The assertion by the Secretary of State for Wales, Peter Hain that he will boycott the BBC’s flagship political debate programme Question Time over proposals to invite the British National Party to take part is a bit of a mixed blessing.
On the one hand we will be spared having to watch him for some time to come, on the other hand and more seriously, we find ourselves back in the realm of gesture politics. The question is whether Peter Hain’s announcement also presages a similar one from Labour HQ on their future involvement in the programme.
The fact is that the BNP now have two MEPs and a London Assembly Member. Unpleasant as that thought is we cannot continue to give them a free run. Their views need to be challenged head on and in this instance, a respected anti-apartheid campaigner like Peter Hain is the ideal person to do it.
I sincerely hope that he reconsiders.
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No Platform policies are ridiculous and do the BNP a huge favour. What more could a party who paint themselves as anti-politics want than the mainstream parties refusing to talk to them. Whatismore, I have never, ever seen someone from the BNP win an argument – their lies crumble so quickly in an arena of reasoned debate – so it is very much in the interest of anti-fascists to see them debate other politicians.