Apparently the BNP's leader Griffin got pelted with eggs yesterday and had to be hustled to cover. Now generally I wouldn't encourage anyone to throw anything at anyone, but you can see how tempting it might be can't you?
The rise of the British National Party is a huge embarrassment for the country; we like to think that we're all rather lovely and tolerant, and the existence of this piece of political excrement and their popularity with voters kinda proves that we're not!
In my own family I have occasionally come across casual racism in the past - and I've been quick to condemn it. But my in-laws are frequently guilty of the same stuff, and for family peace I'm obliged to tolerate it. But it makes me sick.
One of the things that makes me equally sick and shamed of racism etc is that, working class people - ie my class, are the most frequent perpetrators. But then perhaps it's the folk down at the bottom of the pile who like to have someone to kick?
There's no excuses for it though, and no excuses for the BNP either - we are no more overwhelmed in this country than any other in the EU and many parts of the UK rarely see black or brown faces even now: go to the working class areas of Scotland or the prosperous villages of England and try and spot anyone African or Asian. You'll struggle.
Freedom of movement around the globe is one of the marks of a civilised nation and a modern world, you can't start erecting walls the way the Israeli's have or like the one in Berlin without causing untold oppression and pain. No-one in the UK can insist that we close our doors to people who want to improve their lives - especially if the country they come from is in a mess primarily because of our historic interventions (would Pakistan be the country it is without Partition? Would India have the pockets of poverty it endures if we hadn't colonised it? And what about our role in Africa? If you want to sleep nights it's best not to consider British history abroad).
The BNP insist they are vilified and maligned - they are not, we all know that they are racists and the people who voted for them probably chose them on that basis.
At the next election, no matter how bitter you feel about the Labour government, don't decide to stay home, because your good sensible vote for the Tories, Liberals or even Labour keeps the BNP where it should be - in the trash can of history.