Last night Rob Wilson MP previewed Nick Griffin's appearance on Question Time, saying he believed it was right to expose the BNP to public scrutiny. Here he gives his reaction to the programme.
Question Time last night did nothing to alter my views expressed in the earlier posting for ConservativeHome. However, it certainly was compelling television and I think overall the BBC was justified in putting BNP leader Nick Griffin on the programme.
I don’t think there are many people who watched who will be thinking "I must go out and join the BNP". Nick Griffin came across as a lightweight, intellectually, politically and personally. In fact a constituent said to me this morning: “I don’t know what the fuss was all about, he came across as a twerp”. It was abundantly clear that he was desperately trying to hide his past and the many stupid, even dangerous, things he had once said.
Griffin was always going to be on a sticky wicket with an inquisitive chairman, four well briefed panellists and a hostile audience, but it was fairly brutal at times. I can’t have been the only person who winced with a combination of embarrassment and revulsion at the way Griffin handled some of his answers. I understand Griffin is going to lodge a complaint saying the programme was “political bullying”. I’m sure the irony of this will not be lost on those who have suffered at the hands of the BNP in the past.
Question Time will have damaged the credibility of the BNP, so people like Peter Hain, in my view, did get it wrong. But is it the end of the BNP as some are saying? No, because the fundamental underlying issues remain the same; mass immigration, poor housing, poverty, recession and a desperately desire on mainly the left of politics not to debate the difficult issues. The disconnect between many people in poorer communities and the political elite is still there and whilst a whole swathe of the country remains adrift from politics there will continue to be fertile ground for the BNP.
One final point, I saw some of the scenes from outside the BBC on the News. It did nothing but discredit to those individuals and organisations involved.
