Sentinel comment: Make BNP debate issues

TOMORROW night's appearance on BBC Question Time by BNP leader Nick Griffin has presented his party with a substantial publicity coup.

The inevitable debate over whether he should or should not be allowed on the programme has taken up thousands of column inches in dozens of national newspapers.

People who love politics appear to be talking about little else. But the decision to allow Griffin to appear on the BBC is correct – although not for the spurious legal reasons put forward by the Corporation's lawyers.

Rather, ordinary grown-ups should not be "protected" from political debate. This is 2009 – and people can make up their own minds about the great issues of our day.

Here in Stoke-on-Trent we know, from bitter experience, where that may lead. However the fact locals have so little faith in their council they have seen fit to elect nine BNP members, should not lead us to support a TV ban.

Similarly though, it should never stop us working hard to reveal the BNP for what it really is: A self-serving band of bigots who are a blight on our city and society.

T he best antidote to the overwhelming cynicism which has led people in Stoke-on-Trent to vote BNP is to hear Nick Griffin's views. We sincerely hope QT viewers will witness Griffin try to justify his distaste for black and mixed-race Britons.

It would be helpful if he was asked why his strident anti-crime party has several members with convictions for violence. There should also be serious debate about the innate bigotry which runs through all his party's policies.

For if this happens, then some of the desperate individuals who put their crosses in the BNP box may realise what they are really voting for.