Why you should not vote for the BNP (From Durham Times)

Why you should not vote for the BNP

5:59pm Friday 22nd May 2009

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IT is highly unusual for this newspaper to give any form of political guidance to its readers. It is stated on this page every week that t he Durham Times is independent of political party. It will remain so.

But, it is to hoped that in the European elections next month voters, despite being disillusioned with the mainstream parties embroiled in the expenses debacle, do not opt for the British National Party.

Emboldened by success in the last local elections, the party is fielding candidates in the North-East Euro polls and elsewhere.

We don’t urge readers to reject the BNP because it is racist, we urge to look beyond that nevertheless important issue to what else it has to offer. Which is not a great deal.

For example, on the economy, it suggests that foreign imports should be selectively banned and that will solve the country’s unemployment problem.

On agriculture, it somehow believes the UK could become self-sufficient in food.

On law and order, it believes the re-introduction of corporal and capital punishment will solve the country’s crime problem.

On public transport, it advocates greater incentives to use public transport but wants cuts in fuel taxation, the raising of speed limits and the scrapping of speed cameras.

On defence, it would increase spending and reintroduce National Service while at the same time withdrawing UK forces from NATO and other overseas commitments.

This is populist policy making on the back of a cigarette packet and cannot be considered a credible set of political ideas. The British National Party has nothing to offer other than poorly-articulated hatred.

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