Questiontime & BNP

[Abaddon]

So who will be watching question time? BBC1, 2235 tonight.

Since the BBC director general Mark Thompson gave BNP leader Nick Griffin the green light to appear on the show it has caused a storm of controversy.

I for one do not hold with the ideology of Mr Griffin & his party; however I do support his right to appear on the show.

I find it strangely odd that anti-fascist protesters are among the loudest groups to try & stop his appearance. Do they not realise that they are in danger of becoming that which they are protesting against???

[Chester]

I think the majority of people agree with you.

The most vociferous people against his appearance are other MPs. Makes you wonder what they are afraid of?

[non-stick]

I doubt I'll watch it but I hope they get hoisted by their own petard in appearring.

[Xtro]

I watched it last night and I thought Griffin came across as shifty and evasive and he made some ludicrous statements. He appeared sweaty and nervous and his attempt to literally laugh off some of the comments directed at him was very unconvincing. I can't see his performance increasing support for the BNP, but having said that, Straw's response to the question on immigration was lamentable. Warsi, the Tory representative, was right - Straw was in denial and has his head in the sand. I would have preferred at least one question on a current issue, e.g. the postal strike, rather than it all being about the BNP.

I watch QT most weeks. Dimbleby does annoy me sometimes - he seems to let government ministers waffle on without answering the question, but interrupts others very quickly when they are just about to say something of interest.

[Chester]

I agree about it being a one question show. The BNP didn't 'deserve' (whichever way you look at it) to be the centre of attention throughout. Half the political commentators think it was still a mistake as it may boost their recruitment whilst the others think it is good that he has been unmasked. Well, they can't have it both ways.

For the brief period they spent on the probable reasons for the BNP's recent boost in popularity I thought he was given short change. The matter of the puplic's real concerns over the recent levels of immigration was swept under the carpet as soon as Jack Straw started floundering.

Instead they concentrated on such emotive topics as Holocaust denial and tenuous links with members of the KKK. They made Griffin look rightly foolish and extreme but it was a pretty thinly disguised attempt to gang up against him. I don't think there were any winners or losers last night. Griffin just confirmed that he is an opportunist with very inconsistant, outdated and extreme views and the rest of the panel basked in the opportunity to sit on a QT panel and have an easy ride.