BNP Win 2 Euro Seats: Justifiable?

[paraffin]

Voters in Leeds + Manchester have helped to elect two BNP members to the European Parliament.
Should those voters be admired for exercising their democratic rights?
Or should they be roundly condemned for helping to elect such an extreme racist party to British Politics?

[Gromit]

It was widely predicted that the BNP would have some success in this election, and so it has proved to be.

Personally I find it regrettable, but it has to be accepted a lot of people need someone to blame, and immigrants whether legal or not, fit the bill, and the BNP are the party to vote for if that is your view.

I gather they will be in good company, because the far right have made gains all o we the continent.

[pfabc123]

They should be condemned. There is no place in a democratic society for groups that cause divide using racial, hatred. I find these people to be ignorant, hateful, sad losers that are cowardly in their approach to minority groups. Probably bullies or bullied at school with a dominent parent. Oh dear i seem to be desribing the early life of another dictator in the making. I rank these idiots in the same league as football hooligans that are mindless and violent. Its probably their other hobby. You wont find the likes of these balding cowardly freaks at underground fight clubs.

[janbee]

It's not really a surprise but still greatly worrying. Hope it's just a blip and won't happen again

[naomi24]

I don't think it is a blip. It's a worrying sign of the times - and all governments should hear the alarm bells ringing. Heaven forbid we go further down this road.

[Gromit]

By Griffin's own words, he is representing "a crime-ridden slum". Nice.

[jake-the-peg]

Thankfully we don't have proportional representation.

I've always favoured it but when you get fascists like the BNP standing first past the post you begin to see it's benefits.

It's deeply shameful for everyone in this country that we've returned people like this to represent this country - but especially so for anyone coming from Manchester or Leeds.

I shall be apologising on their behalf to the other Europeans I work with today

[andy-hughes]

This is the downside of a democratic society.

If you give every one a free vote, you can't moan because they choose to exercise that right in a way which you don't like.

It's a reflection of the times, and the political vacum, which does have worrying parallels with Germany in the early '30's.

[DaisyMae]

I agree with Andy, and add that voter apathy is sounding the death knell of democracy. It is time I think for governments to consider the Australian system of compulsory voting.

[KRUSTYMAN]

The very fact that we live in a democracy means these people are allowed a political view however despicable we may consider it. I was appalled to see the BNP leader being pelted by eggs and prevented from getting in to get the voting results - even though he made it in somehow. All these people do is make him out to be a victim and those people who are considering voting BNP could be swayed into giving him their vote next time in protest.

[pusspuss]

Gromit says
I gather they will be in good company, because the far right have made gains all o we the continent.

jake says
I shall be apologising on their behalf to the other Europeans I work with today

I wonder who jake's friends voted for ?

[jake-the-peg]

I imagine they mostly voted for centre right or centre left parties in their own countries.

I doubt any of them voted for a rascist candidate

Why do you ask?

[pusspuss]

Well somebody voted for them

[jake-the-peg]

Well it was a record low turn out across Europe and as Edmund Burke remarked:

�The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing�

[another-view]

I voted for the BNP and if you lived round here in Yorkshire you would understand why I and many others did so.

More of our town is Eastern European immigrants than English. They have replaced many of my friends and neighbours jobs and left a lot of us unemployed.

Enough is enough.

[rov1200]

Many voted for the BNP after seeing our troops booed by Islamists whilst parading through Luton. Our troops in WWII fought bravely and millions lost their lives so that Britain would not be over-run by Germans. After seeing Britain over-run by Muslims asking for sharia law they must be turning in their graves.

[another-view]

Mainly because they still want us as part of the EU and just wish to reform it. Many Eastern Europeans are here using resources that we do not have. I don't believe the UKIP will ask these people to leave.

No point bolting the door after the horse has fled.

[rov1200]

UKIP are just right wing members of the Tory Party. One Tory party is enough for anybody!

[danchip]

people are voting for the BNP because their policies are the only ones 3which seem to be for the good of britain and the british people.

[jake-the-peg]

Well done another-view.

Guess you didn't do much History at school did you?

These were exactly the sentiments that the Nazi's appealed to.

They appeal to emotions of fear and hatred, they appeal to little people with small minds. The easily manipulated.

Aren't you better than that? Bigger than that?