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How the BNP moved into the political mainstream
The reluctance of the three main parties to tackle sensitive issues that matter to many voters is driving people into the arms of extremists
Last week, the BNP were cock-a-hoop at taking a seat on Sevenoaks district council. It was, their candidate said, a breakthrough, even if it was one prompted by vigorous canvassing on a classic BNP issue – allocation of council houses to asylum seekers. There are though, growing signs that the BNP's message is gaining ground.
But how is it that a party that wants its 12,000 members to be sufficiently "Norse" and whose constitution uses the word "folkish", is edging closer and closer to the political mainstream? Why are so many people voting for the BNP?
In the centre of Durham, one recent Saturday, I walked past a Trotskyist stall, manned by undergraduates, and a BNP one, run by men in early middle age, all with accents from no further than five miles outside Durham. While the Trots were ignored, the BNP was swamped.
Many in the North-East are concerned about a loss of sovereignty
How come? There are no asylum seekers in County Durham, and visible ethnic minorities account for only one per cent of the population. At the last census, the district of Easington was found to be the least ethnically diverse area in Britain.
No, the reason why the BNP inspire such interest is because neither Labour, the Tories, or the Lib Dems are talking about the issues that worry people here.
Many in the North-East, and, indeed, around the country, are concerned about a loss of sovereignty, whether to the European Union, to the United States, or to global capital. And about the practical consequences of this loss, from the Common Fisheries Policy, to the Iraq War, to the credit crunch.
They are concerned about a new working class whose members understand no English except words of command, know little or nothing about workers' rights here, can be moved around the country at will, and deported if they step out of line. Deference to Islam is another complaint.
A lot of people really are worried by these things. I am. So why aren't the three main parties? Proper Labourites, or Conservatives, or Liberals would be.
Otherwise, people are talking about the erosion of the traditional family and its values, not least on the airwaves; about lap-dancing clubs; about the deregulation of drinking and gambling; about how the Police and the Crown Prosecution Service have effectively legalised cannabis and lowered the age of consent to 13; about the Police not patrolling the streets, soft sentencing, and indiscipline in schools. Again, the BNP is the only party that has responded.
They are also talking about the real concern that the white working class has been left behind. And that no one ever mentions manufacturing, which still accounts for more than twice the GDP of the entire financial services sector, never mind the bailout-begging City.
Far from being racist, BNP concerns are strongly shared with ethnic communities
Meanwhile, because the powers-that-be are unable to distinguish between the respectable working class and the characters from Shameless, council and housing association tenants now face having Shameless characters moved in next door to them, or even in place of them.
Many people are also concerned that Scottish devolution has never been supported by the majority of eligible voters in Scotland; that a mere 26 per cent of the electorate ever supported devolution in Wales, where it is being used to entrench the rule of those in English-speaking areas who speak Welsh as a cordon sanitaire; that the government of Northern Ireland has been carved up between a fundamentalist sect and a terrorist organisation; and about how badly England has been treated.
These are the issues that the BNP advertise on their leaflets, and discuss when they campaign door-to-door. This is what they were telling the Durham public at their stall that Saturday afternoon. Far from being racist, these valid and well-founded concerns are strongly shared with ethnic minority communities. I am, myself, mixed-race. Far from being necessarily right-wing, these concerns are felt most keenly by traditional Labour supporters, who now abstain in enormous numbers, and could put the BNP third in numerous seats and second in quite a few. The BNP is far more of a threat to Labour than UKIP ever was to the Tories.
Yet neither Labour nor the other two parties are addressing these concerns. So the BNP is filling the vacuum. The terrible truth is that they are now the only force even pretending to share and articulate numerous perfectly mainstream and reasonable fears and grievances. Ignorant of and unfaithful to their own traditions, and scornful of the people whose worries these are, the main parties simply refuse to do so. Thus are people drawn into a world of racism, thuggery, and Holocaust denial. ·
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Even the comments above show the virulent tendencies that no longer need hide in the shadows, purely because of the absolute refusal/inability of the main parties to engage, debate and persuade.
Instead they utter platitudes which are as anodyne as they are completely interchangeable.
There's a saying in OZ, "yer not wrong" which does NOT mean that you are right, just that you have a point.
If none of our soi disant "representatives" in parliament are listening, and would they, then sooner rather than later the voters most disgruntled are going elsewhere, even to their own disgust out of sheer desperation.
