griffin on question time, will you be watching?

[London_Calling]

There's more sense in a cauliflower than you Weltweit.

 

[STFC]

Got better things to do with my life. When they got their first councillors it was headline news every time it happpened, now it doesn't rate a mention. Then they got their first MEPs. I guess we will just have to get used to them being interviewed the same as any other party. Soon it won't seem shocking. It was more interesting watching a labour politician avoid the question about why the BNP have gained influence under a labour government.

That's a good point. I wonder if anyone will raise it with Jack Straw tonight?

 

[belboid]

I’ll be out, but will probably catch up with it when we get back in. Tho I may prioritise the Masterchef final….

 

[IMR]

Here's today's Indy:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-you-watch-question-time-tonight-1806874.html

See if you agree with the same BNP flagship policy I did.

You just want the assault rifle don't you?

 

[danny la rouge]

You just want the assault rifle don't you?

No, that's not it.

 

[behemoth]

Probably...if only to see the other panellsists reactions - simply trying to shout Griffin down won't work, there are plenty of people voting BNP so maybe they should try and figure out why rather than attempting to ignore them and hope they go away.

I agree. And as long as people are voting BNP in large numbers they have a right to see their politicians represented on TV. If some far left party had that much support, people on here would be creaming themselves about the forthcoming revolution, and demanding they be represented on every political programme going. When the left point an accusing finger at the BNP, three fingers are pointing right back at their own failure.

 

[trevhagl]

i will but it will be awkward viewing seeing a twat like Jack Straw who is one of the original New Labourites try to upstage him

 

[QueenOfGoths]

We are out so won't be able to watch it live but may try to catch it on i-player. If I haven't seen loads of clips by then on the news and stuff.

 

[danny la rouge]

i will but it will be awkward viewing seeing a twat like Jack Straw who is one of the original New Labourites try to upstage him

Jack Straw is one of the reasons people vote BNP, so he will and can only help Griffin.

 

[YouSir]

I doubt I will, although I'll pop in here to see if anything interesting happens and maybe watch on iPlayer later. Seems like a massive non-event to me, Griffin's hollow sound-bites vs everyone elses hollow sound-bites.

 

[IMR]

An inimical source to many here no doubt, and not my favourite columnist either, but Richard Littlejohn actually talks a bit more sense on Griffin and Question Time than most other newspaper pundits to date:

Best case, you monster him and come across as a bully. Worst case, he challenges you to disagree with some of his views, perhaps on something as straightforward as demanding a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, and you're immediately tarred as guilty by association.

Once you've said he's a racist, where else is there to go?

[. . .]

Back when I had a show on Sky TV, my producer thought it would be a good idea to invite Griffin to appear . . . I put it to Griffin that what set the BNP apart was the large elephant not in the manifesto, namely that it is the 'Wogs Out' party.

Even when I confronted him with the incontrovertible evidence in chapter and verse, he shrugged and shuffled, mouthed a few platitudes and that was about it. I may have pressed him again on the overtly racist appeal of the BNP, but it didn't achieve anything.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1221550/RICHARD-LITTLEJOHN-Why-I-wouldnt-Question-Time-unsavoury-Nick-Griffin.html

 

[goldenecitrone]

FFS. Do me a favour. Griffin does this for breakfast.

Yep, and shows the world what a complete racist cunt he is most of the time. Let's see what he comes out with tonight.

 

[butchersapron]

Jack Straw is one of the reasons people vote BNP, so he will and can only help Griffin.

Mellodramatic title, but this article from Gary Younge gets that point across pretty well (whilst not getting the larger argument quite right).

When you watch the BNP on TV, just remember: Jack Straw started all this

But it is no accident that this happened on New Labour's watch and no small irony that Jack Straw should set himself up as Griffin's opponent.

Economically, its neoliberal policies have resulted in growing insecurity, rising unemployment, child poverty and inequality that have alienated the poor and made the middle class feel vulnerable. Politically, its lies over the war, stewardship of the expenses scandal and internal bickering have produced widespread cynicism with our political culture.

[...]

New Labour marginalised the white working class, assuming they had nowhere else to go, only to find some of them rush into the arms of the far right. Peter Hain has made an impressive stand over the last few weeks. But during the last election he slammed those who were abandoning New Labour as "the kind of dinner party critic who quaffs shiraz or chardonnay".

