"History of the British National Party The British National Party (BNP) is a far-right political party in the United Kingdom formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982 and was led by Nick Griffin from September 1999 to July 2014. Its current chairman is Adam Walker. The BNP platform is centred on the advocacy of ""firm but voluntary incentives for immigrants and their descendants to return home"", as well as the repeal of anti-discrimination legislation. It restricted membership to ""indigenous British"" people until a 2010 legal challenge to its constitution. The British National Party"
"to have Griffin on ""Question Time"" before the next general election. On 28 October, Mark Thompson stated before the House of Lords communications committee that future BNP appearances on ""Question Time"" would ""probably be no more than once a year and could be less"", based on the party continuing the same levels of support. Thompson denied suggestions that the invitation was made to boost viewing figures. No BNP representative has appeared on the show since the 22 October 2009 broadcast. Question Time British National Party controversy The ""Question Time"" British National Party controversy occurred in the autumn of 2009, due"
"2008 local elections, the party won a record 100 councillor seats, and a seat on the Greater London Assembly, the biggest gains the party has had so far. At the June 2009 European Parliament Election, the BNP gained two Members of the European Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber and North West England. In October 2009, BNP leader Nick Griffin was allowed on the BBC topical debate show ""Question Time"". His appearance caused much controversy and the show was watched by over 8 million people. At the 2010 General Election, the BNP fielded 338 candidates across England, Scotland and Wales"
"over two years. Following the improved performance of the British National Party in the 2009 European elections, the BBC controversially changed its stance on the appearance of the BNP on the flagship current affairs talk show, ""Question Time"", and invited party leader Nick Griffin to appear on its edition of 22 October 2009. The BBC was also obliged to transmit party political broadcasts by the BNP. In 2008 the BBC launched the Digital Media Initiative (DMI), a technology programme intended to streamline broadcast operations by moving to a fully digital, tapeless production workflow at a cost of £81.7 million. It"
"British National Party leader Nick Griffin to appear on the ""Question Time"" programme following criticism by Labour politicians including Home Secretary Alan Johnson and Secretary of State for Wales Peter Hain. The decision also led to protests outside BBC Television Centre by UAF campaigners. Thompson said: ""It is a straightforward matter of fact that … the BNP has demonstrated a level of support which would normally lead to an occasional invitation to join the panel on ""Question Time"". It is for that reason alone … that the invitation has been extended. The case against inviting the BNP to appear on"
"run-up to the programme, the BNP website displayed a prominent countdown to ""Question Time"". The policy of the Labour Party never to share a platform with the BNP was changed following the BBC's invitation to Griffin. Labour said that future appearances were to be on a ""case by case"" basis. On 27 September 2009, the Secretary of State for Justice, Jack Straw, announced he would appear on the programme, following the announcement that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats would take part in any edition of ""Question Time"" that included the BNP. Straw said he would be delighted to make the"
"2006 during the live broadcast of ""National Lottery: Jet Set"" the studio was invaded by members of the Fathers 4 Justice campaign group, causing the show to go briefly off air while the protesters were removed. This was also a problem as that night's lottery broadcast ran straight into the Eurovision Song Contest 2006. For ""Question Time"" on 22 October 2009, the BBC invited the leader of the British National Party, Nick Griffin, onto the programme for the first time causing heated public debate and strong protests outside the studios. Television Centre had its security breached with around 30 anti-fascist"
"An online vote was held from July to determine the debate topics, which were: The debates took place in the House of Commons chamber on Friday 30 October 2009, from 11am to 3:30pm. The session was recorded in Hansard, and the morning debates were broadcast on BBC Parliament the same day. The final two debates were televised later in the week. The debates were chaired by John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons, who closed the event with a dramatic speech to MYPs in which he described the British National Party as ""a poison which we could well do"
"The British National Party at first announced that their candidate would be party leader Nick Griffin, who had stood in neighbouring Oldham West and Royton in 2001. However Griffin was replaced by former Manchester pub landlord Derek Adams, who had contested Blackley and Broughton at the 2010 general election. The UK Independence Party nominated their new deputy leader, Paul Nuttall, who is currently a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for North West England. Three further smaller parties which had not fought the general election put up candidates. The Green Party chose Peter Allen, from nearby Glossop; he works in"
"was activated. On 22 October 2009, Griffin took part in the BBC's topical debate programme, ""Question Time"", as a representative of the BNP. He appeared alongside Bonnie Greer, Jack Straw, Baroness Warsi and Chris Huhne. He was challenged by members of the studio audience, and questioned by host David Dimbleby on comments he had previously made on the Holocaust. He was also critical of Islam. His invitation followed the election of two BNP MEPs to the European Parliament, and led to significant debate over the merits of the BBC's decision. The appearance sparked a protest outside the BBC Television Centre"
"marked a major watershed for the party. Amid significant public controversy, Griffin was invited to appear on the BBC show ""Question Time"" in October 2009, the first time that the BNP had been invited to share a national television platform with mainstream panellists. Griffin's performance was however widely regarded as poor. Despite its success, there was dissent in the party. In 2007 a group of senior members known as the ""December rebels"" challenged Griffin, calling for internal party democracy and financial transparency, but were expelled. In 2008, a group of BNP activists in Bradford split to form the Democratic Nationalists."
