Currently there is much hooha over Richard Barnbrook, BNP London Assembly Member, inviting Nick Griffin to a Buckingham Palace garden party. Boris Johnson is getting excited, so is the Daily Mail. It's seen as an affront to all concerned, not least Her Majesty. However, Barnbrook is an elected politician, so they are on thin ice if the critics don't want to be seen as undemocratic. If I were them, I'd shut up. The Daily Mail keeps saying they don't want any BNP MEPs elected, but they are giving them front page publicity. Now everyone thinks Nick Griffin is to have cucumber sandwiches with the Queen. Of course it's a lot of tosh. Even if he went there, it's hardly likely she'd meet him. Now she'll have to make a special point of avoiding him in case a Mail snapper is on the loose!
Darren Johnson is "Chair" of the London Assembly. He thinks "We cannot tolerate any such abuse of the invitation or any potential embarrassment to Her Majesty. I am therefore writing to call on you to inform Mr Barnbrook - at the earliest opportunity - that he must either bring a guest who will not provoke political controversy, or consider his invitation rescinded." I doubt he will want the latter. So it is bringing a guest that "will not provoke political controversy". Hard to see how that could happen now.
Barnbrook and a local street cleaner? Or maybe an escort? Whoever it is, the person will be questioned at length. A monumental amount of publicity will ensue. I always thought Dacre ran a crackpot outfit!
My suggestion is he takes Susan Boyle with him. Everyone will be swarming over her that not only will Barnbrook be eclipsed, but everyone will forget what they went to the garden party for!
This is a different Garden Party - but still a great one!
Showing posts with label Richard Barnbrook. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Richard Barnbrook. Show all posts
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Sunday, May 4, 2008
BNP's Barnbrook shunned as a pariah
The wonders of democracy work well with some people. In a free vote it's up to the people to choose whom they want to represent them. If you don't like the result, well, you've probably lost the argument. Labour lost much of the argument in London and elsewhere due to the 10p tax fiasco. Now we are getting crodocile tears mixed up with cupboard love. I've seen Harriet Harman dishing out this mawkish monotone today and it is unconvincing.
In London, Richard Barnes, the Conservative leader on the 25-member assembly, has said, "The BNP will have problems finding secretaries and getting support from the staff here, and I will totally support people's right to say they don't want to serve them. They may have a foot in the door but they won't get anywhere near the levers of power." Mr.Barnes may think he's being clever, but I think it just shows a lack of judgement and a denial of the democratic process. The lack of judgement is that this poncy behaviour, much beloved of New Labour, just plays into the hands of the BNP. In fact, they are now threatening legal action if Barnes and others prevent Barnbrook from getting the support he is entitled to. It shows also a lack of imagination in dealing with the BNP. If Barnes and the Conservative group have no real policies to counter those of the BNP, then that's a loss to the democratic process. We've had all sorts of mixed messages on immigration, policing, and multi-cultural funding from the Conservatives, so it is little wonder that Barnbrook was able to capitalise on this.
But it is also a denial of the democratic process. Richard Barnes is basically saying the same as Brigadier Terence Clarke did 40-odd years ago in Portsmouth. Clarke lost to Labour and he promptly denounced the voters (including his own, it seemed) as "You're all bloody fools!". I'm sure Barnes thinks similar things about BNP voters. However, denouncing the electorate and getting into high dudgeon does little good.
I don't want to see the BNP given anything other their legal rights. If it is the considered opinion of the "main parties" that certain political parties are banned, let them do so. Otherwise it is what the electorate chooses and not the self-serving paragons of virtue. I will never vote BNP, but I will also never behave with such schoolboy antics as Richard Barnes is now embarking on.
Like it or not, over 1 million people in Britain are prepared to vote BNP. The London poll showed that over a quarter do not want the three main parties and are prepared to say so in the ballot box. Richard Barnes should grow up politically and realise that support for the BNP is based quite a bit on the fact that sleaze continues in Parliament, lies have been told about Iraq, and generally politicians are held in low esteem. The way forward is for the Conservative Party to address the concerns of the people, clean up their personal expenses act, and deliver meaningful policies. That way lies a successful Conservative Party.
In London, Richard Barnes, the Conservative leader on the 25-member assembly, has said, "The BNP will have problems finding secretaries and getting support from the staff here, and I will totally support people's right to say they don't want to serve them. They may have a foot in the door but they won't get anywhere near the levers of power." Mr.Barnes may think he's being clever, but I think it just shows a lack of judgement and a denial of the democratic process. The lack of judgement is that this poncy behaviour, much beloved of New Labour, just plays into the hands of the BNP. In fact, they are now threatening legal action if Barnes and others prevent Barnbrook from getting the support he is entitled to. It shows also a lack of imagination in dealing with the BNP. If Barnes and the Conservative group have no real policies to counter those of the BNP, then that's a loss to the democratic process. We've had all sorts of mixed messages on immigration, policing, and multi-cultural funding from the Conservatives, so it is little wonder that Barnbrook was able to capitalise on this.
But it is also a denial of the democratic process. Richard Barnes is basically saying the same as Brigadier Terence Clarke did 40-odd years ago in Portsmouth. Clarke lost to Labour and he promptly denounced the voters (including his own, it seemed) as "You're all bloody fools!". I'm sure Barnes thinks similar things about BNP voters. However, denouncing the electorate and getting into high dudgeon does little good.
I don't want to see the BNP given anything other their legal rights. If it is the considered opinion of the "main parties" that certain political parties are banned, let them do so. Otherwise it is what the electorate chooses and not the self-serving paragons of virtue. I will never vote BNP, but I will also never behave with such schoolboy antics as Richard Barnes is now embarking on.
Like it or not, over 1 million people in Britain are prepared to vote BNP. The London poll showed that over a quarter do not want the three main parties and are prepared to say so in the ballot box. Richard Barnes should grow up politically and realise that support for the BNP is based quite a bit on the fact that sleaze continues in Parliament, lies have been told about Iraq, and generally politicians are held in low esteem. The way forward is for the Conservative Party to address the concerns of the people, clean up their personal expenses act, and deliver meaningful policies. That way lies a successful Conservative Party.
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