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1066 and all that

12:24pm Wednesday 2nd July 2008

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ALL we schoolboy historians remember 1066, which heralded a great change within Britain - the culmination of the Norman Conquest. Our way of life, names and cultures were to be changed forever.

1066 for Gordon Brown may be so similar. It is, of course, the number of votes gained by Labour in last week's Henley byelection, plunging Labour below such minority parties as the Greens and the odious British National Party.

While Mr Brown no doubt never expected victory in this seat, the scant esteem in which Labour is held nationally reflected this pitiful, depositlosing tally.

Only a dithering buffoon would hang on until 2010. Go now, Gordon. Stop dragging Britain to uncharted depths.

Colin T Mortimer, Pity Me, Durham.


Your Say YourNorth-East

Dave, Durham City says...
10:31pm Wed 2 Jul 08

Mr Mortimer...

You refer to the British National Party as 'odious'. Is this the new term we are to be labelled with now that the terms 'Nazi' and 'fascist' have fallen out of fashion? These terms, used in the past have been proven to be completely incorrect in their definition as they wrongly labelled normal people, who hate seeing their country being destroyed. The BNP is the only party with decent, common sense policies that will save this country from the abyss into which it is falling. The people I have met in my dealings with the BNP have been amongst some of the best, kind hearted people I have ever met but 'odious' they certainly are not!

Pete Winstanley, Durham says...
11:28pm Wed 2 Jul 08

The terms “Nazi” and “fascist” have certainly not fallen out of fashion, and perfectly describe the BNP. So does “odious.” Does “Dave” really expect us to believe that the BNP is no longer a racist party just because its supporters tell us so? Or because there is nothing on the BNP’s website that could lead to a successful prosecution for inciting racial hatred? We are not so easily duped by the propaganda of a party led by racists.

Party leader Nick Griffin makes no secret of his “racial separatist” ideology. The BNP proposes to use taxpayers’ money for “repatriation grants” to persuade non-whites to leave the country, and opposes mixed-race marriages. Richard Barnbrook, recently elected BNP member of the London Assembly, explained: “Their children are washing out the identity of this country’s indigenous people.”

We need an open and honest debate about immigration and social cohesion, but such views are irrelevant and racist, and reminiscent of Hitler’s determination to preserve the purity of the Aryan race. Race relations in our multi-ethnic country are comparatively good, but there is still a need to improve integration and understanding between communities. People who believe that different races cannot or should not coexist can do nothing but harm to race relations and social harmony.

barte, spennymoor says...
9:37am Thu 3 Jul 08

Mr Winstanley, is it because you are tucked up in you cosy little village hideaway which is quite "british" that you like multiculturism so much ? if you lived in a city or major town like some of us your views may change.if your so keen to mix, move from your cosy retreat to areas of newcastle and help intergrate the illegal immigrants who would prowl your property.

Roger Clifton, Bradfordistan says...
9:58am Thu 3 Jul 08

Pete Winstanley,

Let me take you by the hand (from your cosy English idyllic country home) and lead you through the enriched, diverse and multicultural streets of London, Bradford, Oldham etc. etc. at night.

You have called for an open honest debate about immigration (invasion more like)therefore you MUST be a racist! Yes that's the kind of PC tosh that the BNP have to put up with. Until you have experienced 'enrichment' first hand, like my family and I have, please shut up and go prune your roses in your safe traditional English country garden- you lucky man.

Sue Barnes, West Auckland says...
10:10am Thu 3 Jul 08

I feel really sorry for the hard working members/ supporters of the British National Party. I know a number of them, they are decent people who take all the childish name calling on the chin and simply plod on.

10,000 BNP votes were recently cast in Co. Durham, is Mr. Mortimer (Pity Him) suggesting that all these people are 'odious'? To me it's the politicians who constantly lie to the good people of Britain and permenantly ruin our nation in order to feather their own nests who are odious!

Pete Winstanley, says...
11:00am Thu 3 Jul 08

There is no conflict between “British” and “multicultural.” Des More, with whom I have debated these issues in HAS, once wrote: “There are no specific ethnic requirements to a British identity.” I could not agree more.

I have often visited big cosmopolitan British cities like London, Leeds, Bradford & Leicester. I hugely enjoy their multi-ethnic character, and do not find them threatening. Much more fun than “cloned” city centres with nothing but big chain-stores. I also enjoy visiting the Asian and Chinese areas of Newcastle to eat out or shop. I have friends and relatives to stay with, not only in several British cities, but in many foreign countries too. My view is that we are more united by our common humanity than we are divided by language, culture or race.

