September 21, 2011

BNP talk up links with Ireland ahead of Griffin visit

Simon Darby, the BNP’s media spokesman, spoke to The University Times about his party’s connections with Ireland ahead of Nick Griffin MEP’s visit to the College in October.

Mr. Darby highlighted the “great deal of concern” he felt existed in Ireland at the moment over the issue of immigration. The number of recent radio interviews Nick Griffin had done with Irish broadcasters, he said, evidenced “the interest the Irish people have in the issue”.

He was also keen to point out the “considerable amount of people of Irish extraction” who had voted for Nick Griffin in the recent European elections. Mr. Griffin MEP represents the North-West England constituency, which includes Manchester and Liverpool, two towns with long-standing connections to Ireland. Mr. Griffin finished fifth in 2009’s election, behind Britain’s three largest parties and a UKIP candidate, polling 8% of the vote.

The BNP have traditionally included the Irish among their classification of the “indigenous British”. In an interview with the BBC in May of 2010 Mr. Griffin said, “We are certainly not going to shut the doors to the Irish, because the Irish, as far as we are concerned, are part of Britain and fully entitled to come here.”

This drew a rebuke from Jennie McShannon, chief executive of the Federation of Irish Societies in Britain. “We do not recognise the portrait of ‘White Britain’ painted by the British National Party,” she said. “When the Irish arrived in Britain in the 1950s alongside immigrants from the West Indies, we were met by boarding house signs reading ‘No Irish, No Blacks, No dogs’. The racism stirred up by Nick Griffin’s predecessors created a climate of fear with lasting damage to the physical and mental health of both communities. In today’s Britain, we recognise the contribution of generations of migrants to the diversity of our shared culture. As Irish people we wish to be included and our Irishness celebrated, and so, too, we extend this support to other communities.”

Mr. Darby was keen to clarify the BNP’s position on the ethnicity of the Irish, saying that they “did not regard them as British as such.” He also sought to tackle the “quasi-imperialist” impression he felt had been given by the reporting of the BNP’s suggestion that Ireland be re-incorporated into a union with Britain.

“We don’t want British rule in Ireland. What we mean is a loose federation, a loose collection. It would be rather like an emasculated version of the European Union, but just for the British Isles.”

Speaking about the possibility of the BNP hosting a rally in Ireland or seeking to make contact with similarly minded Irish political groups Mr. Darby said that this was “another matter” that was best “not confused” with the debate.

“We are aware of the existence of a number of groups. But there simply isn’t anything tangible there at the moment. There is nothing I would like to see more than an Irish National Party representing the interests of the Irish people.”

The University Times

9 comments:

irishtony said...

I can still vividly remember the Ireland England match at lansdowne Rd when a bunch of thugs caused a riot and forced the game to be abandoned. I remember the chants of "BNP" echoing both in and out of the stadium.

I wonder if Griffin remembers that?

Anonymous said...

We've seen what the BNP core support think of the Irish - they don't share Griffin's view of the Irish. They tell us we should go home because the famine is over!

was bnp said...

Gri££in is so incompetent, he couldn’t link his hands up with his own fat arse. The BNP is a useless little clique of deviants and last-placers. This Ireland trip will end in fiasco just like everything else they touch; and I’m speaking as an ex-member by the way.

Anonymous said...

I would not go to Ireland, Simon Darby and Nick Griffin are on the wanted list over there for robbing IRISH buisness people. Im sure you will get a very warm welcome which you will both deserve!

Anonymous said...

A very, very large proportion of Mosley's Blackshirts were Irish first and second generation.

Wolfie said...

That'll be the same BNP that's so concerned about the irish that they've recently caused the closure of a (northern) irish business?

Anonymous said...

Mr. Darby was keen to clarify the BNP’s position on the ethnicity of the Irish, saying that they “did not regard them as British as such.”

Does that mean that people with Irish ancestry will be subject to discrimation in a BNP ruled Britain?

British fascists shift all over the place on this issue.

Anonymous said...

Wasn't there some sort of half arsed attempt to set up an Irish version of the BNP a couple of years ago? Wasn't it a miserable failure?

Anonymous said...

Invitation to BNP leader

Sir, – Yes, another Freshers’ Week in Trinity College is upon us, and it is time for the annual contrived outrage by one of the two main undergraduate debating societies there, this time the University Philosophical Society with their “invitation” to British national party leader Nick Griffin (Home News, September 19th).

Is there anyone in Ireland who does not recognise this buffoonery for what it is, an attempt to garner publicity and large memberships, or who believes that this juvenile nonsense has anything to do with furthering debate on important issues? The Irish Times provides sponsorship for glorified shouting shops for undergraduates like the University Philosophical Society.These student societies have long provided a convenient breeding ground for some of the biggest windbags in the Law Library. – Yours, etc,

ULTAN Ó BROIN,

South Circular Road,

Dublin 8.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2011/0921/1224304483174.html

Well said Ultan! Let's hope these publicity seeking idiots go the same way as Griffin and the BNP.