The BNP probably doesn't seek to be 'respectable'. Does that not imply 'middle of the road' and 'accepted by ther majority'. They're an extreme viewpoint. The same as communists. Neither are respectable as an ethos, but that does not mean that some of their views don't hold value for some people.

Lewis Blight, Nottingham, UK

Cheers for the BNP at least they are trying to get serious concerns sorted

dee, ipswich, england

The BNP is a disgrace to this country, what we stand for and our species. But banning it would only drive it underground, and more dangerous.

Ben, Exeter,

I had a good chuckle at the gentleman who claimed that the BNP were a danger to Britain. Talk about ironic. The BNP, for all their faults, are the only party which seems to want to stop Britain from dying.

Matt, Exeter, UK

Us people on "the list" are proud people. We have stood up for British culture, we are trying to bring back hanging (Baby P !!) and we have actually done something - everyone else has just moaned to each other in the pub. Well you can all now help by joining in and vote - that's still anonymous !!

richard, Manchester, uk

The political spectrum is wide and balanced in the middle (where most of us are), it is democratic and fair precisely because it is wide.

Clip the ends at your peril.

Andy, Liverpool, UK

If David is worried about the BNP perhaps he could comment on some of the concerns that voters have about the way the UK is governed.
He could start with todays news ref.foreign criminals still resident in UK even after deportation orders against them.
Over to you Dave

ron jenkins, Birmingham, England

Laurence, Hemel Hempstead , UK

Shown up for what?
What the BNP say is exactly what the majority of British people want. What are you going to do? Expose the British people to...the British people?

Phill, Cheshire, UK

70%? where did you get that figure Keith? At least 30% of the public are ethnic minorities and they're hardly likely to want to be ousted from the country

Edward Basham, High Wycombe,

I have no truck with BNP racism, but with all the main political parties with almost identical anti patriotic left wing policies, obsessed with equality, diversity, women and minority only shortlists etc, all directed by the Chianti sipping smug media elite, It leaves a huge gap for the BNP to fill

Andy, Orpington, UK

70% of the British public support hanging, repatriation of foreigners and withdrawal from the EU. No political party but the BNP endorses these ideas. The liberal establishment just chortles, wipes its brow and thanks the heavens everytime the British people don't vote for what they really want.

keith b, wigan, uk

The people who are a real threat are unelected journalists who impose their views on everyone else and claim that they have moral high ground.

Alison, Warrington, UK

If you don't like the BNP then it's pretty simple-don't vote for them!

David, Northants,

You don't have to be of the far right to have doubts about significant aspects of the mainstream acounts of the holocaust

James, London, uk

I think you might be under-estimating the support for the BNP, I know many people who will say they support "SOME" of their policies in the privacy of their own home, but would never admit in a crowd or to an opiniin poll.

Brian Wilson, Edinburgh,

They may not gain respectability but on immigration, the main issue, support is widerspread than many will admit. 800,000 votes at the European elections, 79% in a CIPD poll wanting a cap on immigration in the current economic climate and doubtless many others who dare not publicy voice support.

i.e., Norwich, England

The reason the establishment politicians/media are so scared of the BNP is because they speak the truth on behalf of ordinary people, and that just won't do will it.

Bob, London, England

Dave, Menlo. If I went onto an American forum and said I was a member of the Workers' Revolutionary Party, I would be criticised to the high heavens. The far-Right present a clear and present danger to the UK and what it stands for and they need to be constantly challenged and shown up.

Laurence, Hemel Hempstead , UK

I am not a BNP supporter, but am still disgusted at the hypocritical, skewed and openly aggressive/dismissive way that they are treated by the media, especially the BBC. Yesterday's Today show 'interview' (a.k.a snarling attack) was typical. Free speech? Balanced reporting? Good journalism?

Tom Atkins, London, UK

As usual in these circumstances one should preface any comments by saying that I am not a BNP member nor a supporter of it at all. Furthermore I am no anti semite, though I do confess to a degree of discomfort over Israel and its behaviour. There. Revisionism David isn't denial.

Ian, Bideford, uk

Quite astonishing, not to mention disturbing, that a Times correspondent would seek to suppress the British public's right to democracy.

