In Pursuit of Partisan Pantomimes.
The BBC’s Mark Thompson claims that he had ‘no choice’ other than to invite Nick Griffin on to Question Time because of the Corporation’s ‘central principle of political impartiality’ – nicely distancing himself from any suspicion of a ‘desire’ to invite Griffin to liven up the ratings.
Mark Thompson had the advantage of making that statement in a cool calm interview with the Daily Mail. Had he been required to make that assertion in front of a self selected audience of interested parties, such as members of Bectu, the CWU, Unite, Aslef and co, whilst continually interrupted by panel members comprised of political figures committed to the abolition of the BBC, we might this morning be reporting that ‘Thompsonism is a state of permanent denial’ or ‘Mr Thompson was incoherent and unconvincing’ or ‘Repugnant, slippery and exposed as an empty vessel’ – but he wasn’t, so we are allowed to make up our own minds in peace and quiet as to whether we believe him, trust him, or wish to hear further from him.
A pity that ‘central principle of political impartiality’ didn’t extend itself beyond the invitation to the production of last night’s Question Time.
Nick Griffin’s arrival on the Question Time panel was marked by boos, jeers, hostility, and pre-prepared insults and goads – and that was just inside the studio.
What back screen negotiations with Downing Street left the ‘proper’ politicians on one side of Dimbleby, with Griffin marooned on the other side with Bonnie Greer, the other ‘lightweight’, no-body-is-quite-sure-why-she-is-here panellist? To Greer’s credit, she was the only one of the panel who responded to Griffin with anything approaching civility or the normal courtesy extended between those of differing political beliefs on late night television.
Jack Straw took his seat to the right of the host, ‘the honoured guest’, and from there did his best to look tortured but heroic as he plainly fought the urge to throw up; voice cracking with emotion when required to speak in this polluted atmosphere.
The usual Question Time format was discarded, the only vaguely topical question was on Jan Moir’s ‘Gatelygate’ article. Nine tenth of the time was taken up with questions of BNP policy and immigration – which had only become topical because of the invitation to Nick Griffin.
Thus the show took on the semblance of a Star chamber as one panellist, Griffin, was invited – to cheers and whoops of glee from the decidedly partisan audience – to defend his party and his beliefs. This is what passes for ‘political impartiality’ in the BBC in these dog days of Labour.
There were only two questioners – ‘You, in the yellow jumper, back row!’ – who didn’t take the opportunity to add some gratuitous ad hominem attack to their question, ‘repugunant’, ‘odious’, ‘disgusting’ etc, and their questions were delivered to a momentarily silent audience.
‘The vast majority of this audience finds what you stand for disgusting,’ one man told him.
Indeed, there was no support for Griffin in this audience or this panel. Which traduced the very reason he was there – he does have support within the British population. A million people – who were co-incidentally tossed aside as deluded fools who had been ’seduced’ into voting for him – apparently represent an unimportant minority, one whose views do not even have to be seriously debated – all done in the name of a multi-culturalism that supposedly exists to support minority views. What hypocrisy.
Does anybody imagine that a million voters who may well have voted for the BNP on the grounds that they feel marginalised, ignored, patronised and misunderstood will have watched last nights programme and felt any the less marginalised, ignored, patronised or misunderstood?
Regardless of where you stand on BNP policies, and as far as I am concerned, you may stand wherever you wish, we still have a semblance of a democracy, this was hare-coursing as spectator sport. It was unedifying. It was a return to the days of the inmates of Bethnell Green asylum being paraded for the entertainment of nobility.
I was ashamed to be watching this pantomime.
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1
October 23, 2009 at 11:40 -
Amen to that.
It reminded me of the other, holier than thou time episode, which reduced the USA ambassador to tears just after the September 11 th incident.
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2
October 23, 2009 at 12:02 -
Will Question Time be repeated as usual, on Saturday afternoon on Long Wave Radio 4?
I do hope so. It might be interesting for a change.
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3
October 23, 2009 at 12:03 -
It was a well known format of the media to interview ‘bosses’ in their luxurious, calm, plant endowed offices about industrial disputes and then interview the ‘workers’ in a busy rail station or on a busy road. Sounds familiar.
Who is this protecting? Who stands to gain?
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4
October 23, 2009 at 12:06 -
Rather than damage the BNP, I feel that this episode has done more to strengthen the BNP. There is the so-called British sense of fair play, and Nick Griffin was fouled. In my view, it was a victory for the BNP against the odds.