"cited in the Hungarian weekly newspaper ""Magyar Narancs"". UK Parliament elections Welsh Assembly elections (Additional members region; party list) European Parliament elections (Multi-member constituency; party list) Nick Griffin Nicholas John Griffin (born 1 March 1959) is a British politician who represented North West England as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 2009 to 2014. He served as chairman and then president of the far-right British National Party (BNP) from 1999 to 2014, when he was expelled from the party. Born in Barnet, Griffin was educated at Woodbridge School in Suffolk. He joined the National Front at the age"
"National Party. He was also opposed to Pearson's policy of prioritising anti-Islamism. Pearson was elected, taking almost half of the votes cast. 2009 UK Independence Party leadership election The UK Independence Party (UKIP) held a leadership election in 2009, with ballots closing on 26 November. The election was won by Malcolm Pearson, Baron Pearson of Rannoch. The Eurosceptic party had been led by Nigel Farage since he won the 2006 leadership election. He announced his resignation from the post in September 2009, stating that he wanted to devote more time to his campaign for a seat in the United Kingdom"
"Independence Party (UKIP). Nigel Farage, the former leader of UKIP, once presented Bannon with a portrait of Bannon dressed as Napoleon Bonaparte. Bannon has encouraged Farage to return as leader of UKIP. Bannon has called for the release of former EDL leader Tommy Robinson from prison, describing him as the ""backbone"" of Britain. Bannon has also called for a revolt in the United Kingdom should the country adopt a soft Brexit, stating, ""If I was in middle England and said this wasn't what I voted for I would rise up and make sure the guys in parliament knew it."" When"
"West was formerly a Conservative member of South Holland District Council in Lincolnshire, but was suspended after he spoke at a BNP meeting in 2006. West subsequently defected to the British National Party and stated that his switch was prompted by Conservative leader David Cameron's priority list of candidates for the next general election. He said the list ""excluded white male candidates in favour of women, non-whites, homosexuals and lesbians"". In June 2009, West appeared alongside BNP MEP Andrew Brons on the BBC's ""The Big Questions"", and in 2014, he appeared in a BNP political broadcast. In this clip, West"
"in 2003. Straw represented the government on a controversial edition of ""Question Time"" on 22 October 2009, against British National Party leader Nick Griffin on his first ever appearance. Griffin's first comment was to attack Straw's father's wartime record, to general disdain. As Griffin claimed that European laws prevented him from explaining his stance on holocaust denial Straw later offered his personal assurance as Justice Secretary, which Griffin declined. Andrew Thorpe-Apps, writing in ""the Backbencher"", states that Straw knew he would be defeated by Gordon Brown in a leadership contest as Brown was 'consumed by this one ambition.' Two months"
"to his MPs in order to scrutinise the policies and actions of the government, as well to offer an alternative program. As many National MPs were Ministers in the previous National-led Government, many of them were named Spokespersons for areas in which they had previously had ministerial responsibility. Most other MPs picked up minor portfolios, although new MPs were not assigned any particular responsibilities. In early 2018, English resigned from the leadership and was replaced as National Party leader by Simon Bridges on 27 February 2018. Other than Bridges' succession to the leadership, no changes to portfolio responsibilities were named"
"century saw the party attain 17% of the vote at the 2005 general election. Party members and supporters were optimistic that the party would soon make the breakthrough into UK parliament, and party leader Nick Griffin stood in Barking for the 2010 general election. However, his performance in Barking was poor as he polled 14.8% of the vote and Margaret Hodge retained the seat with more than half of the vote. During the run-up to the 2010 election, filmmaker Laura Fairrie had access to the British National Party and Labour Party campaigns and later produced a documentary ""The Battle for"
