James Bethell: It is not enough to attack the BNP. More people are employed attacking the BNP than by the BNP itself, but the BNP continues to grow

James Bethell directs NothingBritish.com.

Free speech principles and democratic values were shaken but ultimately enhanced. Nick Griffin retired wounded but on his feet, fit to fight another day. The BBC can claim a victory today, but are left with questions about their handling of the event. The panelists have a story for their grandchildren. That's a summary of today's QT coverage.

But as people who will be fighting the BNP when the fuss dies down, where does that leave the Nothing British campaign? Three points:-

It was frustrating that Dimbleby stuck to the revolting but titillating bits. What we call the Bigot's Banquet. Anti-Semitism. Holocaust-denial. Homophobia. Misogyny. Nazi-obsession. White supremacy.

It is critical we hold Griffin to account for these revolting views. But this ground is very well covered and Griffin's stock answers, whilst inadequate, are well-rehearsed and get him by.

Many perfectly reasonable voters who abhor these values still support the BNP despite the sociopathic xenophobia of its leadership. The party speaks to them about issues they care about and claims to fight their corner. Dimbleby should have pressed Griffin on these points, as he would any other politician.

Take the BNP’s economic policies. Nationalisation of British industry. Socialisation of the housing stock. Cancellation of trade agreements. Termination of immigration. These would have a devastating effect on British jobs. It might not make such good telly, but it is time commentators Griffin as a grown-up and held him accountable for the country-wrecking policies he advocates.

James Bethell: Soon to be free of a racist membership policy, Nick Griffin must not have the opportunity to turn the BNP into a popular, nationalist party

James Bethell is Director of Nothing British.

The BNP’s decision to embark on the revocation of the constitutionally-explicit, utterly-revolting, whites-only membership policy marks the beginning of a new chapter in the politics of racism and extremism.

It gives Nick Griffin’s modernising wing a “Clause 4” moment that draws a clear line across the BNP’s bovver-boots and skinheads past, with all those associations with neo-fascism, Holocaust denial, sociopathic racism, criminality, violence and incompetence. Or at least Nick Griffin, newly flush with EU cash and a boost in the polls, will hope it does.

It opens up an opportunity for the Griffin-Barnes modernising wing to recast the British National Party into a popular nationalist party in the mould of Jean-Marie Le Pen’s Front Nationale. In other words, a party that is principally an anti-immigration coalition with patriotic, Anglo-centric bells and whistles including opposition to the war, secession from the EU and lots of flag-waving.

Certainly, this releases the BNP from its electoral cul-de-sac of borderline racists and chippy chavs, and opens up new opportunities in mainstream British political opinion that is virtually untouched by the major parties. For instance, only 12% of the public agree with the BNP’s overtly-racist view that non-white British citizens are not as British as white ones. But 68% agree that all further immigration to the UK should be halted, 44% think that the UK should withdraw from the EU and 56% are against local councils allowing immigrants to jump the queue (YouGov – The European Elections – 29th May / 4th June 2009).

James Bethell: The Centre-Right must take on the BNP - and not let the Left off the hook for its role in Britain's neo-fascist revival

James Bethell is Director of Nothing British.

It’s sad to lose, but how are you meant to feel when your team just doesn’t turn up to play?

That’s how it felt after another no-show by the Right when a handful of the English Defence League provoked a bottle-throwing riot in Harrow and a weekend-long tummy-button analysis by observers of extremism.

There seemed enough airtime for anyone with an opinion. John Denham MP, the Communities Secretary, spoke thoughtfully about his fear of Mosley-style provocations that lead to the 1930s Cable Street riots, and then quickly replaced his sensible observations with nonsense after the Left accused him of pandering. Tony McNulty, the local MP, struggled to keep a straight face as he denied that Britain’s struggling working class have a legitimate grievance against the Government and defended multi-culturalism. Searchlight called for politicians to stop talking about immigration so much. A trendy-specs-wearing Martin Smith from the UAF was filmed (35 seconds into the clip) milling with the rioters with a big grin on his face.

The only thing missing was a contribution from anyone on the Centre-Right, let alone the Conservative Party. A request from Nothing British to CCHQ for a quote after it was all over on Sunday night got the response, “we’re waiting to see what happens”.

It was a typical example of the Right’s heads-down strategy that is rooted in the age-old but out-of-date “deprive the BNP of the oxygen of publicity” philosophy. After the BNP’s two wins in the European elections and nearly one million votes, this has become a convenient but dishonourable excuse for those wary of toxic subjects like immigration, social cohesion, Islamism, Europe and Britishness.

This silence has its dangers. If the Right does not step up to the microphone, they leave a vacuum that is quickly filled with a misleading liberal consensus: that the rioting in Birmingham and Harrow are caused by the Rothermere-ite press and manipulative British-jobs-for-British-workers political rhetoric; that the best way of restoring peace is to close down the debate about issues like immigration, integration and the competition for jobs; that these protestors are just dangerous yobs preying on the misguided fears of foolish people; that Britain’s ruling class doesn’t have a case to answer.