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5
October 23, 2009 at 12:09 -
A very unedifying spectacle. More akin to bear baiting. At no time were the issues that attracts people, in significant numbers, to the BNP addressed. The elephant continues to lurch around the living room. Imagine the uproar if Anjam Choudhrey had been treated in the same way, with BNP “thugs” trying to prevent his appearance on qt.
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6
October 23, 2009 at 12:11 -
7
October 23, 2009 at 12:12 -
8
October 23, 2009 at 12:12 -
Awww – poor little Nicky had his arse handed to him on a plate. Oh dear, how sad, never mind – still, at least he knows how the badger/hare/fox/refugee* feels now.
*Please delete as appropriate, depending on your blood-sport of choice.
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9
October 23, 2009 at 12:14 -
10
October 23, 2009 at 12:19 -
I know, Anna – Schadenfruede is a terrible thing, but in his case I’m prepared to make an exception. If he’s looking for sympathy, he’ll find it in the dictionary, somewhere between “shite” and “syphilis”.
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11
October 23, 2009 at 12:21 -
Oops – “Schadenfreude”, of course. That sound you hear is my old German teacher, spinning in his grave.
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12
October 23, 2009 at 12:41 -
How do you engage in subterfuge necessary to watch BBC TV.?
I’ve got BBC iPlayer, but it goesn’t work here. Very annoying.
I agree that this will do more for The BNP than some intended. Another own goal. I thought Britain was a Democracy, or have I missed something?
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13
October 23, 2009 at 12:51 -
14
October 23, 2009 at 13:09 -
I’d like to comment but I appear to have fallen asleep half way through QT. Mr Smudd says that at one point there were strange honks, snorts and perfunctory squeaks coming from both the TV screen and my sofa.
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15
October 23, 2009 at 13:10 -
I agree with every last syllable of the Raccoon’s rant – and to prove my sincerity beyond lickspittle toadying, this is one I posted in the early hours…http://www.notbornyesterday.org/3h.htm
The paucity of independent thought on display depressed me whatever comes after profoundly – ‘bottomly’ I suppose, although I’ve no desire to encourage the Lord of the Rings.
How apt it would have been had all the audience shouted in unison, “We are all individuals”.
Correctness breeds clones and jerking knees.
Yesterday Man -
16
October 23, 2009 at 14:21 -
If I were to write a manual on how to bring fascists to power it would have been followed to the letter thus far.
The BNP will get more votes and the response will be attempts to censor and disregard.
The Nazis had what, 200 convictions for hate speech? That redefined counter-productive.
Now watch the British love of an underdog trump the British love of ‘tolerance’.
The sad conclusion is this. We are run by fucking morons. Fucking morons will get us killed.
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17
October 23, 2009 at 15:19 -
I wonder how many of us there are who can still tell shit from putty?
‘Fucking morons will get us killed’. Correct – but before then, poor, enslaved, delusional, in jail for wrongly sifting garbage, voting alongside jailbirds and horses, paying money to protection vigilantes, bowing to the whims of Bruxelles Bollocks, and attacking everyone who says they’re not glad to be gay.
That’s better
Yesterday Man struggling with technology thrust upon us by folks behind think-pebble glasses in deep silos. x
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18
October 23, 2009 at 15:35 -
What was most important about the programme was that Griffin was given an oportunity to show the country what he was really like.
He did this in ‘Spades’.
I agree he was, in a sense, ambushed – but what could he possibly expect?
He and his kind deeply outrage anyone with a reasonable moral compass.
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19
October 23, 2009 at 15:46 -
20
October 23, 2009 at 16:01 -
John Ward:
I didn’t realise they were the only two options.
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21
October 23, 2009 at 16:31 -
Gloria, no more beans on toast before Question Time in future
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22
October 23, 2009 at 17:56 -
I thought Griffin did a splendid job of nailing Straw’s ass to the wall with his comment about Straws father being a coward and spending the war in jail as a consequence. The look on Straw’s face warmed the cockles of my heart.
In the final analysis it does not matter what the chattering classes think about the encounter on QT. The only thing that matters is what is the perception of these events by working class white voters in the various armpits up and down the country. These voters would have seen the other parties, and the selected BBC audience, ganging up on someone who has the temerity to mention the forbidden topic of immigration overload and the various other elephants magically unseen in the name of political correctness, and various other associated mental ailments, by the main political parties.
Add to that the very inelegant behaviour by the vast majority of MP’s regarding the expenses scandal, and I think a lot of core white ZaNuLab traditional voters will be putting their ticks in a different box next May.
