The Great Debate UK
Coalition must tackle issues fuelling far right
Professor Ted Cantle is executive chair, Institute of Community Cohesion at Coventry University. The opinions expressed are his own.-
The apparent failure of the British National Party to secure a parliamentary seat at the May 2010 general election has obscured the growth in support for far right groups.
In 2001 the BNP picked up 47,000 votes, in 2005 it had grown to 192,000. This year it was 563,000.
Based on a new analysis by iCoCo of the voting patterns for far right groups, this appears to be part of an underlying trend of gathering support which threatens the stability of the UK’s communities, and would lead to the need for greater spending by local government and their partners on dealing with tensions.
The 2010 general election and new media
Matthew McGregor is the Director Blue State Digital’s London office. The opinions expressed are his own.
The 2010 general election will be the first closely British election in which the internet will be an important factor. The last truly close election in 1992 was fought in a way unrecognisable to campaigners today. In 1997, most of us had yet to use email. In 2005, YouTube was barely three months into its existence.
from UK News:
Should BNP be on Question Time?
On Thursday night, BNP leader Nick Griffin will appear on the BBC's leading current affairs programme "Question Time", an appearance that has provoked much anger and debate.
Griffin is no stranger to the airwaves or TV screens, regularly appearing this week alone after four leading former generals attacked his party for using military imagery as part of its campaigning
from UK News:
Should the BNP be able to use military imagery?
This is a busy week for the British National Party (BNP).
Today it was warned to stop using military imagery in its campaign material. A group of former military leaders accused the BNP, which has used photographs of spitfire fighter planes and Winston Churchill, of hijacking Britain's history for their own "dubious ends."
The distinguished generals said this tarnished the reputation of the armed forces and called on them to "cease and desist."
Why the results of the European elections matter
- Justin Fisher is Professor of Political Science and Director of the Magna Carta Institute at Brunel University. The opinions expressed are his own. -
It’s fair to say that the results of the European elections in Britain were something of a shock. Of course, it was evident that Labour was going to do badly and the BNP’s success in winning its first European seats did not come entirely out of the blue. But the collapse of Labour’s vote exceeded what most had predicted, and the realisation that the BNP now has 2 of the UK’s 72 MEPs is more dramatic than the possibility that it might occur.
Rise of BNP reflects voter disengagement
- James Graham is the Campaigns and Communications Manager of Unlock Democracy The opinions expressed are his own. -
The rise of the far right in Britain is not a sign that people are flirting with fascism but a signal that disengagement has reached a crisis point.
What European election campaign?
- Richard Whitaker is a lecturer in European politics at the University of Leicester, UK. The opinions expressed are his own. -
Europe rarely features highly in European election campaigns in Britain. In the 2004 campaign the word Euro more often than not referred to a football tournament rather than the single currency. And for at least two reasons, we shouldn’t expect European integration to be much discussed.
