http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/oc ... stion-time

Intentional controversy FTW!

She will rip him to shreds. She is a very intelligent woman and will show him to be a stupid bigot.

+1

He’ll just put it down to her “wily darkie ways” in his mind, and will carry on. I really hope the other panellists make him like the complete moron he is. Have other panellists been confirmed? The Tories and LibDems have to field some heavyweights.

When Dimbleby mentioned he was appearing on on future edition last week, the audience made hissing and jeering noises. I hope the BBC knows what it’s doing, and that Dimbleby can control the debate. He’s pretty good at it, but this my test his mettle.

We shall see but there's a distinct sense of complacency here I hope there won't be in the studio. Nick Griffin by definition is not a moron. His views are repugnant and wrong, but you don't get to be head of any political party unless you have some nous about you. I very much doubt he'd be dumb enough to underestimate Greer - you're confusing prejudice with ignorance; he may well have the former but I doubt he's the latter. His best option is (IMO) not to appear as a frothing loon, but to appear as 'mainstream' as possible. It will be up to the likes of Greer to put him in a position where he has to endorse or confirm things which are not mainstream and which show the policies of his party that are unacceptable.

If the studio descends into a riot, or he isn't allowed to speak, or people shout over him that will be exactly what he wants. The whole ethos of the BNP is to attract the disaffected by claiming that they are the ones being put upon, they are the ones being oppressed, not the actual minorities. Going on Question Time and appearing to be a reasonable man while the people around him are screaming and shouting and calling him names and stopping him putting his side will simply reinforce that impression and give his party more leverage.

Jon

Methinks this is going to happen.
Even more ironic is the demonstration being organised by the anti-fascist groups using there right of freedom of expression to try and stop someone expressing there right to freedom of expression.
So overall it could be a win-win-win situation for the BNP.

Precisement.

I will most definitely be watching and I hope to see an interesting debate. Not a shouting match.

Even bigots have the right to free speech. The issues that he will raise will be the lack of opportunities for the working classes. Poor social housing excessive rents and property prices which exclude them. High unemployment as well which will appeal to many people even if they are not racists. The main parties have ignored them. Labour particularly so. They have taken their core electorate for granted and risk losing them to the BNP.