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23
October 23, 2009 at 18:14 -
Question Time a complete farce.
BNP vote will continue to rise in spite of Mr Griffin. Imagine if BNP had an Alex Salmond or Nigel Farage as spokeman/panellist. White working class feel disenfranchised. Others, more affluent, feel the Green and Pleasant land drifting off to somewhere along the Somali coast.
Our mealy mouthed leaders of NuLab and Con have much to answer for. Griffin is their spawn.
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24
October 23, 2009 at 18:55 -
Dear Auntie Anna
I put shit round my windows and they fell out. I’d like to use putty next time, but Rodger Bodger says there are other alternatives. Do you by any chance know what they are?
Yesterday Man
PS I’m going to report you to Health & Safety for fagophilia. I’m a card-carrying fagophobic myself. -
25
October 23, 2009 at 19:14 -
Never mind – this should cheer you all up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K08akOt2kuo
Fair play for bigots!
Down with this sort of thing! -
26
October 23, 2009 at 19:44 -
Anna,
I watched the first 10/15 minutes and then turned off at the sheer ‘unfairness’ of the programme. ‘Unfairness’ in the sense that it portrayed a lynch-mob in a sense. Whatever ones views of the BNP – and I abhor them and their views – they are a legal party and obtained 2 MEPs in a democratic election. If the three main parties wish to ‘kill off’ the BNP then debate with them! The same goes for Ukip. Neither the BNP or Ukip will ‘go away’, so if they disagree then debate!!
On the bank statement front – it would be a tad humours were the bank in question to be BNP parisbas?? Couldn’t possibly be – could it?????
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27
October 23, 2009 at 20:08 -
What a cheek he has, trying to capitalise on his dad’s service, Churchill, Spitfires etc…..WW2 was about fighting fascists like him!
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28
October 23, 2009 at 21:18 -
In the earlier thread I said it would be an Establishment Pantomime, & no, the b*stards didn’t disappoint.
The programme should have been compulsory viewing for the entire voting population. This, sheeple, if you try to find ‘another way’ is just a taste of what you’re up against.
Here’s the disclaimer, no I am not a BNP member or a racist blah blah blah.
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29
October 24, 2009 at 02:08 -
my amigos think that griffin did rather well.straw showed himself to be a boring egotist.’I am the minister for justice’ well good for u jack…….but you are mortal just like the rest of us.a second from death.
it was so funnt o hear them giving griff hassle about speaking in tongues!
just when have we heard an honest answer from the other 3 parties?
lying thru their expense whitened effing teeth every day of the week since the dawn of time………..talk about hoons……….we do not matter to these pathetic babyish uni grads.its all like harry enfield.yah boo sucks………and fuck the uk public and everyone else……….we are all used as pawns.want proof?
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30
October 24, 2009 at 20:49 -
It amazes me.
I believe in freedom of thought, freedom of speech and freedom of association.
Thought these were basic British values. Could someone explain to me the difference between the socialist BNP and the socialist ‘illiberals’ that have obliterated this country over the last 12 years?
I don’t believe I am a racialist, I am, however, a freedom loving Englishman, proud of my country and what it has given to the world. I am ashamed that the socialist ‘illiberals’ have created thought crime and utterly destroyed the notion of freedom.
Hate all that the socialist BNP stands for, but stand up fully for their right to say it in a free democracy. Hate all that the socialist ‘illiberals’ running this country stand for and have done, but stand up for their right to do what they have been mandated to do in free, democratic elections (although it hurts me every day in a million ways).
GIVE ME THE FREEDOM TO DECIDE WHAT IT IS THAT I WANT TO LISTEN TO AND BELIEVE.
RESPECT
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31
October 29, 2009 at 01:43 -
Not once have you stated your views regarding the BNP do you agree with their racist and bigoted policies ? DeMOCracy is exactly the rule by mob and if 51% of people voted for the BNP in your constituency then they govern over the remaining 49%. Although you raise many important points, unfortunately there are no facts or balance within your argument. Yes it was staged, yes the audience were scripted and the panel except Griffin, and now i hear he’ll be returning. If you’re looking for someone to blame start by looking in the mirror.
Here are some facts
Andrew Brons Yorkshire and Humber 10% of the vote. The BNP won more than 120,139 votes in the Yorkshire region, slightly less than in 2004, but enough to take one of the six seats on offer in the region.
BNP achieved 943,598 votes (not 1 million as you’ve stated) 6.2% of Total votes cast.
Source
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/elections/euro/09/html/ukregion_999999.stm
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