Tuesday 8 April 2008

Something's in the air

CONSTRUCTIVE BNP staff meeting yesterday in North Wales. I would, in fact, call it 'sharp', none of the waffle and 'more than one meeting' that have beset many of the officials' gatherings I have attended over the years.

There is definitely something in the air that you can almost feel, and everyone at the meeting yesterday sensed it. It's as if we know that there is a change in the offing and probably after May 1st things might not ever be the same again.

Now I shall hold my hand up and say that I felt the same last May. I was convinced that the British National Party would make significant gains across the country, but it didn't happen. There was a definite increase in our votes but the swing to us was not significant enough for the BNP to make the long-awaited breakthrough and win a swathe of new seats. We did make progress, but it hardly registered and was certainly not enough to attract any media attention.

But for the last 11 months Britain has experienced our Quiet Revolution in local council by-elections, and now this is beoming louder by the day. With the opportunity provided to us to make our mark in London thanks to the proportional representation voting used in the Top Up List, expectations are naturally higher than they have ever been before.
Programmes like last night's Dispatches on Channel 4 just add to this sense of expectation.

The award-winning journalist Rageh Omaar, is a true professional and doesn't carry his own personal political baggage with him when presenting programmes - he lets the people he is interviewing do the talking which is what true documentary journalism is all about.

This first of his three programmes on immigration examined the views of Britain's native White population and settled immigrants towards newcomers which include East Europeans and African migrants and found that whereas once it was considered a taboo subject, there is no longer such reticence about discussing it amongst the white middle-classes or the second or third generation immigrants.

The programme didn't touch on the threat from Islam, so I'm assuming that this will provide the subject matter for one of the three programmes in its own right. Just before the end of the 60 minute report, Rageh Omaar asked a chap from Bristol (I'm assuming he was some sort of authority) about what the outcome of such large scale immigration would be. He said something about either people would vote for the BNP, as voters did in France to send a message to the Government, or otherwise there would be unrest on the streets.

Unfortunately I didn't get the exact quote or who the person was who said it, but it could be something that might be useful in the coming weeks. If anyone can help with this I would be grateful. I have emailed Channel 4 but in case they don't want to help, I am asking readers of this blog - many thanks.

I'm pleased to report that my Rover completed the six hour round trip yesterday without any problems and weathered a blizzard over Shap at around half past five. Then in Penrith, ten minutes later, there was a thunder storm with sheet lightning and hailstones. What strange weather for April!

All roads lead to Borough Park tonight for the Cumbrian derby Workington Reds vs Barrow. With the Bluebirds pushing for promotion and on a great unbeaten run at the moment, there's plenty to play for and I'm hopeful of a 700 plus gate to ease the Reds' financial situation, even with the attraction up the road of Carlisle vs Swansea and Liverpool vs Arsenal on the box.

I have written books on the history of both Workington and Barrow. The one about Barrow AFC was called  "In the Beginning, there was the end" which was reviewed by Simon Barnes in The Times who described it as "skilfully chronicled". The book sold out and this was despite a campaign by the North West Evening Mail to deter people from buying it because it had been written by someone whose political viewpoint they didn't agree with. 

So, although I have a soft spot for the Holker Street club,  tonight there will be no divided loyalties as my red and white scarf will confirm.

4 comments:

thll said...

The chap who made the comment in Bristol was introduced as a 'social worker'.

Bert Rustle said...

I only saw the first few minutes. In my opinion, backing music in documentaries is akin to monosodium glutamate in food; it is simply used to mask a lack of quality or preparation.

14words said...

The chaps name was Martin Hancock , as said "social worker"

His quote was

" If politicians don't listen to what the community people are saying , people will either say "i'm going to vote BNP and go away from my traditional party and vote BNP like the French did and say hang on we have an issue here, or they will take the law into their own hands"

Omar "whats your worst fear?"

Hancock "Its going to snowball to what the St Pauls and the Toxteths (riots)happened, but worse"

Martin Wingfield said...

Many thanks for that.