Mark Collett compares refugees to “cockroaches”. Nick Griffin calls the two pigs on his farm “Anne” and “Frank.” Challenged about this crude insult to Jewish people, and to the memory of victims of the Holocaust, he said, “Who the hell is Anne Frank?” Is this the behaviour of “decent” or “kind-hearted” people?

ChrisWhite, Shepherd's Bush (ex-Spennymoor) says...
11:48am Thu 3 Jul 08

Dave, Durham City
The BNP is the only party with decent, common sense policies that will save this country from the abyss into which it is falling.

I would hardly describe the proposition to spend "whatever it takes" to encourage every last non-white resident of the UK to leave the country as "common sense". (Incidentally, the Nazis' plans for the Jews were also for relocation outside of Germany until the outbreak of WW2.)

Equally, "odious" seems a perfectly fitting description of a party whose founder criticised the notorious Holocaust-denier David Irving for admitting that any Jews at all died in the "Holo-hoax".

As for objections to describing the BNP as Nazis, can any member explain how their policies are substantially different to the National Socialist Party's policies before WW2?

ChrisWhite, Spennymoor says...
11:50am Thu 3 Jul 08

Pete Winstanley, Durham
Does “Dave” really expect us to believe that the BNP is no longer a racist party just because its supporters tell us so?


To be completely fair, many of its members probably are not. But the party plays on the legitimate (if ill-founded) fears of the economic consequences off mass-immigration to further its undoubtedly racist agenda.

foney blah, says...
12:00pm Thu 3 Jul 08

The BNP are no more odious than New Labour.New Labour are anti English,the BNP are not.

Pete Winstanley, Durham says...
12:02pm Thu 3 Jul 08

I agree, Chris. In an earlier letter (HAS June 4), the BNP’s Mark Walker said that BNP supporters are “normal people simply trying to make this country better.” This may be true, but if so they need to wake up to the neo-Nazi ideology which infects the leadership and underpins the party’s policies.

Mark Walker, Spennymoor says...
1:45pm Thu 3 Jul 08

Not wanting to be brought into this futile argument I would just like this opportunity to tell Mr. Winstanley that Nick Griffin has not got two pigs called Anne and Frank. I know him well and have stayed at his house. I cannot believe that someone with a modicum of intellect would believe this blatant and typical example of made up leftwing propaganda.

Pete Winstanley, Durham says...
2:00pm Thu 3 Jul 08

This is from "Wales on Sunday" Is this paper renowned for "made up leftwing propaganda"?

BNP chief accused of sick joke
Apr 30 2006 Matt Withers, Wales on Sunday

THE British National Party chief was accused last night of making a joke out of the Holocaust by naming two pet pigs Anne and Frank.

The far-right extremists led by Nick Griffin, who lives on a farm in Wales, yesterday denied he had deliberately picked the same name as the young Jewish diarist who died in a Nazi concentration camp.

But a leading member of the Jewish community in Wales and anti-fascist campaigner labelled him a "sick" anti-semitic. Practising Jews are also governed by food rules, one of which is a ban on pork.

A BNP spokesman said the pigs, which had since been slaughtered and eaten by Mr Griffin, had been given "good old-fashioned English names" and only "nutters" would be offended.

Asking "Who the hell is Anne Frank?", he added: "I've got an uncle called Frank. Do you find that offensive as well? Are you mad?"

When told about the 15-year-old girl, who hid out from the Nazis in Amsterdam before being sent to Belsen, where she perished a month before the liberation by British troops, he asked: "What's that got to do with the country today?"

Then, he raged: "It's ***** like you trying to make something out of it. It's got nothing to do with the political scene today. F*** off."

Wales' largest Jewish group hit back, its chairman warning the Israeli-Palestinian crisis had made it increasingly acceptable to side against Judaism.

Alan Schwartz, of the South Wales Jewish Representative Council, said: "What he's doing is an outward sign of what is fairly common talk among quite a number of members of the ordinary public.

"The fact he has named them Anne and Frank doesn't surprise me at all and maybe a lot of people will think it's a good joke.

"A few years ago it was highly offensive and nobody would even think about doing it about Jewish people. It's become fairly common in the last three or four years. I'm sorry to say, it's here in Wales."

Ian Titherington, from anti-Nazi group Searchlight, last night added: "It's rather sick but not all together surprising from such an individual. I thought the BNP was concentrating on attacking Islam but when it suits them to be anti-semitic they will be."

The row erupted as Mr Griffin prepares to lead his pro-white party into Thursday's local elections in England.

It also emerged the 45-year-old, who lives in Llanerfyl, Powys, 10 miles outside Welshpool with his wife and four children, enjoys Indian food but refuses to eat in local "Muslim" restaurants, joking he would be poisoned for his beliefs.

