Samoa is not in yesterday but today as time moves forward

Time to question time in Samoa

In the classic "Radio Ham" Tony Hancock memorably explained to would-be helpers of a stranded yachtsman that it "isn't this time of night where he is, it's yesterday afternoon". The time zones of the world have often led to a mixture of confusion and curiosity. And when Greenwich Meant Time was invented, with its 24 hour zoning of the world, it was the British Empire that thought the Pacific islands better off stradling today and yesterday at the same time. But in the modern world, places like Samoa don't want to be in yesterday longer than they have to be. Now they are in today. Meaning they get to beat the world for New Year's Day fireworks and the rest. But losing a whole day. Where did it go? It's all a bit Doctor Who-ish. I wish them well.

Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi says "In doing business with New Zealand and Australia, we're losing out on two working days a week. While it's Friday here, it's Saturday in New Zealand and when we're at church Sunday, they're already conducting business in Sydney and Brisbane." Makes sense. This way you can go to church with the Aussies and Kiwis and do business with them as well, in a timely manner so to speak.

Lies, deception and press claptrap!

I'm not in favour of dealing with political opponents in the way that the liberal elite and chattering classes have with regard to the BNP. All they do is conveniently cover up their own political crap and try to rubbish the far right with juvenile epithets and illogical soundbites.

The BBC is now being exposed as having entered into some kind of conspiracy to debunk Nick Griffin. All they have done is succeed in looking mightily dodgy as far as "a duty to impartiality" is concerned. In fact, the Deputy Director General of the BBC, Mark Byford, might as well have said the reason they wanted him on was to have a kind of "man in the stocks" reality show.

The audience was partially selected. Dimbleby is said to have encouraged booing. With what result. The BNP goes up in the polls because the programme was seen as a martyr's slaying. What a stupid lot they are.

Now for some real fibbing and deception. In the Daily Mail, a paper known for its epistolic abuse of asylum seekers and people of an economic migrancy tendency, Edward Heathcote-Amory says this of the BNP -

RHETORIC: 'Our immigration policy is supported by 84 per cent of the British people at present.'

REALITY: The BNP's immigration policy is voluntary repatriation of 'immigrants' (ie non-whites) regardless of whether they were born here. There is no evidence that any but a tiny minority of British people support such a plan. Mr Griffin himself recently suggested that if there was a problem working out where to send immigrants back to, he would 'drop them out of a plane somewhere over Africa'.

The inference is that the BNP is the only party to have a policy of voluntary repatriation. Edward is being partial with the truth. Ever since the Immigration Act of 1971 came into force, the government has a policy of voluntary repatriation.

The BNP’s policy is to:
- Deport all the two million plus who are here illegally;
- Deport all those who commit crimes and whose original nationality was not British;
- Review all recent grants of residence or citizenship to ensure they are still appropriate;
- Offer generous grants to those of foreign descent resident here who wish to leave permanently;
- Stop all new immigration except for exceptional cases;
- Reject all asylum seekers who passed safe countries on their way to Britain.

The New Labour government is trying to deport people, they are trying to reduce immigration and they have a voluntary repatriation scheme in place (not rescinded!).

If we are to have a debate let's cut out the lies and deceit. I do not favour or support the BNP because they do not give me the feeling that they will treat all Britons with equal fairness. Neither do I think their draconian policies will help. But we have to find a way to argue on the facts.

It seems those in positions of authority have abondoned arguing on facts in favour of demonising and deceiving. Question Time has come up to give the BBC a kick up the backside. Those who manipulate the truth will be found out. By all means attack Griffin on his ideas to 'drop people out of planes' but do not add untruths into the bargain!

The hype was better than the show

So Nick Griffin has done his Question Time. I can't say I was impressed, by him or the BBC. In fact, the hype was more exciting than the actual programme. The only person to come out of it well was Bonnie Greer. She did her best to chivvy Griffin along and I think she succeeded. At one time I thought they had the making of a double act.

David Dimbleby seemed to have come with a type of Twenty Questions format, all ready to grill Griffin. The audience, which appeared anything but a cross-section of British society (more the BBC's insurance policy against being labelled a patsy for the BNP), were there to lob pot shots at "Nick". Chris Huhne did OK and Baroness Warsi was able to stick a few damp squibs on Jack Straw. I thought Straw was his usual evasive self when the questioning got tough on immigration.

But truth to tell, I don't think this will harm the BNP or do it many favours. My wife, who is anything but a BNP sympathiser thought Griffin enhanced his situation. That surprised me. I thought he looked like a controlled but shifty character, his bottom lip quivering as one insult too many struck home.

On tonight's showing Jack Straw won't cut the mustard nationally with the BNP. He might stir it up a bit in Blackburn, but he's got too many dodgy skeletons in his political cupboard. I'm surprised Griffin didn't use any (apart from his father's war effort). So the end result for me is that the BBC came off best with regard to the ratings and Bonnie Greer came off best with regard to the best way to treat your foes - with a grand mixture of humour, dignity and slight chiding!

BNP debate 'illegal', warns Peter Hain

Peter Hain is scrabbling around in the gutter trying to curry favour with every anti-democratic faction going. He's got apoplexy because the BBC has invited Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP and now an MEP, onto Question Time.

Hain's trumpeting the "fact" that the BNP is illegal. No more illegal than half the stuff he's been involved in. The man is a veritable plonker!!

The BBC has a duty to be impartial. It is absolutely right that the BNP is involved if a level of British people see fit to go out and vote in their dodgy candidates. Democracy throws up the rough with the smooth. All that the salivating Hain is doing is helping the BNP cause. So he's threatening to take the BBC to court!

The BNP is not illegal as far as the courts are concerned, or as far as the government is, or the Electoral Commission. Let this pompous prat waste his time in court on a frivolous legal challenge. My advice to all democrats is to debate with the BNP and take on the arguments.