BNP THREAT

European Parliament plenary sessions were once very sedate.  Dominated by a desire for consensus and restricted by the need for simultaneous interpretation, debates rarely reached the raucous levels of Westminster.  That has all changed now.

Since the 2004 elections, the Parliament has become more rowdy.  The traditional right group of MEPs has been joined by some pretty unruly individuals from the UK Independence Party, the Polish League of Families and others parties from the new member states.  These far-right people most definitely don’t play by the rules.  And their numbers include some British Tory MEPs.

Witness the scenes when the Portuguese Prime Minister was shouted down during a ceremony to sign the Charter of Fundamental Rights.  Chanting, nationalistic flag waving and the hurling of abuse are in danger of becoming the norm.  

The situation could get even worse after the next European Elections if the far-right gains ground in some countries.  In Britain, the BNP could win a seat.  That would give it credibility, money and, even more importantly, the prospect of joining forces with other like-minded parties to access European Parliament funding. 

The European Elections offer the BNP a unique opportunity.  Firstly, turn-out is usually low, favouring the highly motivated and the aggrieved. Secondly, the regional proportional representation system helps smaller parties.  In some regions, the BNP could win a seat with just 8% of the vote. 

They had high hopes in 2004 but ended up with only 5% of the national vote and no MEPs.  What scuppered them was the sudden surge of the BNP in suits – UKIP who rode the crest of a media wave, focussing on the perma-tanned, TV demagogue, Robert Kilroy Silk.  UKIP hoovered up right-wing votes and got 12 mainly elderly men elected.   

That is unlikely to happen this time.  UKIP are under investigation, while Kilroy-Silk is skulking in his Spanish villa, a discredited force.  The UKIP tide may be running out but can the BNP take advantage? 

In 2004, BNP Leader Nick Griffin came within 32,000 votes of winning the last available seat in the North West, a region of 5 million electors, where ominously another right wing party, the English Democrats, won 34,000 votes!  In the West Midlands, with an electorate of 4 million, the BNP were 23,000 votes away from winning the last seat.  It isn’t hard to see the BNP capturing those extra votes. 

To combat the BNP threat, we must continue to take them on in their heartlands.  But we need to do more than that this time. We must change the nature of the debate. 

In recent years, Europe has come to be seen as foreign and remote, even a threat.  At a time of insecurity generated by globalisation, the EU is a convenient scapegoat.  In reality, though, we can only tackle the threats and insecurities of globalisation by greater international co-operation.   

We need to explain what a modern society looks like in a globalised world – diverse, flexible and dynamic.  We need to show that in this new world, there must be joined-up local, national, European and global strategies to protect and enable our citizens.  Take local police action against gun crime.  That can only work with national government support and European co-operation to halt the trade in guns.  You cannot remove one element and then expect the rest to work effectively. 

To its credit, the government is already doing this.  During the Lisbon Treaty ratification process, it is debating, not only obscure technical clauses, but also putting into context how we fight climate change, world poverty and crime, while continuing to build a strong economy. 

So let’s not just fight the BNP on their own ground.  Let’s also mould the debate in terms which will show the futility of their isolationist and racist policies and the damage they could do to modern society. 

GARY TITLEY MEP