"Very few curry houses are Indian, they are virtually all Muslim," he claimed. "I've said thoroughly rude things about their religion, so I don't know what they'd put in my curry."

His daughter Rhiannon, 16, is also following her father into far-right politics, recording a CD on the BNP's own Great White Records label about a white man being attacked by black racists. Older daughter Jennifer, 20, is already chair of the party's youth section.

A spokeswoman for Dyfed Powys Police said it was unable to say whether the pigs' names could be viewed as inciting racial hatred.

David Lacey, Newcastle says...
2:06pm Thu 3 Jul 08

Oh dear Pete - please tell me that you haven't fallen into the trap of believing something just because it was printed in a newspaper. If so your argument is paper thin (sorry about that). I actually share your concerns about the BNP and think that they are their own worst enemies, but refuse to paint all of them as racist - just as I would refuse to paint all Muslims as terrorists.

Dave, Kimblesworth says...
2:13pm Thu 3 Jul 08

Mr Winstanley

I am glad that you enjoy multiculturalism and all the benefits it brings to this great country of ours and I am happy that you enjoy sampling different foods in China town etc. These are hardly the no-go areas we have read about where you would fear for your life after dark. So let’s be perfectly honest shall we. It is easy to say how great diversity and enrichment are when you have the option to return to your ivory tower, tucked away along a farm track in rural Durham. Perhaps a different attitude would unfold if you were to permanently re-locate to areas where you would not be made welcome due to the simple fact that you did not fit in with whoever has become the majority of the populous.

Put your money where your mouth is and move from your tower and its fine English surroundings into one of our home grown breeding grounds for crime and anti social behaviour. Perhaps then you will be truly enriched. A least you have the option (at the moment) to choose multiculturalism when it suits you. Many people do not.

Pete Winstanley, says...
2:51pm Thu 3 Jul 08

No, David Lacey, I haven’t fallen into that trap. But surely if the story was made up by “Wales on Sunday”, Nick Griffin would have taken legal action against the paper? If it’s untrue, then the libel damages would have been substantial. Why, in any case, would a reputable newspaper like this risk inventing such a story?

In response to you, Dave from Kimblesworth, all I have to say is that I am not as insulated from the real world as you seem to think. I wonder how much time you spend in London, Birmingham, Leeds or Bradford?

Mel Wilson, Darlington says...
8:33pm Thu 3 Jul 08

Oh god,here we go again, those supposed "hard working - fighting for our country" - racist morons rearing their ugly heads at the mere mention of those scumbags disguised as a genuine political party - I can't even bring myself to even say their name. Just do the country a favour and crawl back under your dirty facist stones. Rock on Pete, don't listen to the idiots, they're not worth it

luke, durham says...
10:17am Fri 4 Jul 08

everytime there is a post refering to the bnp,the comments section always has a huge number of posts? reflecting on this i initially thought it was the bnp jumping on the bandwagon, but why shouldnt they it is after all comments made about them. what i do find strange, its the usual crew of winstanley and co who start the BNP witch hunt, and low and behold they get very little back up from anyone else. I now think its time for Mr W and co to realise we are sick of them bleating on about the piffle they spout and they should change the record.

Mel Wilson, Darlington says...
12:25pm Fri 4 Jul 08

Why's that then Luke, you and the BNP lot feeling threatened? The only reason the right wing facsists post so much is because they know they have their backs pushed right against the wall and don't have a leg to stand on. The original comment about the BNP wasn't even ABOUT the BNP - they just started the old left wing bashing when they heard the comment "odious BNP" - apart from that it was about the Labour Party! It seems to me its your lot that harp on about it all the time and somebody needs to stand up to the fascist bully's, its a shame there aren't many other people standing up to them on these boards but thats probably because they are frightened of the repercussions or are scared they might end up being targeted on some filthy right wing website like Red Watch or some other tosh.

luke, spennymoor says...
1:48pm Fri 4 Jul 08

MEL, where does it say that i am in the bnp? i am not but i am a liberal who is open and i dont believe that the likes of Mr W and you should be making it his mission in life to abuse an official political party as he has done in past comments nor like you have done in yours. looking at it from my view i think its the far left who seem worries with their back against the wall with all the spin they put out at election times with hope not hate etc, and stealing bnp placards etc.you mention redwatch and yes it does expose far left activists but what about TWAFA,stop the bnp and all the other labourite left wing extremist sites? some even boast about violence on their sites,are they not as bad if not worse? as i say im not bnp and dont intend to be, but i think they should be given a fair crack at election times and i most certainly believe in free speech.
PS do you know the meaning of the word facist?
if you look it up you might just think of our labour govenment

Pete Winstanley, Durham says...
2:50pm Fri 4 Jul 08

It seems to me that there are many people who feel let down or ignored by the main political parties. Some are turning to the BNP, in the belief, mistaken in my view, that the BNP offers a realistic alternative. Some may have been taken in by BNP propaganda which blames every social and economic problem on asylum seekers, immigrants or ethnic/religious minorities, but these people are not generally racists, and do not recognise the racist tendencies of the BNP leadership.

