In April 2000, Nick Griffin shared his vision with a group of white nationalists in the US: “perhaps one day, by being rather more subtle, we’ll get ourselves into a position where we control the British broadcasting media”.  Tonight, Griffin is due to appear as a panellist on BBC’s Question Time.  So, has he achieved his vision?

There is no doubt that since his conviction for inciting racial hatred in 1998, Griffin’s tactics have changed.  He talks about using “saleable” words to win British votes, such as “security” and “identity” rather than “racial purity”.  He takes every opportunity to insist that the BNP is not a racist party.  But Griffin’s insistence that the party is not racist does not make it so.  Even on its own website there is an ongoing debate amongst BNP members about whether they are members of a racist party of not.  One member comments “I don't like what Muslims (sic) believe in, practice or preach. I don't want them in our country and I certainly don't want them as a neighbour.”  Another states “What is of interest to us, though, is whether THE BNP is racist - and it would help if this website, above all, was able to answer the question honestly. I think the answer must be yes…. I mean, if we're racist, we're racist. And I don't mean this in an unfriendly way at all...”  

I prefer this level of honesty and would rather have a debate with someone who is willing to be open about what they believe in, rather than Griffin’s spun comments around racial purity, when in his own words, he is looking for British people to “change their mind and say ‘every last one of them must go’”.  

What this level of honesty makes clear, though, is that whilst Griffin might be becoming more politically canny, the remainders of the BNP are still many steps behind him and it is no surprise that Griffin is the only spokesperson that the BNP is willing to put forward in front of the media.  

So is it an atrocity for Griffin to be being a panel member on Question Time?  No.  Whilst he may be more polished in his spin of BNP values, at the heart of it, Griffin still represents a party of hatred, not a party of governance, as even a cursory look through their manifesto makes clear.  I do believe in the freedom of speech, even for odious people like Griffin.  I also believe that people need to hear what Griffin and his party stand for so that they fully appreciate just how racist the BNP actually is and whether they really want these people to take decisions on their behalf.  After all, who knows which groups of society they could focus on next?