Monday 19th October 2009 | 15:31

Hain and Johnson wrong on BNP, say insiders

Only the Left supports the idea of a legal challenge over Nick Griffin's Question Time slot - most agree that such a challenge would be a mistake

Two-thirds of political insiders believe that attempting a legal challenge over British National Party leader Nick Griffin's scheduled appearance on Question Time this Thursday would be counterproductive.

This comes after Home Secretary Alan Johnson and Peter Hain both pointed out that the party is "illegally constituted", with Mr Hain suggesting it could be grounds for a legal challenge to the BBC's decision.

Johnson made his feelings known on last week’s edition of the programme, whilst Hain revealed today that he had written had written to BBC director general Mark Thompson on the matter.

However, 67% of political insiders believe Griffin’s appearance should go ahead, with one-quarter supporting a legal challenge.

The Phi100 panel is composed of Parliamentarians, journalists, think tank leaders and strategists from all parties and none, and offers a daily measure of the political temperature in Westminster.

There is a significant division across party lines – Johnson and Hain find support from a majority of left-aligned insiders, but very little from others across the political spectrum.

‘Any challenge makes Labour look silly - why is Straw willing to participate if Hain et al want to stop it?’, asked one non-aligned think tank leader.

There was a strong feeling from numerous panellists that a legal challenge would benefit the BNP. ‘Nick Griffin would love it if there was a legal challenge. Even better if the courts ban him from appearing on Question Time. What a perfect scenario - the hated politicians and their friends the judges united against the BNP. Truly, this country is run by idiots’, a political journalist said, whilst a right-aligned colleague agreed, saying ‘Don't make Griffin appear to be a martyr, show him to be an idiot.’

A right-aligned think tank leader said, ‘This sort of shenanigans plays into Griffin's hands. There is now daily wall-to-wall coverage of the BNP, thanks to the BBC in the first place, and now thanks to Johnson and Hain’.

A left-aligned think tank leader, however, was unrepentant in hoping for a legal challenge. “The BBC has a duty to uphold democratic, liberal values. I would argue it should militantly promote such values. It should not be a mirror for the ugly side of human nature, and they don't come any uglier than the BNP. Question Time is something of a national institution so by having them on there the BBC is implying that they accept them as part of the same warp and weft as the major, non-racist parties. People who voted for them last time will feel comforted, and people who thought about voting for them will feel encouraged to do so next time”, they said.