Pakistan calling . . . Pakistan calling . . .

"The fascists of the British National Party (BNP) are a threat to everyone. But they are particularly dangerous for Muslims living in this country."

So says the Pakistan Daily which presumably must be a newspaper for Pakistanis living in Britain. You can read the report here and when you have finished that one, there's another one from the same newspaper here

Dare I suggest that the "threat to everyone" posed by Pakistani Muslims is far more serious as the London tube and bus bombings have illustrated and that Pakistani Muslims are "particularly dangerous" to BNP members as Keith Brown found out at the cost of his life.

Life after Malik begins today and it's a sunny morning in Cumbria in celebration. I find it ironic that the former Justice Minister who skillfully manipulated the media to futher his career should be brought down by that same media.

When I was campaigning in Burnley in 2002, I met an ambulance man who was with Malik when he was allegedly hit by a police baton during the Burnley Riots a year earlier. He told me that Shahid would not allow his wound to be treated until the media had photographed it. It was a good move on his part because it was those pictures that propelled him on to the national political stage.

Malik blamed a "media feeding frenzy" of bias and poorly researched reports for his downfall and I can sympathise with him on this. Take a look at what the British National Party has had to put up with this morning.

A BNP vote is a big mistake

Posties in storm over BNP leaflet

BNP hope perfect storm will sweep them to power

BNP could be at heart of Far right EU group

British pensioners on BNP leaflets are Italian models

The last two reports are from the Daily Telegraph and a long time, non-political, friend who works on that newspaper says to expect more of the same as long as the expenses scandal keeps on rolling on. He told me yesterday:

"Every single exposed MP has used the "your boosting the BNP" argument when trying to persuade us not to publicise their particular abuses of the expenses system.
"All three party leaders have been on to the editor using the same argument in an attempt to get us to finish the story quickly and not to drag it out.
"The anti-BNP stories are part of a sop to Brown & Co. as is the promotion of a blog attempting to discredit the BNP."

Now I'm quite pleased to hear this. In a way it is good news.

Yesterday's YouGov poll and quite a few political commentators are indicating that we are not benefiting from the Expenses Scandal and that disillusioned voters are turning to UKIP. That's certainly not what our activists have been reporting, or it seems now, the activists of the three main parties, as my friend at The Telegraph reveals.

Last night as Tina and I sat down for drink after a quite manic week. We watched the fall of Malik on Sky News and then discussed the whole expenses saga. Surprisingly we were both of the same opinion.

We rather it hadn't happened!

Some might find this attitude astounding, but we have come to this conclusion because of the voter volatility it has caused.

Without the expenses scandal, the BNP was quietly working towards having three MEPs elected on June 4th. It would have taken a political earthquake to stop us winning in the North West, Yorkshire and the West Midlands . . . and now, of course, that is exactly what has happened.