"his successor Gordon Brown had argued that the weekly Prime minister's questions in the House of Commons was sufficient. For the 2001 general election Tony Blair turned down a debate with William Hague. On 28 April 2005, Tony Blair, Michael Howard and Charles Kennedy took part in a special edition of the BBC's ""Question Time"", although they did not debate directly, and were questioned individually by host David Dimbleby. The idea of holding leaders debates for the 2010 election was first supported by David Cameron and Nick Clegg, with Gordon Brown later agreeing. In 2009, ""Sky News"" began a campaign"
"in 2004, anti-racist activists picketed outside the ""Daily Mail"" office in central London to protest against its negative coverage of asylum seekers, BNP members organised a counter-picket at which they displayed the placard ""Vote BNP, Read the ""Daily Mail"""". The BNP initially faced a 'no platform for fascists' policy from the broadcast media, although this eroded as Griffin was invited on to a number of television programmes amid the party's growing electoral success. When the BBC invited him to appear on ""Question Time"" in 2009 it was criticised by several trade unions, sections of the media, and several Labour politicians,"
"national review of polling station requirements led by the Electoral Commission. The counts for the Foyle and East Londonderry constituencies were suspended because of a security alert around 11 pm after a car was abandoned outside the counting centre, causing a bomb scare. Following a campaign by Sky News and with agreement of the party leaders. it was announced on 21 December 2009 that there would be three leaders' debates, each broadcast on prime time television, and a subsequent announcement in March 2010 that a debate between the financial spokesmen of the three main parties, Alistair Darling, George Osborne and"
"General Election from 10-1 to 7-2 after the programme. The BNP received 1.9% of the vote in the election and did not win a seat. In an interview in the ""News of the World"", the former Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, spoke out against Griffin's claims that he was representing ""Christian Britain"" and called on Christians to ""stand shoulder to shoulder"" in rejecting the British National Party. The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, did not watch the programme: his office explained that he ""very rarely watches ""Question Time"""" through lack of time. The programme received attention around the world, including from"
"Nick Griffin Nicholas John Griffin (born 1 March 1959) is a British politician who represented North West England as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 2009 to 2014. He served as chairman and then president of the far-right British National Party (BNP) from 1999 to 2014, when he was expelled from the party. Born in Barnet, Griffin was educated at Woodbridge School in Suffolk. He joined the National Front at the age of 14 and, following his graduation from the University of Cambridge, became a political worker for the party. In 1980 he became a member of its"
"as the head of the British National Party's online operation then redirected its website to his own on which he attacked the party's leadership. On the morning of polling day, 6 May, the former and later leader of UKIP, Nigel Farage, standing in Buckingham against the Speaker, was injured when a light banner-towing aircraft in which he was a passenger crashed near Brackley, Northamptonshire. Groups of voters waiting in queues at 10 pm were locked out of polling stations in Sheffield Hallam, Manchester and Leeds; and police said one London polling station was open until 10.30 pm, which triggered a"
"European elections, supporting the Green Party's 'Clean Campaigning' pledge in the wake of the scandal over MPs' expenses. On 21 May 2009, he appeared on the special live edition of BBC's ""Question Time"" which was held in Salisbury in the midst of the political scandal surrounding MPs' expenses. He announced that he was considering standing against a third Conservative MP, Sir Nicholas Winterton, the MP for Macclesfield in the 2010 General Election, but following the latter's announcement that he was not going to seek re-election, did not do so. He indicated that he might stand against Hazel Blears in Salford"
"""No, the ""real"" audience is at home, actually."" The BBC explained that the audience had not been selected by them, but by an independent polling organisation in such a way as to give a balanced audience. David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg were the featured in a BBC ""Question Time"" special programme at Leeds Town Hall on 30 April presented by David Dimbleby from 20:00 BST to 21:30 BST. Nigel Farage, Nicola Sturgeon and Leanne Wood were each featured in separate question and answer events hosted by the BBC after the ""Question Time"" special programme. These events were broadcast"
