Can the BNP capitalise on the expenses scandle?

(c) ross mcross

A Times/Populus poll has indicated an extraordinary erosion of popular support for both of the two main parties in the wake of the disclosures on MP’s expenses.

Judging by these results, the Labour party could be heading for an election defeat as heavy as it suffered in 1983. Following Michael Foot’s manifesto / longest suicide note, popular support dropped to 27% of the vote, less than 1% point higher than the Liberal/SDP alliance. The recent poll puts Labour on 26% of the vote, less than in ’83, and only 4% higher than Nick Clegg’s Lib Dems. However, whereas in ’83 the Conservatives were reasonably buoyant, retaining 46% of the popular vote, yesterday’s poll shows them suffering a similar haemorrhage of support, equally hurt by the revelations of excess. One imagines they could be destined for greater loss of support when the absurdity of claiming for moat clearance and tennis court repair sinks in. The impact of the seeming lack of moral fibre on show from MPs across the political spectrum is a backlash against politics itself, an anti-authority sentiment which has been brewing for some time, evidenced by the popularity of libertarian blogs/rants such as Guido Fawkes, and heightened by a sense of injustice and resentment, against bankers, against legislators, against the system itself.

The most worrying product of this feeling is the increased support shown for fringe extremist political parties such as the BNP. In the last 22 years there has been a steady and inexorable rise in support for the far-right organisation. From taking just 533 votes in 1987, national electoral support has increased each year, reaching 192,746 in 2005. In local elections they have had even greater success, and currently have 52 councillors, and a member of the London Assembly. In the forthcoming European elections, under the proportional representation system, they only need approximately 8% of the vote in the North West region to secure a seat in the European parliament – just 1.5% more than they got last time around.

The BNP have exploited the anti-political feeling felt by an enormous section of the country – a feeling brought to a head in this latest shameful episode. They have outflanked Labour in many areas on the left, successfully presenting themselves as the only party committed to the working class and inflaming fears of unemployment and disenfranchisement exacerbated by the recession. They have effectively grasped the potential of social networking and online media as a both method of bypassing the policy pursued by the mainstream parties and the national media of denying them a platform from which to speak and as a way of reaching and engaging young people.

Essentially, the failure of a significant minority of Westminster politicians to live up to a certain code of conduct will have had far-reaching effects. Whilst David Cameron is probably not too concerned due to his healthy poll lead – and let’s be honest, everyone rather expects this from the Tories – Brown will be looking over both shoulders, at Nick Clegg and Vince Cable rising from the depths, and at Alan Johnson calmly denying his interest in the leadership whilst being fitted for the coronet. However the greatest worry is that mainstream politics itself will take the greatest hit, and that – to borrow the vocabulary of the War on Terror – dangerous extremists will gain platforms on councils, on the London Assembly, in Europe and even in the Commons.

All three major parties need to clean out their respective closets immediately if they wish to reaffirm their moral authority and reengage with the public.

The content of this article is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views and beliefs of The Vibe.