Why are the BNP never given a chance to speak on the television and radio.?

Question

They are a legitimate political party so why should this be.

The percentage vote is quite high in certain areas but they get few seats because of the voting system. With PR they'd get a lot more.

Answer 1

While it may come as a surprise to some BNP members we do live in a democracy. As the BNP know quite well if you put up enough candidates at an election you have the right to party political broadcasts on TV and radio. The BNP seem to like to portray themselves as the put upon underdog to the extent of telling each other they are persecuted for their views.

While some may see them as a legitimate party I personally don't. Like the Nazis in the Weimar Republic in Germany the BNP seek to use the democratic process to undermine democracy.

Answer 2

You've really asked two questions in one, which I'll try to answer.

Firstly, they will, I think, have had a Party Election Broadcast in Wales (for the Assembly Elections) and Scotland (for the Scottish Parliament Elections) because they are contesting enough seats.

Party Election Broadcasts are allocated on the number of seats being contested, in order to stop airtime being clogged up with people who are maybe only standing in one or two seats.

As for the English local elections, both the Greens and the UK Independence Party are contesting more seats than the BNP, and therefore (although I'm not sure) the BNP may not be contesting enough seats to qualify for a Party Election Broadcast.

Everyone who has said it is a money issue is incorrect; no Party can buy advertising time on British TV or Radio (thank God or else we would be like the USA where it's all about the candidate/party with the most money and never mind the policies).

The BNP are allowed to speak on TV and radio outside election times (the BNP Group Leader on Stoke-on-Trent City Council is on our BBC local radio station quite often commenting on news stories affecting the council). The reason they may not gain national coverage is because, compared to other smaller parties like Greens and UKIP they have very few elected representatives, and therefore only represent a tiny fraction of the British electorate (which tends to be clustered into areas in the North West and West Midlands).

You are correct to say that under PR they would have more seats, but then so would other small parties particularly the Greens (who are predicted to double their seats in the Scottish Parliament next week under the new system), so even then the BNP would have to widen its level of support, and show that it has a national base of support, not just isolated, before it became as credible as the Greens or UKIP.

Answer 3

Overall throughout the country their vote is low and it does not warrant enough support for party political broadcasts in England.
You are given a broadcast based on the number of candidates that are standing - so a party that stands one candidate in an entire country would not be entitled to a broadcast, whereas a larger party such as Labour or the Lib Dems would get two or three.
There is also the chance that voters will be turned off by the message that the BNP are sending out - but hey, let them commit political suicide. It's no skin off my back!

Answer 4

In a true democracy every party should be given the chance to speak and air there views be it right or wrong. I cant understand why the 'hate preachers' at Finsbury Park can preach as much racist anti west rubbish as they want, but BNP members are not allowed their views. Ok they are extreme, but perhaps if the mainstream parties could sort out the issues in the UK ( immigration, crime etc) then we wouldnt be discussing this.

Answer 5

Its so obvious certain people in this country are trying there best to put the BNP down, the TV magazine had BBC1, ITV, BBC2 showing a party political broadcast on behalf of the BNP, I tuned into the three channels and guess what, there was nothing about any BNP broadcast at all.
This week leaflets were shoved through my letterbox saying don't vote BNP and went on to slander the party in the meanest way possible,
Well all I can assume is some people are running scared and
trying there best to keep the BNP from gaining a seat in the elections. I believe in the under dog and I will be giving my vote to the BNP because of the real nasty way they have been treated in the media.

Answer 6

Anyone with half a brain can see the tv and radio and in particular the BBC is biased.
The BBC is a hugely powerful and infleuencial organisation in the UK. Aside from the BNP other organisations such as immigration pressure groups Migration Watch had to fight tooth and nail to gain some recognition from the Media. Often these groups are given false flags only to be picked on by commentators and TV pundits. Ie Sir Alan Green Question Time last year, newsnight this year.
Anyway the BNP is the fastest growing political party in the UK so you would concur from this fact (see times) that they would be given some additional coverage. The fact that this is not happening can only lead someone to assume that the media is actually biased. Why are they biased? They are biased because giving platforms to such organisations will send out the "wrong" message to the people.

Answer 7

They should be allowed to, after all this "IS" supposed to be a democratic country, is it not?
Have they actually asked to go on TV or Radio?

If they are being refused by the TV/Radio broadcasters or if the TV/Radio broadcasters are under orders from Government to refuse them access to air time.
Then the BNP are quite within their rights to take action in court against them.

Answer 8

no television studio is allowed to give them alot of air time as their percentage of votes is too low.
Only parties with a certain amount of votes can be shown on Party Election Broadcasts.
The news however does show them a little.

Answer 9

If they participate properly in the democratic process by contesting the requisite number of seats, they get a party political broadcast, same as the other parties.

I'd like to see more representatives from the BNP asked to speak on TV - the more people who can see how odious and inarticulate some of their representatives are, the fewer would consider endorsing their Nazi policies with their vote.

Perhaps, whenever any politician of any party, was given a TV platform, a list of their criminal convictions could appear on screen. That really would fix the BNP.

albino says "BNP members are not allowed their views." Absolute nonsense. BNP members are allowed their views, as are radical Muslim clerics. And if I think either of these groups are dangerous nutters (which I do, both groups, actually) then I'm allowed to say so. Just because a lot of us think the BNP are evil fascists and we say so, doesn't prevent them from having or expressing their views.

Or would you like them to have the right to express their views, without others having the right to condemn their views as neo-Nazi hate?

CASSIDY! When your mum said "Don't put your hand in the fire" and everyone else agreed with her, did you feel sorry for the fire and the way everyone seemed to portray it in a negative way. Did you feel there was a conspiracy against the fire and that if it was only allowed to put its point of view, then everyone would see that it was just warm and safe?

Of course you didn't. Get real. BNP are Nazis and racists. If you're one, fine - support them. If not, think again!

Answer 10

They are considered a "fringe party." In the modern climate of all inclusive and political correctness, they are most definitely non-pc. And that i would imagine overrules the all inclusive political argument.