There is overwhelming evidence of the neo-Nazi ideals embraced by BNP leaders – racism, anti-semitism, Holocaust-denial, links with far-right white supremacist groups in the US, convictions for racist violence, hooliganism, inciting racial hatred, etc. It is important that this evidence is exposed publicly, again and again, till the message gets through.

Ultimately, however, it is up to the mainstream parties, particularly Labour, to address the genuine grievances of ordinary people in all areas instead of concentrating their efforts on the “key marginals.” This may win (or lose) general elections, but it leaves open a fertile breeding ground for the poisonous ideology of the BNP.

TimeBandit, Co Durham says...
7:24pm Fri 4 Jul 08

I am sceptical about all politicians and political parties and as a result do my own research prior to any election to decide who I'm going to vote for.To this end, I refuse to accept any leaflets from any political party delivered to my door, with one notable exception all political party activists delivering leaflets have respected my wishes, the only one to try and force it's views, yes the BNP, when I made it clear I would not acccept the leaflet and told the deliverer, quite forcibly, to leave my premises and not return, sent me a letter which stated they would deliver leaflets whether I liked it or not and, reading betwwen the lines letting me know that they knew who I was and where I lived.
At the end of WWII, my father, then a rookie soldier was sent to Germany and found himself at Belsen and subsequently, in time came across Josef Kramer, the imfamous beast of Belsen. This encounter shocked him to the core and he spent many of my formal years impressing upon me the the evils of the regime which spawned Kramer and his ilk, I fear such a regime exists already in the UK, it is called the BNP.
Incidently, nice to hear from Pete Whinstanley again, he has been quiet for some time, too long in my view.

DRITTY, Tudhoe Village says...
4:27pm Sat 5 Jul 08

Read the BNP policies, which ones do you people disagree with?(bnp.org.uk) They are practical commonsense solutions to the problems that GB is facing!

Jim Tague, Bishop Auckland says...
1:45pm Sun 6 Jul 08

Peter,

With reference to your statement made earlier, and repeated below, you are not seriously suggesting that it is only the Labour Party that is supposed to look after "ordinary people".

"Ultimately, however, it is up to the mainstream parties, particularly Labour, to address the genuine grievances of ordinary people in all areas".

Since when has the Labour Party really looked after the working man - the Glasgow East By-Election will be proof that the rock solid Labour seats hold areas where "ordinary people" have never been offered help and whole districts have never advanced and have no level of aspiration, and has been like that for generations.

PS. I'll match my working class background against any luvvie liberal lefty, and I know who will be the winner! Far too many posh lefties in positions of power with no idea of reality themselves and their backgrounds mean they have no experience of real life, but sadly they use their ideology to hold back ordinary people and force views on us that we don't particular care for.

Pete Winstanley, Durham says...
5:55pm Sun 6 Jul 08

No, Jim, I am certainly not suggesting that it is only the Labour Party that is supposed to look after "ordinary people". I meant only that it is the Labour party, in particular, which has, in recent years neglected to pay attention to their concerns, particularly in areas of high unemployment and social deprivation. As a consequence, it is the Labour party, more than the Tories, which is losing votes to the BNP. This doesn’t mean that your lot is any better.

I have never been a member of any political party, and I am utterly disillusioned with party politics. You are all as bad as each other. Labour or Conservative, you mostly look quite promising in opposition, but let us down once in power. I’ve never voted FOR anyone, just AGAINST what I think is the greatest threat to social justice. Next time I don’t intend to vote. As someone said, “There’s no point in voting, the government always gets in.”

Tony Rogers, London says...
2:05am Wed 9 Jul 08

Labour got less votes than the (cue establishment-friend
ly distancing mechanism) "odious" BNP. 'Evil' would've done just as well. You must ask yourself why they are getting more votes. Are the voters "odious" too? Are they all 'subhuman'? Less intelligent than enlightened 'liberals'? I think you'll find that there is a link to your conquest theme. You see, the natives (i.e. those getting lumped with half of the third world) are getting sick and tired of it.

Your sayYourNorth-East

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