December 28, 2009

Party leaders must tackle BNP head-on, says Michael Howard

The main political parties have not done enough to prevent the British National Party gaining strength, former Tory leader Michael Howard said yesterday

Mr Howard insisted it was necessary to confront the "appalling evil" of the far right head-on.

The Folkestone and Hythe MP told BBC Radio 4's World This Weekend: "I think I am still the only party leader who went to Burnley and devoted an entire speech to confronting the BNP and saying we have really got to take them on and we have got to take their arguments on. I do not think we can afford to be complacent. There are one or two constituencies where they are said to be a potent threat."

Asked whether the current party leaders were trying hard enough to tackle the danger, Mr Howard replied: "I'm not sure that they have to the real extent that needs to be done. I think you have got to take them on, you have got to confront them and you have got to expose the appalling evil of their arguments."

Last month, BNP candidate Charlie Baillie polled 1,013 votes in the Springburn by-election, in Glasgow, taking fourth place and narrowly forfeiting his deposit.

Scotsman

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

If the BNP weren't so anti-semitic I'm sure Michael Howard would be very attracted to it. I seem to remember at the last general election Conservative posters going on about immigration a lot even though Howard is descended from relatively recent Jewish immigrants. In 2001 when Hague was leader the Conservatives were always going on about protecting the British way of life. There isn't a massive difference between the right-wing of the Conservatives and the BNP; both are xenophobic, anti-EU, anti-immigration and authoritarian. Howard though has a religious and cultural difference which other Conservatives don't have. He should be honest that his anti-BNP credentials are more to do with himself than with the BNP.

ph said...

"Searchlight, and its lackeys are not bright enough to outwit me. Never in the history of Nationalism has one individual exposed nearly all searchlights spies. Yes, I’m going to give myself a pat on the back"......

Joe Owens writing on VNN. What a drug-dealing racist cocksure dick!

scampi said...

Joe Owens thinks that he is some sort of god, just like Cyclops Gri££o.

Do such extreme delusions of grandeur come naturally with far right politics?

Anonymous said...

The BNP's Tierney is now selling racist merchandise for both EDL and BNP fans: -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ISD-RAC-SKINHEAD-BNP-ENAMEL-BADGE-ANTI-AL-QUEADA-EDL_W0QQitemZ260529860618QQihZ016QQcategoryZ60605QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m444QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DCRX%26its%3DC%252BS%26itu%3DSI%252BUA%252BLM%252BLA%26otn%3D5%26ps%3D63

NewsHound said...

HOODED HOOLIGANS:

http://www.punemirror.in/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=5&contentid=200912292009122902353685612329896&sectxslt=

Anonymous said...

"The BNP's Tierney is now selling racist merchandise for both EDL and BNP fans"

How do you know that's Tierney? I can't see anything that points to that. Far from it, one of his feedbacks say, "thanks Chris".

smith said...

More and more the Tories are taking on the BNP (and vice versa) as the BNP realise that Cameron is almost certain to be the next prime minister.

Anonymous said...

Don't know about BNP but I do know that certain Ebay sellers don't go under their actual names when selling stuff, particularly racist and nationalistic tat like this.

About the Consevatives, it's good they are challenging the BNP to a fight.

Anonymous said...

Joe Owens has extremely paranoid recently. He seems to be convinced everyone (apart from himself) is a searchlight mole. I think he may be over indulging in the columbian marching powder.

gtm

Anonymous said...

The Tories can't stand Cameron. because they know how he really thinks but he's trying to gain votes from the left. He's all photo stunts and opportunist clap trap. Truth is he can't please anyone, he's in a mess.

Anonymous said...

Cameron pretends to support us because it keeps us off his back. He's crafty. Did you see the Daily Mail report on him sucking up to the Libdems?

Anonymous said...

Have you seen this? How can he fight the BNP trying to join up with the LIb-dems?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1238890/David-Cameron-courts-LibDem-voters-insisting-lot-disagreement-parties.html

Anonymous said...

The Gwent march has caused offence.


http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/gwentnews/4822250.Hundreds_join_annual_Muslim_march/