BNP gains in London

[metallideth]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7382831.stm

As people may or not be aware, a staggering 130,000 people voted for the BNP in the recent London elections. Obviously it's important not to blow things out of proportion and start seeing fash under the bed, but it begs the question as to why in a supposedly 'multi-cultural' society a far right party has grabbed it's biggest result since the 1930s? What's the solution.

I reckon this is the backdraft from the hounding Griffin and co. took a few years back over 'hate speech', which was also metted out to any institution that chose to involve them in debates. If people aren't going to get on a platform and show up the BNP for what they are (how difficult can it be?), then it's running the risk of them being able to portray themselves as being different from "politicians" and win over a lot of disaffected voters.

[endless psych]

Lets not get too carried away... The BNP likely loves the fact that its getting press for what is a highly mediocre result.

Mr Barnbook was elected because he passed the critical 5% mark required for a seat from the city-wide list.

This is a form of proportional representation that balances constituency results with each party's overall tally in the capital. But the senior BNP man only just made it, scraping in with 5.3%.

The party's tally of councillors has reached a psychological barrier of 100 - but a deeper look at the nationwide results reveals that there can be a world of difference between a point of importance for a small party and a genuine gathering of electoral steam.

In fact, those councillors represent less than 1% of all those elected in the UK and gains on the night, beyond the headline-grabbing result in London, were short of some expectations.

If your asking if its shocking there are at least 130,000 disaffected folks or evern 130,000 racists in London I wouldn't be too surpised. I think around 1% of the populations a fairly optimistic estimate for the amount that hold racially dubious views...

[Draven]

This isn't isolated to London, most of Europe is swinging to the far right. As we've observed in another thread Italy has elected a very pro-facist government.

People are disillusioned with every aspect of politics at the moment, and it will only get worse the more the economy goes into recession.

[Semprini]

Bear in mind that there's also an element that'll vote for the BNP due to political naivete. They're not racists per se, but they fall for the slick presentation and attempts to disguise the true message behind the policies.

[metallideth]

The results aren't particularly 'worrying' if you're talking large scale political movement, but at the same time they don't just fall out of the sky. I'm curious to understand why the far right gain sometimes and then get hammered at others, given that neither their policies nor their presentation of these change much.

[karbon14]

because hte makeup of the country is currently less "british" and people notice it.

[endless psych]

Originally Posted by Semprini

Bear in mind that there's also an element that'll vote for the BNP due to political naivete. They're not racists per se, but they fall for the slick presentation and attempts to disguise the true message behind the policies.

There are probably a fair few cynical folk who use it as the ultimate protest vote as well.

Originally Posted by metallideth

The results aren't particularly 'worrying' if you're talking large scale political movement, but at the same time they don't just fall out of the sky. I'm curious to understand why the far right gain sometimes and then get hammered at others, given that neither their policies nor their presentation of these change much.

Their presentation likely relies on social unrest abd/or deprivation (realistic conflict model a go-go) thus in times when social unrest is high (terrorism and the like percieved to be great) and economic deprivation is just around the corner) notions of protecting the majority are probably highluy attractive.

Originally Posted by karbon14

because hte makeup of the country is currently less "british" and people notice it.

The notion of Birtishness is pretty redundant when you consider the composite nature of Britain and also the fact that Scottish, Welsh and even English nationalism are at all time highs (in terms of national identity anyhow). By which I mean you'd be hard pressed to find someone who would consider themselves British first. (Unless there from an immigrant group in England that is)

[Warped]

Stop posting about the bnp, just ignore them. There are some things that thrive of attention, even bad attention. This sorta stuff is one of them.

[endless psych]

Originally Posted by Warped

Stop posting about the bnp, just ignore them. There are some things that thrive of attention, even bad attention. This sorta stuff is one of them.

Its a catch 22 though isn't it. If no one ever posted about the BNP (anywhere) they wouldn't get any attention. But also conversly people wouldn't be aware of them and they could reinvent themselves into an electable body under everyones noses.

[Warped]

I just think most of us (not all) know how scummy racism and those kinda views are, i dunno what there is to debate. But that's just me, same with the gay issue.

[Rhythm Junkie]

Originally Posted by Warped

I just think most of us (not all) know how scummy racism and those kinda views are, i dunno what there is to debate. But that's just me, same with the gay issue.

The debate should be about disaffected voters choosing the BNP over other parties either despite the overt racism or by being won over by the party line in which they offer up explanations like this http://www.bnp.org.uk/2007/12/23/is-the-bnp-racist/

Whilst very few people I know would buy into this, I have no doubt alot of people would read it and think "aye, there's a good point there".

Surely the important questions that need to be addressed are 'What is it about the current parties/political climate that's seeing people turning to the BNP as a viable option?' and 'Have the BNP become the viable option?'

[Warped]

Media and there bullshit about Immigration. Immigration keeps this country going. The NHS would die without it,

[Rhythm Junkie]

I'm not convinced the blame lies entirely at the feet of the media.

[endless psych]

Originally Posted by Rhythm Junkie

The debate should be about disaffected voters choosing the BNP over other parties either despite the overt racism or by being won over by the party line in which they offer up explanations like this http://www.bnp.org.uk/2007/12/23/is-the-bnp-racist/

Whilst very few people I know would buy into this, I have no doubt alot of people would read it and think "aye, there's a good point there".

Surely the important questions that need to be addressed are 'What is it about the current parties/political climate that's seeing people turning to the BNP as a viable option?' and 'Have the BNP become the viable option?'

See I reckon its symptomatic of having two major parties that only appear superficially different from each other. I reckon people find ideology more appealling then pragmatism in politics - empassioned support to save the local hospital/post office/Donkey strategy is nearly always a bigger campaign point then exciting new tax legislation and such.

You create an ideological vaccume (or the beginnings of one) and folk get pushed to the fringes. Not nessecarily because they believe but because they think government shoudl be about more then elected civil service.

[metallideth]

The removal from the political mainstream of dialogue on class issues probably has a lot to do with it. It's not too much of a stretch to say that the indigenous working-class are probably the most under-represented 'group' sizeable enough to force genuine political change in Britain, should they choose to do so. Obviously a lot of economic factors have contributed to the breaking of the traditional working-class, but equally I think a lot of changes have been wrought by (wilful?) ignorance from the mass media about what life might be like for someone who is neither visibly 'different' nor 'bourgeois'.