to stage a protest against Mr Griffin's presence on the show at the BBC's Television Centre in west London when it is filmed on Thursday.
As they should.
Had the BBC bottled this they'd have lost all credibility and respect (with me at least)
They have resisted the thiny veiled gagging attempt by the government.
I think the BNP are nasty scum. Their supporters are either other nasty scum, or easily led billy-no-mates with an inability to think for themselves.
For precisely that reason I want the BNP to be subject to public scrutiny via a forum like Question Time.
Let's grill the feckers and see what lies beneath their single policy.
Had the BBC bottled this they'd have lost all credibility and respect (with me at least)
They have resisted the thiny veiled gagging attempt by the government.
I think the BNP are nasty scum. Their supporters are either other nasty scum, or easily led billy-no-mates with an inability to think for themselves.
For precisely that reason I want the BNP to be subject to public scrutiny via a forum like Question Time.
Let's grill the feckers and see what lies beneath their single policy.
Edited by Disco_Dale on Tuesday 20th October 01:23
It could be risky, it isnt going to be hard for Griffin to make the current government look dreadful, theyve done a pretty good job themselves afterall! Griffin knows his audience, theyre the folk who wont give a crap about the niceties of political correctness. I have a feeling that all the other debators will come down on him like a tonne of bricks, belittleing him and Griffin will spin it so that it looks like an attack on what his voters and those considering voting BNP think in the backs of their minds.
Im not convinced anyone in Labour has good enough skills to out debate him here. They may win the actual debate but Griffin doesnt care about that, he wants to appeal to those guys in a pub quietly b
hing about their jobs being taken. If he loses a debate to a "ponce" as theyll see it they wont care, thats just the establishment who let "them into our country in the frst place" shouting him down.
They need to get Hague on there, he'll shut him and his rascist little party of thugs and criminals down pretty darn quickly.
Im not convinced anyone in Labour has good enough skills to out debate him here. They may win the actual debate but Griffin doesnt care about that, he wants to appeal to those guys in a pub quietly b
hing about their jobs being taken. If he loses a debate to a "ponce" as theyll see it they wont care, thats just the establishment who let "them into our country in the frst place" shouting him down. They need to get Hague on there, he'll shut him and his rascist little party of thugs and criminals down pretty darn quickly.
deevlash said:
Im not convinced anyone in Labour has good enough skills to out debate him here.
Tony Benn would tear him to shreds. Not exactly a New Labour man though.deevlash said:
They need to get Hague on there, he'll shut him and his rascist little party of thugs and criminals down pretty darn quickly.
I'm not a big fan of Hauge, but I agree he'd slap Griffin into next week.Disco_Dale said:
deevlash said:
Im not convinced anyone in Labour has good enough skills to out debate him here.
Tony Benn would tear him to shreds. Not exactly a New Labour man though.deevlash said:
They need to get Hague on there, he'll shut him and his rascist little party of thugs and criminals down pretty darn quickly.
I'm not a big fan of Hauge, but I agree he'd slap Griffin into next week.colonel c said:
Chances are he will make a tt of himself without the help of any of the other panellists.
That's up to griffin, and not the folks who don't want him to have his say. The more they try to do this sort of thing, the more they will turn Griffin and his ilk into 'heroes'.t of himself without the help of any of the other panellists.6655321 said:
colonel c said:
Chances are he will make a tt of himself without the help of any of the other panellists.
That's up to griffin, and not the folks who don't want him to have his say. The more they try to do this sort of thing, the more they will turn Griffin and his ilk into 'heroes'.t of himself without the help of any of the other panellists.
6655321 said:
How the hell can a member of the British parliament demand that another political party be allowed on a political program. It is utterly disgusting, and surely the guy must know how petulant he is looking?
This is indicitive of the arrogance and contempt that Labour have of anyone who doesn't agree with them.6655321 said:
How the hell can a member of the British parliament demand that another political party be allowed on a political program. It is utterly disgusting, and surely the guy must know how petulant he is looking?
If I read the article properly he suggested it is 'unlawful' to have them on the program.. what law has the BBC broken ?scorp said:
6655321 said:
How the hell can a member of the British parliament demand that another political party be allowed on a political program. It is utterly disgusting, and surely the guy must know how petulant he is looking?
If I read the article properly he suggested it is 'unlawful' to have them on the program.. what law has the BBC broken ?So the point raised is that at the moment the BNP is an unlawful party, so should the BBC be giving a platform to an illegal party.
(Not saying I agree, that's just my understanding of the situation. I would love Nick Griffin and his nasty little ideas to be ripped to pieces by some proper heavy weight politicians)
fadeaway said:
scorp said:
6655321 said:
How the hell can a member of the British parliament demand that another political party be allowed on a political program. It is utterly disgusting, and surely the guy must know how petulant he is looking?
If I read the article properly he suggested it is 'unlawful' to have them on the program.. what law has the BBC broken ?So the point raised is that at the moment the BNP is an unlawful party, so should the BBC be giving a platform to an illegal party.
(Not saying I agree, that's just my understanding of the situation. I would love Nick Griffin and his nasty little ideas to be ripped to pieces by some proper heavy weight politicians)
Edited by scorp on Tuesday 20th October 07:53
colonel c said:
6655321 said:
colonel c said:
Chances are he will make a tt of himself without the help of any of the other panellists.
That's up to griffin, and not the folks who don't want him to have his say. The more they try to do this sort of thing, the more they will turn Griffin and his ilk into 'heroes'.t of himself without the help of any of the other panellists.Tycho said:
6655321 said:
How the hell can a member of the British parliament demand that another political party be allowed on a political program. It is utterly disgusting, and surely the guy must know how petulant he is looking?
This is indicitive of the arrogance and contempt that Labour have of anyone who doesn't agree with them.The simple fact is, Freedom of Speech belongs to all, or to no-one. IT cannot be the case that Labour get the chance to spout their rubbish whilst constraining others from doing the same, and it's a worrying reflection of the attitude of the state that they seek to do so (it is rather common for lefties to try to inhibit the views of those they disagree with, a severe irritation to me).
fadeaway said:
The courts have said that the BNP is an "unlawful" political party
The difference is unlawful does NOT mean illegal!!! The Labour party are/were unlawful when they accepted the proceeds from political funds extracted by threats from members of the unions (they changed that law very fast when they got into power, bastids)!
Jasandjules said:
Tycho said:
6655321 said:
How the hell can a member of the British parliament demand that another political party be allowed on a political program. It is utterly disgusting, and surely the guy must know how petulant he is looking?
This is indicitive of the arrogance and contempt that Labour have of anyone who doesn't agree with them.The simple fact is, Freedom of Speech belongs to all, or to no-one. IT cannot be the case that Labour get the chance to spout their rubbish whilst constraining others from doing the same, and it's a worrying reflection of the attitude of the state that they seek to do so (it is rather common for lefties to try to inhibit the views of those they disagree with, a severe irritation to me).
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