unicornnews: Comms challenge of fighting BNP

In an interesting piece in PR Week, a number of communication experts have criticised the mainstream political parties for failing to enter into a public debate with the British National Party, arguing that the policy of ignoring the far-right organisation helped them win two seats in the European Parliament.

Most mainstream politicians have previously refused to take part in public or media debates with campaigners from the far right, fearing that doing so gives parties like the BNP, and their more controversial policies, an air of credibility, and possibly making said parties seem like they have more support than they really do.

Even after BNP leader Nick Griffin and his colleague Andrew Brons had won their seats in last week’s European elections, Channel 4 News chiefs admitted on their Twitter feed that they were struggling to find a representative from one of the mainstream political parties to take part in an on-air debate with the BNP’s top man.

But the problem with that policy, some argue, is that it means the BNP’s often sweeping statements and more controversial policies go undebated and therefore unquestioned. And with public trust in mainstream politicians at an all time low, that gives those on the fringes of the political spectrum the opportunity to make bold promises without being challenged. Mainstream political types, some argue, would be better advised to take the BNP on, and to engage with voters on the far right’s hot topic areas of race and immigration so to win the debate and divert public support from the far-right.

PR Week quote Simon Francis, who heads up the public sector division at communications consultancy Band & Brown, who says: “Politicians have refused to comment and give the BNP credence, but doing this has created a vacuum that the BNP has filled by campaigning locally”.

Meanwhile, Nick Lowles of anti-fascist magazine Searchlight added: “Ignoring the BNP does not work. Politicians need to stop talking banal nonsense and address the public policy issues”.

As anti-racist groups step up their campaigning against the BNP in the wake of the party’s Euro win, it will be interesting to see how Labour, Conservative et al deal with the increasingly prominent far right as we move towards a General Election at some point in the next year.

While the first-past-the-post system means the BNP would never replicate their success in the European elections in a race to Westminster, the next election will likely be the most covered in British history, which provides an opportunity for the BNP to get more exposure, but also for the other political parties to take the far right on, by employing some good old fashion debate and issue based communications.

Posted Wednesday June 10 2009 by Chris Cooke

Related categories: Political Communications