The BNP on the BBC: why ‘Auntie’ is right

(c) Ross McRoss

The American essayist Agnes Repplier once wrote: “Democracy forever teases us with the contrast between its ideals and its realities, between its heroic possibilities and its sorry achievements.”

An ideal democracy would have no place for a party such as the BNP, and it is indeed a sorry achievement of democracy that Nick Griffin is part of Britain’s body of elected representatives in the European Parliament.  Nonetheless, he is an elected representative of his constituents; thus the BBC’s decision to allow him to appear on Question Time is, ultimately, the right one.

As the sole UK public service broadcaster, the BBC has a duty, as part of its Editorial Guidelines, to:

“…give due prominence to all the main strands of argument and to all the main parties.   Although the government of the day will often be the primary source of news, the voices and opinions of opposition parties must also be routinely aired and challenged.”

What constitutes a ‘main party’ can be debated until the cows come home.  However  it is clear that, like it or not, the BNP are a party with a national profile and elected representatives at every level of government outside of the domestic Parliament.

Certain questions now become fundamental.  Is our democracy so lacking in fortitude that there should be an embargo on the BNP appearing alongside the mainstream parties? Is the fear that giving a platform to the BNP will suddenly make them a huge political power actually warranted?  Is the current political mainstream so lacking in vital personalities that there is no-one available who can dissect Griffin and his party’s policies during his QT appearance?

In my view the answers are No, No and No again.

The BNP have progressed from exploiting their status as a ‘taboo’ party in a climate of wide disenchantment towards the political mainstream.  Like all things considered taboo, they lose their lustre and sense of danger and difference once they become normalised.

Shining a light on the BNP can expose the flaws in its personalities, policies and hideous ideology.  Further, it will force politicians from the mainstream to re-state and justify the case for their parties’ policies to the public – something that has been lost in the cosiness of three-party politics.  Finally, it will allow other minority parties to lobby for more media exposure, increasing the plurality of ideas in political debate, which is never, ever a bad thing.

Certainly, the BNP will get the media boost they have long desired.  However, should an increased media profile produce an increase in BNP scrutiny, it could end up proving the truth of the hoary old maxim that begins: “Careful what you wish for…”