They have a point

While Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democratic Party is hogging all the attention, there is another Nick – Nick Griffin who is also in the fray for the upcoming British general election. Nick Griffin is the leader of the British National Party, a far-right outfit that is set aside by most Britishers. In today’s world where it is fashionable to be ‘liberal’ a leader of a rightist party is surely going to have it difficult. They say that the BNP has an ultra-rightist agenda, that they are fascists and that they are neo-Nazis. BNP is alarmed at the unending influx of immigrants into Britain. While the other parties gloss over the problem, BNP makes no bones about it and says upfront  that they do not feel it is safe to keep allowing so many immigrants into Britain. There was this instance that Andrew Flintoff, the famous English cricketer recounted when during a test match in England he called the reception from his hotel room only to find an Asian voice at the other end. He had to repeat himself more than once and when he found that the receptionist still could not understand him, he banged the phone down. He went on to add that he could not believe that he was in England.

I am no apologist for radicalism of any kind. But to safeguard one’s own interest is not being radical. People of all hues are descending in Britain and the cities have become so clogged with people of foreign origin that there are pockets of Asians where white British people are rarely seen. The BNP is giving voice to the fear of ethnic Caucasian, British majority being swamped by those from ethnically different backgrounds. I think this is reasonable. Britain must remain British. Liberalism does not mean committing suicide. I know that the party is a rag tag formation and Nick Griffin is not allowed to appear on television (although the BBC did invite him and let him speak) and many treat him as a pariah. But he and his party have a point. This is what the BNP has to say about immigration:

Given current demographic trends, we, the indigenous British people, will become an ethnic minority in our own country well within sixty years – and most likely sooner.

All the signs are there:

– At least 84 percent – and likely more – of all current UK citizenship applications are from the Third World;

– Fourteen percent of all primary school children do not have English as a mother tongue;

– At least 316 primary schools in England have a large majority of children whose first language is not English;

– Non-indigenous births will soon account for more than half of all the babies born in Britain;

– Over the next twenty five years, immigration will account for forty percent of all new households set up in this country;

– Some 3.7 million legal migrants have entered this country since 1997 – and 2.5 million are from outside the European Union; and

– At least twenty percent of the currently resident population were either born overseas or are descendants of foreign-born parents.

I may add here that the way foreign students are being handed visas for Britain is also alarming and most of these students do not go there for education but to somehow manage to survive for a few years and then claim permanent residency. There are many Indian ‘students’ from Punjab who are descending in Britain with little or no money in their pockets, little knowledge of the English language and with admissions to dubious institutions. The problem of immigration is only going to increase.

The BNP has their views on economy too. They believe that globalization has seen a decline in British industries. While they are forthright about protecting British industries, others including Obama are doing it surreptitiously.  The Chinese are doing it too as are the Germans. However, it is true that globalization is inevitable and the BNP could be more understanding about this basic fact. This is what they have to say about the economy:

Britain’s survival depends on a technology-intensive manufacturing base, protected from globalisation and rampant internationalist exploitation – the core of the British National Party’s plan for rebuilding this nation’s economy after decades of Tory and Labour neglect.

Globalisation has caused the export of jobs and industries to the Far East, and has brought ruin and unemployment to British industries and the communities who depend on them.

Accordingly, the BNP calls for the selective exclusion of foreign-made goods from British markets and the reduction of foreign imports. We will ensure that our manufactured goods are, wherever possible, produced in British factories, employing British workers.

When this is done, unemployment in this country will be brought to an end and secure, well-paid employment will flourish.

On education, they believe that corporal punishment should be reintroduced. This is something that will take us to Dickensian times. However, their emphasis on old-fashioned literary skills is a thought that needs to be implemented. Most kids nowadays have little or no command over languages and their numerical skills are also limited. Writing long essays is a thing of the past and schools have multiple choice questions where their literary skills are just not tested. They cannot write sentences without making grammatical and spelling mistakes and cannot do basic arithmetical calculations without the help of a calculator. This is a problem in India too, and this is also because of the lack of the reading habit. In India too, there is a proposal for the abolition of the class X board examination. If that happens, it will be disastrous. BNP proposes the following about education:

– The restoration of discipline – including corporal punishment – uniforms, traditional teaching methods and stricter exams (e.g. ‘0′ levels);

– The reintroduction of grammar schools with entrance exams at 11 and 13;

– The reversal of the programme to close special needs schools which penalises the most vulnerable;

– The reintroduction of competitive sports and daily Christian assemblies;

– The teaching of old-fashioned literacy skills (as opposed to clearly failed “modern” teaching methods);

– The teaching of old-fashioned mathematics skills which have practical application to everyday life;

– The teaching of a full curriculum of British history. This will instill in our young people knowledge of and pride in the history, cultures and heritage of the native peoples of Britain, and not the cherry-picked politically correct drivel being fed to children today;