Alastair Johnson, Alicante, Spain

To JF in Canterbury.. "(a) political nutters have absolutely no chance of getting into power,
We have the Labour Party in power...enjoy the next year or two, or perhaps you are not old enough to remember the Winter of Discontent.

douglas, London, UK

Re: Logan. The 'Great' in 'Great Britian' was put in by geography. It specifically refers to Britian being a collection of islands. Nothing more nothing less. You also might want to look up the role of Liberalism in the making of of the British Empire.

oliver, London,

Yes, we live in a free society but there has to be constraints on it. Otherwise what is to stop a group of peadophiles from starting up a political party - nothing I hear you say? Maybe in time, their policies would become popular, all they'd have to do is make themselves nationalists!

kim, london,

I am not a member and would not vote for them, however I do not want anymore immigration, I don't want any more appeasement of groups opposed to 'British' values (however bad they my become). I don't think that makes me even right wing, it makes me realistic about protecting our way of life!

Paul McCann, silverstone, uk

The very ordinariness of those on the BNP list shows its membership to be remarkably conventional. Of course, the BNP can never make itself respectable as far as the politically correct are concerned.

Derek, Taunton, UK

Even still, as we live in a free society, they are entitled to their views and to belong to such a group. This is the essence of democracy. If their message is not to the liking of the majority (as appears to be the case) then they will not be elected. Perhaps the ad hominem attacks should cease?

A.N, Greenwich, UK

Well if the BNP are allowed to join the democratic process in elections - why the sudden amazement that people belong to them now ?

ian payne, WALSALL,

A caveat to taking a hard line with racism is that it then goes underground. If people are hounded or forced by law to join in the multiracial society then they will bottle up their feelings of resentment. I believe this added fuel in the last Balkans conflict. Discussion is surely best.

John, Sydney, Australia

anybody that honestly believes that the holocaust never happened must be absolutely insane. theres plenty of evidence, uno, 6,000,000 people disappeared from the face of the earth for 1 thing. look around aushwitz and see the huge piles of shoes and glasses that represent murdered people.

will, grimsby, uk

JF
The Ironic thing is that we do have exactly (a) that is the problem. I am not racist but I am Nationalist and all for preservation of a culture, I am however anti liberal because the Great in Great Britain was not created by Liberalism. Not a BNP´er either.

Logan, London, UK

I have to redress the balance a bit seeing that 3 of the 4 existing comments read as an apologia for the BNP. Hitler was elected as a new broom, to free the country of anti-social elements and to banish weak, failed democracy. Marxists and foreigners were the main enemies. Enough said?

John, Worthing, UK

Dave of Menlo Park has hit the nail on the head: however right it is to loathe what the BNP stands for, persecuting people for their political beliefs is just as dangerous, and for people to lose their jobs just because their names appear on a BNP membership list is very disturbing.

Stephen Morris, Shrewsbury, England

But the BNP are respectable. The list contradicts the liberal-controlled media's long popularised image of the BNP as skinheads. Who do you think the public believe, the newspapers or the evidence?

Paul, Notingham, England

So, if you have any objections to unrestricted immigration into the UK, concerns about the negative effects of multiculturalism, or what to see extreme Islamism constrained, you're a Nazi are you? I don't support the BNP, but they are a legitimate political party and aprt of our free society.

Sean Hunter, Glasgow,

While I don't disagree with what Mr. Aaronovitch has said, I think that people are being threaten in the UK for their political beliefs is a more immediate issue. It is disappointing that he didn't speak out on that instead.

Dave, Menlo Park, CA, USA

When people criticise the BNP they always choose the worst bigot in the party. These people exist in every party but are ignored except for in the BNP. Disgraceful misrepresentation of a working class party by the middle classes in their country houses who don't live with the problems.

Neil Hughes, Birmingham, England

The biggest fear besides Islamism, radicalism, the failed multiculturalism and excessive immigration we have here in the UK and EU is that of reconstituted Marxists in the media and the many in the positions of power eg in the Nu Lab government (BTW I am not a BNP’er)

David Cartright, Birmingham,

Well said, David. Thank heavens we live in a country where (a) political nutters have absolutely no chance of getting into power, (b) where the vast majority are embarrassed by racist and anti-semitic ranting. If only Hitler had died of his wounds in 1918; failing that, hadn't managed to get power.

JF, Canterbury, UK