But it was always the beer talking. New Labour extinguished all hope of class solidarity and singularly failed to provide principled anti-racist alternatives, leaving a significant section of the white working class to seek cheap refuge in racism and xenophobia. In their identity they see not the potential for resistance against corruption and injustice, but only a grievance. They don't trust government and don't see any alternatives. The coming election simply provides the choice between two parties that share the intent to slash public spending, after the gift of billions to bankers.

 

[danny la rouge]

Gary Younge gets that point across pretty well (whilst not getting the larger argument quite right).

That's what I often find with Gary Younge. I shout at the newspaper, because I want him to get there.

 

[john x]

Any chance of getting Eddie Izzard on the panel?

Does anyone remember his appearance on QT when they discussed the 'european constitution'. He properly wiped the floor with the politicians and if he wore tons of makeup that would freak Griffin out even more!

john x

 

[stupid dogbot]

Probably not - QT makes me want to throw things at the TV, which I'd rather not do.

 

[durruti02]

33 to 1 in favour of watching .. comments please from the 'No Platform'ers

 

[durruti02]

Any chance of getting Eddie Izzard on the panel?

Does anyone remember his appearance on QT when they discussed the 'european constitution'. He properly wiped the floor with the politicians and if he wore tons of makeup that would freak Griffin out even more!

john x

this ^^

 

[belboid]

33 to 1 in favour of watching .. comments please from the 'No Platform'ers

mmm, it has no relevance whatsover.

He has been given the platform, not watching would make no difference at all.

Daft comment

 

[john x]

I'm confused!

I thought that Question Time was from Edinburgh this week. Why are people protesting at Television Centre in London?

john x

 

[belboid]

cos you're wrong, it is in London

 

[MikeMcc]

It should be quite fun, politics meets the Jeremy Kyle show!

 

[Azrael]

I'll be watching Question Time to see if Mr Griffin deserves his reputation as a fearsome debater, or if, as I suspect, he's got it because most of his opponents are rubbish.

 

[Orang Utan]

i like what is said about it here:
http://sarahditum.com/2009/10/22/guest-post-having-my-say-griffin-on-qt/

 

[Zabo]

I'm confused!

I thought that Question Time was from Edinburgh this week. Why are people protesting at Television Centre in London?

john x

Some folks don't have Google Maps.

 

[ovaltina]

Yep, I can't really not watch it. I might throw eggs at the telly though.

 

[Azrael]

i like what is said about it here:
http://sarahditum.com/2009/10/22/guest-post-having-my-say-griffin-on-qt/

The author's right in saying that giving Mr Griffin a platform isn't technically an issue of free speech. Banning him does go against the spirit of it, though.

"You may even be agreeing with everything here but think that the BNP should still be allowed to appear, in which case I’d ask you to have a think about where you would draw a line. Would you allow a platform to a party that wanted to bring back slavery? A party that wanted to take away the right of women to vote? A party that wanted to lower the age of consent to 14? What about 10? 5? 2? I’m hoping we’d all draw the line somewhere."

Not if they got enough votes to justify their presence. The whole point about free speech is that "drawing a line" isn't the answer. Lots of people seem pathologically incapable of grasping the point that a soapbox isn't an endorsement. You have the likes of Mr Griffin on a platform in order to discredit him. Just as the hypothetical slavery supporting or NABLA party would be ridiculed.

Sadly the panel they've picked is Mr Griffin's dream lineup of remote metro-elitists. I'll be amazed if he doesn't run rings around them.

 

[elbows]

I will be watching, I used to watch question time every week in the earlier part of this century but it became a bit predictable and one day I could not stomach it anymore. I will be watching this one for a multitude of reasons, including the fact that people are going to be talking about it a lot and I want to see firsthand what is said.

 

[chieftain]

I'll be watching, be interesting to hear what he has to say.

Freedom of speech, amazing how complicated this simple concept can get.

 

[Azrael]

Freedom of speech, amazing how complicated this simple concept can get.

Only gets complicated if you don't actually believe in it, and sacrifice thousands of trees arguing where a line should be drawn, rather than if.