Here at WIARD FM we have been asking the same question that’s on everybody’s lips – should Nick Griffins, the BNP leader, be allowed to appear on the BBC’s Question Time? Is it right to allow a convicted racist the opportunity to insult viewers across the nation, and to spread his hateful doctrine?

The British National Party is an extreme right wing political party with radical racist and fascist views who stand for an ‘all white Britain’.

BBC’s defence

The BBC claims their reason to allow Nick Griffin the right to air his views and policies is justified by their recent electoral gain. Speaking through Mark Thompson, the BBC’s Director General, the organisation says: “It remains the BBC’s obligation to scrutinise and hold to account all elected representatives”

The BNP focuses on ‘white supremacy.’ Policies of the BNP include: making all non white people second class citizens, the banning of mixed relationships, deporting immigrants and any black person who commits a crime, even if they were born in the UK, and giving jobs to white UK citizens first.

Unite Against Fascism, has condemned the BNP: “there is nothing democratic about the BNP. It is a fascist organisation dedicated to kicking every single black and Asian person out of this country. More airtime for the BNP will just lead to more racism in our society and more racist violence on the streets.”

BNP leaders shady past and views

Nick Griffins  was arrested in 1998 for inciting racial hatred because he denied the holocaust ever happened.

In a statement Griffin said: “I am well aware that the orthodox opinion is that 6 million Jews were gassed and cremated… I have reached the conclusion that the “extermination” tale is a mixture of Allied wartime propaganda, extremely profitable lie, and latter witch-hysteria.”

How racism has affected you

Many WIARD FM readers will be aware that racism is still an ongoing issue which rarely gains national attention, although the recent Panorama programme (aired on BBC 1) has help to highlight the extent of the problem.  Some of you may have experienced racism and some of you will know somebody who has experienced racism and of the effects it has had on them.

Jayde Phillips, 20, who is a student at Leicester’s De Montfort University, has experienced racism. She recalls: “The first time I experienced racism was in Leicester in my first year at university. Me and my flatmate (who is also black) were walking back home through the market when a man, roughly in his mid 50′s, passed us and drunkenly shouted, ‘We don’t need you people in this country.’ I was shocked because I had never experienced any sort of racism before. I can’t believe they are giving the BNP air time.”

Kara Hall 21, also a student at De Montfort University adds: “I really cannot believe that people still feel the need to judge a person based on their colour. If the BNP ever came into power the country would be a very aggressive, sad place.”

The BBC are still backing their decision for Nick Griffin to appear on question time despite many protests .  BY JADE MELLOR

What are your thoughts on the BBC’s decision to invite the BNP’s leader on to their Question Time live debate show? Are they right to allow the BNP an opportunity to defend their fascist views, and to allow viewers the chance to hear both sides of the race debate? Or is it a dangerous move to allow the BNP such a huge amount of much coverage , on a publicly-funded TV channel, and could it help them to spread their hateful message?