Hain to complain to BBC over BNP on 'Question Time'
Minister's fury prompts anger and a bitter split with colleagues as Nick Griffin prepares to take the stage
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Independent Minds
Peter Hain is to make a formal complaint to the BBC Trust over the appearance of the British National Party leader, Nick Griffin, on BBC1's Question Time next week. This follows what insiders described as a "robust" meeting between the Secretary of State for Wales and the show's executive producer, Ric Bailey, during the Labour Party conference.
Mr Hain said yesterday: "I fundamentally disagree with the BBC's decision. I fully understand why colleagues feel they have to appear, but I certainly wouldn't appear with a racist, fascist representative – I think it gives them legitimacy."
But Peter Sissons, a former chairman of Question Time, attacked the Labour minister yesterday: "Instead of bleating to the BBC Trust, why doesn't the great campaigner offer to go on the programme and dismantle the BNP's policies himself?"
Separately, a recent broadcast in which two senior BNP activists were deemed to have been given an easy ride by Radio 1's Newsbeat programme has already attracted 100 complaints, says the Mail on Sunday. Mark Collett and Joseph Barber were introduced only as "Mark and Joey", and went on to claim that the England footballer Ashley Cole "was not ethnically British".
The location of the Question Time recording will be kept secret, due to security concerns, with audience members being screened in an attempt to weed out anti-fascist protesters and BNP supporters.
The broadcasting union Bectu, meanwhile, is threatening to strike if the BBC attempts to film the programme at Television Centre in London. "If they try to compel any of our members to work on the programme then, bluntly, there'll be trouble up to and including industrial action," said Luke Crawley, Bectu's assistant general secretary.
The controversy has provoked a bitter split among ministers, with Mr Hain joined by Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, in his refusal to share a platform with the BNP, while Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, has agreed to go on the show. The Tories and Liberal Democrats have yet to confirm who they will put up against Mr Griffin, who was convicted of inciting racial hatred in 1998.
Despite hundreds of complaints over its decision, the BBC shows no signs of backing down. A spokesman said: "We treat the BNP, as all legal parties, with due impartiality."
Rival views
Forty-eight people were arrested yesterday after thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in central Manchester in rival protests. Trouble flared as the English Defence League clashed with Unite Against Fascism.
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Comments
As for the 21st century: Plus ca change, plus c'est une differente chose (to misquote another polititian).
But the quote is quite apposite in this context, as the attempt by the establishment to muzzle free speech should be met with the full fury by all those who value our democratic traditions.
Has Hain ever stopped to realise that many of us find his own opinions and views repugnant - yet we don't want to prevent him from having his say. Should we protest to the BBC whenever the apologist for terrorism ( think Nelson Mandela) Mr Hain is due to appear on Question Time ?
DE-CENTRALISED
AND IN WHICH EACH INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN IS EMPOWERED" ' UNQUOTE
This is how Hain defines his political values which sound exactly right to me
EXCEPT he now wishes to have CONTROL over who shares these values??
Doesn't that contradict his own definitions?
He is reportedly trying to stop the elected MEP Nick Griffin from speaking?
What about Griffin's individual empowerment or does Hain think that should
only be extended to the Labour party and it;s stupid followers.?
Hain want to influence the BBC to stop this event is that democracy?
It must only be democratic then in Hain's opinion when HE decides it's acceptable.
This sounds and behaves more like the Apartheid Govt he 'says' drove him out of
Africa? Hopefully Hain will learn to his own costs that true freedom of speech very
often involved hearing things you dont like or agree with much as I feel when I
am unfortunate enough to hear more lies from the thieves/liars/criminals installed
in parliament. Yes I find a lot of what Labour says completely offensive so I have a
choice I switch off and choose to ignore them.Hain should learn to adopt my strategy.
I guess Hain does not feel inclusive towards the 1 million British voters who elected
Mr.Griffin they are just an annoying statistic are they?
Yes, your opponent may be an opinionated, racist, ageist, sexist, anti-semitic lunatic so stand up and fight for what you believe in!
Trying to belittle or ban an opponent is seen as fixing the game, if your own values have merit, then they should stand up!
Get up off your knees Peter Hain, and man up!
There is a double standard here. The policy towards the UAF, the anti-war movement and the left is, "starve them of the oxygen of publicity" advocated by Thatcher. But it is OK for the neo-Nazis to have as much oxygen as they like. After all, the Establishment might need the fascists one day as auxiliary storm troopers against the left. The BNP might be useful as strike breakers if things get out of hand during the recession.
And Griffin is part of the public school/OXBRIDGE old boy network that runs the BBC. He is is one of theirs. Ties that bind.
DEMOCRACY
joolz
The BNP have never harmed any one let alone embezzled lied cheated or sent our troops to illegal un-winnable wars to be slaughtered
The country is in a mess and on the road to the third world, perhaps the BNP are the people to save us
joolz
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But Mr Hain, much as you and I and others may despise them, the BNP IS a legitimate party, not a banned one.
As such they have as much right, however unpalatable Mr Hain or Labour finds it, to have their say alongside Labour and Conservatives and Green's and Lib Dem's.
Think its called democracy.
You dont even know where to find the real BNP website do you?
I also notice that although the main parties call the BNP policies abhorrent they don't seem to mind adopting either the policies or their slogans.
What's good for the goose etc!
OPERATION FIGHTBACK BELONGS TO THE BNP PARTY
BRITISH JOBS FOR BRITISH WORKERS BELONGS TO THE BNP
ARE JUST 2 EXAMPLES OF THEFT.
Hain is a dishonoured has-been who showed his true colours when it suited him so I am surprised he dares to show his orange face.
As for the baying, capering yobs who howl down views they do not wish to be heard..........Yob Britain at its foul worst.
YOU give them legitamacy by being able to defeat them with your arguments and points of view.
Go on be brave, read through them all and then come back and tell us what you think then.
joolz
you seem to be one of the un-informed, go back to believing whatever your told
joolz
If the evolution of your political ideology can be traced back to the extreme of race hatred that was expounded by the Nazis and Mosley's blackshirts; if your political views are centered around the removal of the rights and freedoms of others then by this I think you should loose the right to freely inflict those views on others.
NO PLATFORM FOR FASCISTS OR NAZIS END OF STORY.
Im happy with that.
joolz
This is what the BNP stand in favour of and to have them appear on Question Time would give encouragement to every racist scumbag in the country to attack anyone who isn't 'british' - whatever that might be.
Lets be clear, this isn't about legitmate political debate, this is extremist views and you can bet the BNP will be lying through their teeth when it comes to awkward questions.
Please show me what is racists in the BNPs policies.
joolz
Good luck to the BNP I wish them every success during QT and am very confident that their arguments will show up the main political parties as a sham and frightened of their own shadows.