Re: BNP anyone?
 

Looking back at history I suppose the early Labour party and its founders were looked on as extreme radicals by the Tory and Liberal ruling class of the day

Re: BNP anyone?
 

I disagree... there will always be times that voters swing and sway... in the depression of the early 30's grass roots voters where swaying towards the far left with communism...in the 70's in this country the support for the then National Front was pretty high..frequent marches and rallies..the BNP will always get support from disillusioned voters because they make things look so easy.. it's so easy and appealling to say the asians get this or the blacks get that and we get nothing!..they know this and are becoming a little bit more consumer aware.

thing is some people will vote for the BNP just to upset the apple cart, but I haven't noticed any BNP councillors in Burnley or anywhere making an impact on local issues.. because they are only interested in total control.
If all else fails and they get anywhere close to parliment the ONLY outcome they crave for is a National Facist State in which you will do as you are told.. wether you be white , black,chinese, polish,or anglo saxon is of no consequence.

If Accrington does wake up to a BNP council then it will not be a shock.. but more of an embarresment.

Re: BNP anyone?
 

Mancie, you've hit the nail right on the head there!

Re: BNP anyone?
 

You're half right. At that particularly unstable time in twentieth century, people were attracted to either end of political extremist spectrum, it wasn't just to the left. There was also a fully functioning, and relatively well supported fascist movement in the UK, under Mosely. Just as there was a flourishing British Communist movement, many of whom were dedicated enough to go off and fight in the Spanish Civil War.

It was even more precarious in the post Treaty of Versailles Germany. The country could just have easily fallen to the political right, as to Nazism.

When people feel frightened, extremists are always there offering what seem like sensible answers, and that is my fear about today's main stream parties, who are not giving the general public enough reassurance about things like immigration, and integration, etc.

Re: BNP anyone?
 

That is the point I disagree with.. there is no poliltical party, main stream or extremist that can reassure the public regarding immigration or integration.. what sort of reassurances can be given?..why should the voting public need to be reassured .. we are not little children tugging at mummy's skirt looking for help!... if the people of this country can't think for themselves, then of course it will end in disaster.
People are to ready to blame the rise of extremists on the main stream parties, it's just an excuse, just as it was in Germany in the 20's and 30's... oh well the other parties did not TELL us what to do so we voted for the party that did!

Re: BNP anyone?
 

Well how do you account for the rise of the B.N.P.? In their old incarnation as the National Front, they were just a few skin heads joshing and preening about, now there are umpteen B.N.P. councillors throughout the country. It's the same in France, which as N.F. members of parliament, and throughout Europe, extremist politics are on the up.

Re: BNP anyone?
 

I think all these nationalist parties are a reaction to globalization and a loss of local/regional control over their lives , wether its the Scots , Welsh , Irish or French Nationalists, all 'native' groups have a tribal instinct , seems the BNP is just playing on the same fears of the English.

Question , does the BNP have any support whatsoever in Scotland, Wales or Ulster ?

Re: BNP anyone?
 

To be honest I don't know. When I lived up there for three years, I certainly never saw, or heard anything about them, but as you say they already have their nationalist politics sewn up in the S.N.P.

Re: BNP anyone?
 

Northern Ireland - very much doubt it. Next time i speak to my cousins i'll ask them. Never heard of them over there mind you if they had stood how long do you think it would take for the knock on the door and come with me ........

Re: BNP anyone?
 

Last time I was over there appeared to be 2 national parties. One stuck union jacks up everywhere and painted lamp posts, curb stones etc red, white and blue. The other is a little more subtle and just stick up an orange flag on the way into the village or town.

Re: BNP anyone?
 

Maybe some of the apathy would be countered if the people we elected to run the borough were honest and told the truth......apologising when they cocked things up......letting us know what is going on.

this could be doubly true if the people running the country would do the same.
It seems to me that most politicians are in it for the money....they never emerge from politics poor.

Re: BNP anyone?
 

Also, maybe apathy would be countered if the local and national politicians LISTENED........I mean, really listened to the views of the electorate...and once in a while acted on those views.

I'm also fairly sure that if there was a system of proportional representation then parliament would show the true voting power of the people.
The current government were NOT voted into power by the majority of people in this country. The number of parties dilutes their ability to be elected and make a difference in the political face of the country.

None of the major parties has a leader that can be trusted....and so there is a temptation to vote for a radical or extreme party in an attempt to register a 'protest' vote.....to draw away from the main political parties.