Now there is the added ingredient of economic collapse, removing the bread & circuses that have, thus far, kept the majority quiescent.
As Lennon sang, a quarter century ago, "..keep you drugged with religion, sex & TV..".
Weimar will look like a picnic.
This is extremly interesting. Living in the USA I can certainly appreciate this point of view. We are being swamped by illegal aliens crossing on the Mexican border. Mexican, Columbian and various assortments of gangs and yes, terrorists, practically walk across the border. Phoenix Arizona has become the kidnaping capital of THE WORLD!! They are kidnaping, murdering and bringing in tons and tons of drugs. We had a case where a group of illegal aliens sued a border rancher because he was stopping them from crossing his land with the threat of weapons and turning them over to the US border patrol. Through the years they have broken into his home, killed his animals and made a mess of his property. THE ILLEGALS WON!!! Our politicians are doing the same thing yours are. Ignoring us. We need workers because we have aborted millions of Americans since Roe V Wade thus they pander to ILLEGALS. Illegals get free hospital care, food stamps, housing etc etc ad nauseum. Democrats and Republicans are almost the same party. In some cases you can't tell which is which. Pat Buchanan is the closest to the BNP philosphy. We need an ANP
Whilst i wouldn't vote BNP they are surely moving into more mainstream politics. This is an inevitable and in some ways welcome movement. Lets not forget that the Labour party and associated unions were once infested with hard core communists. So the idea of the BNP evolving onto a more mainstream manifesto is natural. At the moment they are asking the questions that many people want answered, and the 2 big parties appear to be deaf to all.
I am going to register to vote for the first time in my life, for the express purpose of voting BNP. I hate what this country has turned in to and right now the only solution seems to be the British National Party.
Very good article. I am a Jew, and would feel very uncomfortable if the BNP ever got into power, but I agree with them that the ruling elites in the US, Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other democracies are ignoring the real issues that touch the people, as stated in this article.
Although I personally would never vote for the BNP - as has been mentioned already, we should be under no illusions as to what their election would mean - on reading this article I can see why many people would vote for them. It is true that the main political parties generally ignore or only tentatively touch upon issues such as immigration, and if anything is said "out of place", as we now deem it, there is a furore. Perhaps one of the reasons the BNP can make such arguments is because people expect it of them, but never take heed or think them valid until times of trouble, such as a recession. We almost take it for granted that they will punt such messages, and although I disagree ultimately with their fundamental principles, I cannot help but see their point of view. I think many people would be in a similar position, and share this opinion; and perhaps this is what the main political parties have to be wary of.
I've been writing about this for years. The ruling elite are totally out of touch along with the media, and ignore the one big subject that concerns everyone of whatever nationality, immigration. Any attempt to discuss multiculturalism and whether it really is such a good thing is met with allegations of racism, any criticism of the way Muslims are constantly pampered to is met with allegations of Islamophobia, as criticisms of Israel are labelled anti-Semitism, and there's a blank refusal to debate which enhances the BNP because they will address these issues. Hazel Blears saw the writing on the wall and is the only Labour politician to even mention it so far. The rest tow the PC line like good little chatterati clones.
The only argument I have with this article is the writer's inclusion of cannabis, as in 'the Police and Crown Prosecution service have effectively legalised cannabis'; if they had it would be a move in their favour, and would make government much more popular since the majority of people have no problem with it being legalised since it's freely available anyway.
Our MPs and MEPs are just enjoying their extra allowances , John Lewis accounts, a handsome pension, plus a fine salary, and the certain knowledge with the help of the worst Speaker in history, that it will continue unhindered. As for the BNP we should be under no illusion, we would end up in a Nazi state if they god forbid ever got power. They wear suits, don't rant and rave and incite, but they are still just plain fascists, and with their parnters the Loony Left, can never be trusted.
An excellent article. One other aspect that occurs to me is the sense of futility associated with a vote for any of the mainstream parties. The people are all the same; mostly career or wanabe politicians distinguished only by different coloured rosettes. Few, if any, have actually achieved anything substantial themselves in life before entering politics.
Having had some contact with both my MP and MEPs, I am completely disillusioned by them. Mostly patronising windbags. These people serve no useful purpose other than to feed the BBC and Fleet Street with soundbites.
I'd describe myself as a libertarian, but can see how people might vote for the BNP from a sense of frustration. The BNP, by suggesting that it will actually do something radical and address issues of widespread concern, has a USP.