The Great British Public are a little inconsistent here. Based on the attitude of the past few weeks, I suspect that if you asked them if mainstream politicians should be allowed to express their views on the airwaves 'respectfully' they would strongly disagree.

Why preserve the 1950s treatment for Nazis?

Our Fathers fought against Oppressors in order for people to have freedom and that means freedom of expression withut violence or other intimidation.

The BNP in the UK have the same rights to freedom as you or I, provided that they do not break the Laws of the Land.   Stand back and think for a while. I do not believe in Sharia Law either, but I support Islamic people who wish to use that within the Law.

In this case, supporting freedom of expression even for the odious BNP will have the effect of being able to compare their policies with those of other extremist authoritarian parties, such as SWP and the Campaign Group.  Comparing  policies makes for interesting reading.  For instance the phrase, "Owners work, and workers own"  good solid left-wing ideology ,was included in the BNP election manifesto of 2005.   Add to that the fact that most of the nearly 1,000,000 BNP vote came from working class areas enables us to put the BNP where they really belong - on the Left.

What's the difference between 'giving them publicity respectfully' and actually helping to promote them? Does anybody else get this 'respectful' treatment now?

Running Down The Bnp Is A Load Of Tosh,I Voted BNP Because they are the only ones that have the real answers to immigration and the eec.

what is worse than the bnp is the labour party,ugh,the consevatives are useless an liberals well the have thier head deep in the eec.

in the next general election,i will decide between ukip and bnp,the bnp are a bonafide party like all the rest,the peoples choice is to be respected,the bnp will no more hang themselves than all the rest.

and guess what i,m not racist,i like black people and do not want them to leave if they are here legally,its usally the leftys who shout nazi because most are brain dead.

The reason the BNP are denied publicity and not allowed to speak for themselves is that they ask some perfectly legitimate questions  that the establishment want to keep out of the public domain.

The establishment use the media to control the parameters of political debate in this country and to control the information we have at hand when we make political judgements.

If they are forced to engage the BNP then the public will still be asking some awkward questions thrown up by such a debate long after the BNP are dead and buried.

Everyone knows that the British public will never elect a nazi party unless they are pushed into it by a totally unrepresentative, corrupt,  dishonest and arrogant political class.