Politics

[southportram]

Having received my voting for for May, I was doing some research on the different parties and what they stood for, I am not really up on politics so I also asked a few friends their oppinions.

Whilst looking at some reports on the BNP, I felt that alot of what they stood for, I tended to agree with, and what they said in their information pages on the internet all seemed to stand to reason.

I am however, now confused as a lot of the people that I have spoken to have different oppinions on the BNP and have told me that they can, on occasion, cause trouble.

Anyone that has an oppinion or a link that can show an honest side to the BNP please let me know, I just wish to find out as much about all the parties as possible, however, like I said, I seem to be getting mixed feelings about the BNP and am very curious as to what they are like!

Any help is greatly appriciated. Thanks,

[casaespana]

Have a look at this thread:

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Search/Default.asp?SearchText=bnp

[ICEMANSAV]

www.bnp.org.uk is their web site, obviously from a biased point of view.

[Loosehead]

They are no better or worse than any other party in terms of honesty, It's just their poilicies that many find distasteful.

[ICEMANSAV]

I agree loosehead, I was just pointing out that it is not a weighed argument for and against.

[Loosehead]

Sorry Iceman, I was responding to the questioner, I make no comment of your post.

[jake-the-peg]

No better or worse than the other parties?

You mean other than having a leader who has been prosecuted for anti-semitic publications and incitement to racial hatred.(1998 ) prosecuted again in 2005(unable to reach verdict CPS considering re-trial)

Who has met with David Duke the leader of the Ku Klux Klan.

More recently Griffin's response to Oil issues on the BNP website was to claim "It's all a zionist scam"

On the plus side despite some anti-gay strong rhetoric it seems he may be that way inclined so you might get support for equal opportunities for airline stewards.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Griffin

[Loosehead]

Like I said Jake "IN TERMS OF HONESTY, no better or worse than the other parties"

Meeting with the KKK is not dishonest, saying what you think about something is not dishonest. All the things you quote are distasteful but not dishonest and according to the judges in the case of the trial where not illegal or dishonest.

I'm no apologist for the BNP but let's get the hysteria in check. We cherish our freedoms and that means that we have to tolerate differing views.

[jump79]

To sum it all up, some of their policies may appeal to people (not to me though- as I find them racist and ignorant) for the time being, but what guarantee is there that they won't do exactly what Labor did - that is a complete u-turn on their policies and then just sit back and enjoy being in power ?

And considering that most of the BNP members are far less smarter (because they are all hooligans) than the other political parties, there will be even more corruption, more abuse of power, more lies and many more scandals.

[jake-the-peg]

If they're not dishonest Loosehead then they're psychotic.

Both Tyndale and Griffin have denied the Holocaust occurred.

But Lets look at exactly what a BNP councillor would get you:

cont.....

[jake-the-peg]

Luke Smith (Burnley). Was forced to resign after he smashed a bottle into the face of a Leeds BNP organiser. Despite claiming to be the party of law and order, the BNP failed to call in the police and press charges. Smith had only recently been convicted of football violence when he was elected as a BNP candidate. He has had several more recent convictions and was sentenced to 11 months imprisonment after being caught fighting in Manchester.

Brian Turner (Burnley). Was convicted of attacking his wife and a police officer whilst a councillor yet the BNP refused to disown him. In fact they even defended him by issuing a statement saying: �we are not in the business of persecuting our members because the state considers someone guilty.�

Dan Kelley (Barking & Dagenham). Resigned from the council only eight months after being elected after admitting that he was completely out of his depth. �There�s meetings that go right over my head and there�s little point in me being there,� he told the local paper even before he resigned.

Richard Mulhall (Calderdale). Is currently facing charges on housing benefit fraud. Despite this the BNP has refused to disown him or demand his resignation if he is found guilty.

Maureen Stowe (Burnley). Left the BNP after admitting that they deliberately told lies to get elected. On leaving the BNP she said: �This is the best thing I could have done. I�ve got a chance to do a lot of good. Now I think we can pull all the people of Burnley together to improve things for everybody. I keep asking myself how could I have been so stupid as to have anything to do with them.�

[jake-the-peg]

Robin Evans (Blackburn). Left the BNP after complaining about the drug dealers and football hooligans who dominated his local BNP branch. He also criticised the Burnley BNP councillors as useless.

David Watkins (Sandwell). Dubbed �possibly the worst councillor in Sandwell,� Watkins attended just 10 out of 63 meetings. Gave up after just one year.

Steve Batkin (Stoke-on-Trent). Steve Batkin attended none of a possible thirty committee meetings in the nine months to March 2005. Batkin has only spoken twice in his first two years as a councillor and one of those was to ask what �abstain� meant. Was once told to stop talking to the media after he questioned key facts relating to the Holocaust, including saying that Jewish people refused to debate the subject because they would be exposed as liars.
Angela Clarke (Bradford). Resigned from the council less than half-way through her term after her performance was criticised by fellow BNP members.

Terry Farr (Epping). Was suspended by the Standards Board after writing abusive letters. The hearing also said that it was fair political comment for a rival candidate to call the BNP Nazi.

Ramon Johns (Broxbourne). Was elected on the promise to campaign for free bus passes for all the elderly but then immediately voted against such a plan once elected.

[jake-the-peg]

James Lloyd (Sandwell). Campaigned on a ticket to make parents responsible for the crimes of their children. What he failed to tell voters was that his own son was one of the areas worst offenders. Also recently put out BNP leaflets claiming a local library building was going to become a mosque. When it was proved that this was a lie he did not apologise but simply claimed that somebody had obviously made up quotes from him.

Adrian Marsden (Calderdale). The absent councillor. In the six months to March 2006, Marsden has attended just three council meetings and his work record for his ward constituents has been even worse. However, he managed to find the time and strength to act as a bodyguard to BNP leader Nick Griffin during the recent court case in Leeds. But then again, what can you expect from a man with several convictions and a long history with the violent neo-nazi group Combat 18.

Geoffrey Wallace (Calderdale). Wallace jumped ship from the Tories when he thought he could not win a council seat under the blue flag but refused to call a by-election. He too stood on a ticket to help local people but his record proves he has done nothing of the kind. His recent performance in dealing with casework from local residents is truly shocking and clearly demonstrates his inability to work for local people. In the four months to February 2006 he did only 14.5 hours casework, and all but three were in the last few weeks.

Still want to vote BNP?

[WaldoMcFroog]

J-T-P - Bravo, sir!

[Loosehead]

We know they're a bunch of nutters Jake, no need to go into it. I was just saying in political/honesty terms they are no better or worse than Lib/lab/con/ etc.

I agree they have one or two psycho's in their ranks!

[youngmafbog]

The problem is that the BNP have latched onto what teh public want. So wake up Tony and 'Dave' the public dont want lefty liberalism those people too aer in a minority just as ever they are shouting loudest and get their own way.

Ignore what the people want and we will get Fascist parties in power and I dont think any of us want to see that - even us good right wingers.

So southportram, my advice would be to look past the printed policies (after all how many governments actually abide by them when they get in ?) The real question is which party is actually able to govern. Personally I dont think the BNP qualify on that count at all.

[Champagne]

According to recent news, a quarter of the population would consider voting BNP, so you're not alone. They're general aim is to restore England to a 'Great British' society. Personally I don't believe in segregation on this planet so I certainly will never vote for them.