Nick Griffin, the leader, or should that be Duce, of Britain’s “far right” BNP (the “far right” is in quotes because of the strong collectivist, populist-left strain than is also part of the BNP’s agenda) is appearing at the BBC today to take part in a debate. Anti-BNP protestors duly smashed their way onto the premises in an attempt to stop him from taking part, helpfully demonstrating that the BNP leader was not the only fascist at the BBC today and, incidentally, giving his unlovely party a handy piece of publicity.
Meanwhile, two MPs, one Labour and one Conservative, write in the Daily Telegraph today on the U.K.’s immigration tragedy (a tragedy that is only a part of Tony Blair’s destructive legacy) and the extent to which it has helped the BNP along:
The present Government has acted as a recruiting sergeant to enrol workers from abroad. Before the EU expanded, ministers asserted that no more than 13,000 would come each year from the new countries to find work in this country. All too quickly the numbers swelled towards a million. But the jokes about Polish plumbers have hidden a key fact: two thirds of immigration comes from outside Europe, and is of people who want to make our country their home for good.
Overwhelmingly, this increase in immigration has been in England which, within the past 15 years, has become the most densely populated country in Europe. England is being fundamentally changed. All too many schools report that English is not the first language for the vast majority of students. Yesterday’s statistics show that, over time, the increase in population will to an even greater degree be down to those coming here and their offspring. We have failed fully to integrate many of our newcomers: this shift will further tilt the balance away from a cohesive national identity.
Rather than use its energies to control these waves of immigration, the Government has instead clamped down on any public debate about the issue – it has studiously avoided seeking voter approval for the changes Britain has undergone. Gordon Brown’s 6,435-word address to the Labour Party conference last month contained a mere 83 words about immigration. At the Conservative conference, David Cameron offered a mere 58 words out of 6,387. So much for the new era of honesty in politics.
Politicians’ failure to address what voters have always regarded as one of their top two priorities (the other is the economy) has opened the door to the BNP. Nick Griffin does not owe his opportunity to peddle evil views on tonight’s Question Time to some faulty judgment of the BBC. His vote in the European elections earned it for him. And that opportunity only arose because of the political cowardice and irresponsibility of the two main parties – but particularly of the Labour Party. Poll after poll shows BNP support coming from ex-Labour voters who believe their party has deserted them on immigration, and failed to represent their interests as underdogs in what until recently was a country characterised by unparalleled prosperity.
Social strains caused by immigration were all too obvious even during a period of record public spending increases. Immigration now accounts for 40 per cent of new households formed, just as the waiting list for social housing in England tops 1.8 million – an incredible 80 per cent increase in the past six years. We are now into a period of unparalleled austerity. The social tensions that are already present could be massively exacerbated, especially as yesterday’s figures suggest the population will increase by a further two million over the next Parliament – and a further two million in the Parliament after that…