This is a crosspost by James Bethell of Nothing British
Nothing British regularly argues for a new approach to tackle the BNP.
Traditionally anti-fascist campaigners have sought to brandish the BNP as “racist thugs” and “Nazis” or expose their violence, criminality and hatred. These tactics worked during the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s because the BNP was composed of criminals and thugs like David Copeland, the Soho bomber and former BNP member.
But times are changing.
The BNP may still contain thuggish and distasteful figures like Mark Collett and Lee Barnes, but under Nick Griffin’s leadership he has modernised the party and created a cognitive dissonance between what voters are told by the media and mainstream politicians and what they see for themselves. The result is nearly a million votes, two MEP’s, 1 Assembly Member and 50 councillors.
Griffin’s attempt to recruit relatively respectable candidates such as from the professions, ex-servicemen and women will, in all likelihood, do something to de-toxify the image of the BNP.
Here are three individuals listed as BNP candidates that clearly demonstrate how mainstream candidates and the media need to change their approach to the extremist party. They don’t stand a chance of winning, but beating these people will need different tactics to beating, say, the criminals and thugs that went before.
- Robert Grierson, a former public school boy, ex-Oxbridge, barrister and door tenant for a Birmingham set of chambers. He is listed as standing against Andrew Mitchell in Birmingham.
- Peter Greenwood, a former paratrooper who is listed as standing in Heywood and Middleton.
- Pat Richardson, is listed as one of 24 female candidates announced so far. Richardson, who says she is Jewish and is often used by Griffin to argue his party is no longer anti-Semitic, will be standing in Epping Forest.
If you are a mainstream party candidate and would like more information on our election strategy pack then please contact Jonathan Dupont by email: jonathan@nothingbritish.com