BNP 'turning into Ukip'

[Technologic]

The British National party (BNP) has become more "dangerous" by toning down its racist rhetoric, experts have warned.
Research analysing the party's manifestos published in the Political Quarterly journal shows that the BNP's emphasis since Nick Griffin became leader in 1999 has focused on protecting Britain's values and institutions, rather than a nationalism based on race.
It suggests that Ukip's language has been mirrored by the BNP, especially on Europe, and that its anti-immigration stance has shifted from racial tensions towards broader social and economic problems.
"We are definitely not saying that the BNP is no longer an extreme right racist party," Daphne Halikiopoulou from the LSE's department of government commented.
"Indeed its use of more inclusive rhetoric makes it more dangerous because it makes it more difficult to identify it as such."
The civic narrative developed by the BNP has led to mixed results for the party. It has won two seats in the European parliament but, following intense media coverage, lost all its councillors in Barking and Dagenham in May 2010.
Another researcher, Sofia Vasilopoulou, said Mr Griffin's reforms had had a noticeable impact on the far-right party's arguments, however.
"The BNP's post 1999 manifestos are characterised by a rhetoric shift," she explained.
"Although race still figures, it is less prominent and no longer forms the premise of its nationalist agenda. Instead, the BNP has increasingly talked about its agenda using elements of British national identity which unite rather than divide, such as 'democracy', 'freedom', and 'liberty' - all values that the party has previously rejected as 'liberal sickness'

Source: http://www.politics.co.uk/news/opinion-former-index/legal-and-constitutional/bnp-turning-into-ukip--$21386199.htm


Thoughts on this?

[Nemo]

well UKIP are doing terrible in the grand scheme of things anyway so we're good for now.

[-:Undertaker:-]

I think its expected, to appeal to a more mainstream audience the BNP will attempt to use more toned down language and will attempt to appear more liberal - but we all know they are still a thuggish party who view race as the be all and end all. The problem (and reason why BNP recieves so many votes) is that especially in areas where mass immigration has completely changed the local area, people are just so angry that they will turn to the extremes.

Rivers of blood - it could very well happen one day, lets get it under control before it does.

well UKIP are doing terrible in the grand scheme of things anyway so we're good for now.

The party recieved more donations than the Liberal Democrats did in Q3 of 2010 and is now only 4% behind the Liberal Democrats, pretty well i'd say. I do realise though that this thread has been posted as an attempt to slur UKIP, but I fail to see how this slurs UKIP - more so it just exposes something we already know which is that the BNP under Nick Griffin has attempted to appear moderate to look acceptable.

[FlyingJesus]

Oh no how dare they be less racist

[Catzsy]

Oh no how dare they be less racist

I think that is about as much credence as we should give this thread.

[Jordy]

The party recieved more donations than the Liberal Democrats did in Q3 of 2010 and is now only 4% behind the Liberal Democrats, pretty well i'd say. I do realise though that this thread has been posted as an attempt to slur UKIP, but I fail to see how this slurs UKIP - more so it just exposes something we already know which is that the BNP under Nick Griffin has attempted to appear moderate to look acceptable.

Yeah but a dolphin beat Nigel Farage in the General Election... In the grand scheme things they're far off winning a seat in the house of commons and having much impact on a national level still.

I'm not sure whether it's more or less worrying if the BNP are more moderate. Of course it seems a good thing but it means they're edging close to power which is definitely a bad thing.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Yeah but a dolphin beat Nigel Farage in the General Election...

I suppose you could say the same for Dave Cameron who failed to win the hopeless Gordon Brown after 13 years of disasterous government.

On the other hand, UKIP did prevent the Tories picking some seats up (estimated at 20) - which is well worth it.

[FlyingJesus]

Obviously well worth it as so many people love this coalition

[beth]

Obviously well worth it as so many people love this coalition

it is too popular 2k10.

[Chippiewill]

To be honest, we have no proper evidence that UKIP is any less racist than BNP.