– The abolition of fees and the restoration of full grants to university students studying proper subjects (as opposed to fake “social sciences”);

– The improvement of school food as proper meals have been shown to be linked to behaviour and achievement;

– The ending of the scandalous and racist neglect that has left working class white boys at the bottom of the table for academic achievement;

– The introduction of tax breaks for home-schooling parents or direct subsidies as their fair share of the education budget;

– The introduction of a compulsory Community Award Scheme for all school-leavers to teach them work ethics and social and community values. This would consist of work caring for the elderly or handicapped people, or environmental or heritage restoration projects, or military training. These courses would be character-building and instill discipline, social and community values and work ethics in all young people. Service in this scheme would entitle each individual to get ’something back’ from the society to which they have learnt to contribute, such as free university education, a properly supported apprenticeship, or business training and start-up capital for would-be entrepreneurs.

Oh health they want more beds in hospitals and more British doctors and not foreign educated ones. They want more money be spent on health and welfare of the people. They advocate that Britain withdraw forces from foreign lands including Afghanistan and Germany and withdraw from the NATO too. The BNP is clearly not too happy with Britain being treated as a lackey of the USA. They also propose that they shall offer to stop meddling in the affairs of Middle Eastern countries and other nations if they take back their people who have made Britain their home. Clearly, they are ready to go to any extent to get rid of the foreign population that is increasing at an alarming rate.  They are also for retaining the British pound and they do not want to share the burden of the whole of Europe.

I am no apologist for neo-Nazis and extreme view points. Britishers will be rightly appalled if skinheads enter the parliament. However, I empathize with what the BNP has to say. Some of their views are surely not in tune with times. But they do have a point. The mainstream parties do not seem to be concerned about a lot of what ails Britain. As far as policies go, the Labour, the Tories and the Liberal Democrats have little to separate them. All will continue to tow the Washington line. All will talk about the importance of multi-culturalism and the same issues and ‘solutions’ on economy, healthcare and foreign affairs. The issues raised by BNP are relevant to modern day Britain and some of their proposed solutions are also worth trying. Now even non-Caucasians are welcome into the party provided they adhere to the viewpoints that they espouse. Many a ‘liberal’, ‘secular*’ journalists and politicians have time and again entered the party only to unveil a ‘scoop’ that they can then sell to newspapers or to further their own political interests.  The solutions forwarded by the BNP may be ridiculous at times, but they are not quite so outlandish to be scoffed at or worse still – be banned. They are criticized for their anti-Islamic stand. Radical Islam is frowned upon even by many ‘liberal’ Muslims and the threat from radicalism in their faith is acknowledged by such Muslims

Right wing parties should also have a voice in the Parliament. I hope they open their account this time over and have a representation in the British parliament. They deserve to be heard. With a burgeoning Asian population, those living on the fringes of Asian enclaves tend to vote BNP. I have a feeling the BNP will find some success this time around.

• The literal meaning of ‘secularism’ is one who does not believe in the existence of God. In today’s world secularism is associated with pluralism and multi-culturalism.

Update 28.04.2010: ‘UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown apologized “profusely” on Wednesday after he was caught on microphone describing a woman who spoke to him on the election campaign trail as “bigoted.”

The encounter took place in Rochdale, northwest England, after the Labour party leader had a discussion with a 65-year-old widow about the size of Britain’s national debt, tax and immigration.

Brown then got into his car and was driven away but he was still wearing a radio microphone, allowing broadcasters to pick up his conversation with an aide.

“That was a disaster,” Brown said about the encounter seconds earlier. “Should never have put me with that woman — whose idea was that?” He added: “She was just a sort of bigoted woman.”

The woman, Gillian Duffy, told reporters she wanted an apology from Brown over his “very upsetting” comments’. Source: CNN

Well, there is nothing bigoted about the problem of the immigrants and it will be well enough if all the mainstream parties realize this fact. This is a very real problem. I have a hunch that this ‘gaffe’, if one may call it that was intentional and is an attempt at weaning back the traditional Labour constituency of the Asians and other ‘liberals’, who will decide at least 50 parliamentary seats. It may have been a well calculated ‘mistake’.

The pollsters are saying that it is very likely that there will be a hung parliament, but my guess is that the Tories are coming very near to a clear majority and David Cameron is going to be the next prime minister of Britain.

Update 4.05.2010: Jerome Taylor, a reporter of The Independent newspaper was assaulted and beaten up in East London by a group of Asian Bengali youths when he went to investigate a voting fraud. Apparently, there were more than 20 people registered from one address where not more than a few people could have lived. On enquiring, he was punched and was left with a bloody nose. Were it not for some passers by things could have become really ugly for Jerome. It seems that these youths were of Bangaldeshi origin. The question is – how could they do this?