In the wake of Alan Johnson’s call for the Jenkins Report [PDF of House of Commons research paper] to be revived, this article by Nick Cohen about the BNP is worth reading. He argues that some are using the BNP as a mechanism to prevent reform:
Griffin has fooled the occasional journalist, but the regular convictions of BNP members for racial assaults, drug dealing and sex crimes leave most people in no doubt that the new BNP is no different from the old BNP: an alliance of criminals with criminal policies.
If it fails to break through even in these propitious circumstances, however, it will still have revealed a latent prejudice in the British elite.
Alongside honourable concerns lurks a suspicion of popular power. Listen carefully whenever proposals are discussed to improve local democracy by, say, electing chief constables and police authorities.
Eventually, an authoritative voice will tell you that the British cannot be trusted with more power because they may let the BNP take over the police forces.
Similarly with reforms to the national voting system. Once again, we are told that a fairer election system cannot be contemplated because it will let the BNP out of its cage.
The best reason for hoping that it is trounced is not that a vile party will have gone down to a deserved defeat, but because it will make it harder for the opponents of reform to argue that their fellow citizens are nasty children whose betters cannot allow them to run their own affairs.