"as leader of the Conservative Party, and pledged to ""fix"" Broken Britain during the campaign for the 2010 general election. In September 2009, ""The Sun"" announced that it would back the Conservatives in the 2010 election, having supported the Labour Party in 1997, 2001 and 2005, stating that Labour had ""failed on law and order"". Iain Duncan Smith published two reports, ""Breakdown Britain"" and ""Breakthrough Britain"", dealing with similar themes, through the Centre for Social Justice. By contrast, ""The Guardian"" ran a series of articles in 2010 questioning this theme, under the title ""Is Britain Broken?"". The Conservatives also came"
"Nigel Farage Nigel Paul Farage (; born 3 April 1964) is a British politician, broadcaster and political analyst. He has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the South East England constituency since 1999 and is a Vice-Chairman of the pro-Brexit organisation Leave Means Leave. He is best known as the former leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) from 2006 to 2009 and again from 2010 to 2016. He co-chairs the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (formerly ""Europe of Freedom and Democracy"") group. A prominent Eurosceptic in the UK, he has been noted for his speeches"
"Question Time (TV programme) Question Time is a BBC topical debate television programme in the United Kingdom, based on the radio programme ""Any Questions?"" The show typically features politicians from at least the three major political parties as well as other public figures who answer pre-selected questions put to them by members of an audience selected on the basis of its political views and demographic. The independent production company Mentorn has made the programme for the BBC since 1998. ""Question Time"" was presented by David Dimbleby until 13 December 2018. The show is currently broadcast on BBC One on Thursday"
"British National Party The British National Party (BNP) is a far-right, fascist political party in the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in Wigton, Cumbria, and its current leader is Adam Walker. A minor party, it has no elected representatives at any level of UK government. Founded in 1982, the party reached its greatest level of success in the 2000s, when it had over fifty seats in local government, one seat on the London Assembly, and two Members of the European Parliament. Taking its name from that of a defunct 1960s far-right party, the BNP was created by John Tyndall and"
"in crisis areas around the world. In September 2009, Pearson announced his candidacy in the 2009 UKIP leadership election. He won the election and was announced the new leader of UKIP on 27 November 2009. He led the party through the 2010 general election, memorably appearing on BBC News' ""Campaign Show"" with Jon Sopel on 19 April 2010. During the interview, to talk about the party's recently launched manifesto, he appeared to have no knowledge of what was in the manifesto, saying that he was not prepared to discuss the ""minutiae"" of his party's policies. He added, ""I haven't remembered"
"of criminal and tax evasion charges, and a motion of no confidence being prepared against the Speaker. Public interest in the expenses debate led to the 14 May 2009 edition of the BBC political and current affairs television programme ""Question Time"" recording its highest viewing figures in its 30-year run, of 3.8 million, with audience members heckling guest panellist Margaret Beckett. The following week's edition on 21 May was brought forward for a special edition into the prime time slot of 9 pm BST. Nadine Dorries, a Conservative MP, criticised the ""Telegraph""'s handling, which she described as ""picking off a"
"Griffin appeared on the edition which aired on 22 October 2009. As the programme was due to go on air, public protests took place at BBC Television Centre in London. The pre-recorded programme featured Griffin alongside the Secretary of State for Justice Jack Straw, the Conservative peer and Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion Sayeeda Warsi, Baroness Warsi, the Liberal Democrats' Home Affairs spokesperson Chris Huhne, and the writer/playwright Bonnie Greer. The edition was watched by over 8 million people – over half the total audience share – and more than double the previous record high for ""Question Time"". ""Question Time"""