Should BMP leader be allowed on UK tv

[stuart.uk]

I thought American's might like to hear and have an opinion on this.

In the UK we have a debating program called Question Time, where a panel of usually polititians awnser questions and air their views. There's a new controversy with Nick Griffin of The British National Party being allowed to take part. TBNP is allegedly a party, who hold racist views. They're certainly pro-British, but appear anti every one else. Many feel Griffin should not be given a platform to air his views. Others, and I think that includes myself think he should. There are IMO two reasons for this. One, it'll show democrecy in action, showing freedom of speech. Second, it'll give the other members of the panel and the invited audience a chance to expose him and his party for what it is and blow him out of the water.

[movieman1957]

Is this different from the chamber question time where there is a large gathering of members? I remember both Major and Blair always preferred to answer by referring the "Right Honourable Gentleman" to the answer given before.

Is he an MP or just a representative of the party?

[stuart.uk]

Chris

He's not an MP as such, but he's a member of the European Parliament in Brussels.

Question Time is an informal gathering, held in a different venue in different parts of the Country, hosted by David, son of Richard, Dimbleby. (Originally it was the late Robin Day) He asks for a member of the audience to ask a pre arranged question of which the panel, usually a cross section of British politics (Though a former aid of Bill Clinton's, based in the UK took part in at least one show) the media, someone in business or the odd show biz guest, give a range of different answers. The question is then thrown back to the audience, who join in the debate. Once they've done that, another audience member asks another question. This goes on for an hour

Dimbleby always asks the TV watching public if they what to take part as a member of the audience for a particular show, they should get in touch.

[movieman1957]

That might be a little different. If you have producers who are trying to put on the best show they can then I would think they can be as selective as they want to be. If the producers think they are going to give them nothing but grief I don't really blame them. It might be more likely he would appear in a news panel setting of similar people or a straight news type interview. He is certainly entitled to his opinion. Not knowing enough about it makes it a little harder to say on this show in particular.

The closest thing we might have is an interviewer gets a group of "talking heads" together to discuss a specific topic. Though sometimes a mixed group like yours might be put together they are more likely to be people on opposite sides of a particular discussion from similar groups/occupations.

P.S. It even made the Wall Street Journal today.

[charliechaplinfan]

I think yes, it should be allowed. We are a democracy, he has been voted in by some of the public, I say let him have the spotlight and let people see what he has to say. He is racist and bigotted and the british as a whole don't subscribe to either. I honestly think his message will be so distasteful that he will push away more than he can attract,he's no smoothy coating his bigotry in charm. I think those who protest don't have enough faith in what makes Britain great.

[movieman1957]

Apparently things did not go smoothly.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... id=artslot

[Ollie]

Thanks for this. I was pretty worried that JPEGs and AVIs were going to be hailed as some great end-all be-all graphics technology. Whew - it's only politics, though!

[charliechaplinfan]

The protestors bring publicity to the BNP, publicity thet revel in. The programme is aired tonight at 10.30. I won't be watching, politics get me too heated up and I can't sleep afterwards