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BNP leader could appear on Question Time

Date published: 07 September 2009

BNP leader and North West MEP Nick Griffin may appear on a future 'Question Time' panel, according to the BBC.

The BBC says that it has rules to treat all elected political parties with 'due impartiality'.

The BBC is now in talks with other parties, including the Labour Government, who have refused to share a platform with the BNP because of their views on race.

The BBC confirmed that the BNP's European election success in June would reflect in the amount of coverage that it receives on the BBC.

Fellow North West Euro-MP, Liberal Democrat Chris Davies, says that the BNP leader has a right to be heard on national television.

Mr Davies said: "If the BNP were to get their way democracy would end in this country and I would likely end up in a concentration camp. But I am a Liberal and the principle of free speech is dear to me.

"Nick Griffin and his party secured 8% of the votes in the North West region in June 2009. He is a duly elected Member of the European Parliament and even though the BNP would deny others their rights I believe he should be heard.

"In the past I have refused to share a platform with Nick Griffin, but in Brussels he sits on the same Environment Committee as myself, and we have the same speaking and voting rights. It's an important law-making body and I will definitely not be leaving it simply because he is present.

"Democrats have to consider how best to combat the BNP. The best approach may now be to expose its racism and hatred through direct debate."

Comments

If Nick Griffin is going to be given such a platform then it's important that the right questions are put forward to him, as well as point out flaws in his arguments such as claiming that if Turkey joined the EU then “80 million Muslims would flood the UK”. It's these sorts of ignorant comments that need to be picked apart by representatives of the other parties.