NICK GRIFFIN DISRESPECTS THE DEAD
Nick Griffin came… but why didn’t Gordon Brown?
9:10am Wednesday 11th November 2009
By Scott McPherson » Swindon Advertiser
THE LEADER of the far-right British National Party caused outrage when he turned up at the repatriation of six soldiers in Wootton Bassett yesterday – and handed out business cards.
Despite whisperings that Prime Minister Gordon Brown was due to attend the ceremony, it was Nick Griffin who put in an appearance, much to the disgust of local people.
The BNP chairman, who has infamously described the Holocaust of the Jews as a “Holohoax”, mingled with the crowds and war veterans as the cortege passed through the town. He was also seen on a street corner handing out cards from his wallet.
Sarah Winters, who has lived in Wootton Bassett all her life, said: “This is appalling – what a disgusting man. What would he have done if the soldiers being brought home were black or Indian? How dare he use this as a political tool – he is stamping all over the raw grief of families. He should be ashamed.”
As word spread of Mr Griffin’s presence at the ceremony, more people gathered on the opposite side of the road to stare in disbelief. Police officers patrolled the area where he was standing.
Harry Bartham, 81, who lives in Swindon, branded Mr Griffin’s actions as a “sick sideshow”.
He said: “I have been to every repatriation and no MPs have ever shown up, and out of everyone we would have expected, he is the last.
“He has a disregard for human feeling and should feel ashamed. This is not political. What these families have to go through is terrible – the worst day of their lives and they have him stood opposite trying to sell his party.”
Mr Griffin was surrounded by burly men in black coats but he still spoke to members of the public who recognised him.
He said: “I am not here to talk about politics – it is not appropriate. I wanted to come here today because this is the second worst toll to be coming through and because tomorrow is Remembrance Day.
“So it’s fitting that as many people as possible come here today.
“It’s an absolutely tremendous and very moving display. It’s been very low key, I’ve been talking to many people and it’s been very friendly”.
Mr Griffin recently hit the headlines with his appearance on Question Time, which is due to be filmed in Wootton Bassett on December 10.
Retired warrant officer Derek Fairfoot, from Lyneham, said Mr Griffin had every right to be there.
He said: “I do not agree with what he stands for and believes in but he has a right to be here like everyone else. I would have preferred Gordon Brown but he still won’t show up here – I think that is more out of order than Mr Griffin showing up.”
The man is completely shameless, yet he will no doubt get some support out of this latest publicity stunt.
I wonder what way the left could approach such an event, shouting ‘Stop the War’ would be completely inappropriate, and would disrespect the dead men.
Perhaps showing up with poppies on our coats and having private chats with people about how we cannot afford these deaths anymore, and stress the need to bring our boys and girls home?
(Although I was chastised for wearing a poppy outside of my student union the other morning by some ultra-revolutionaries, but in the real world we need to isolate idiots who damage the reputation of the left and make it so easy for the BNP to lump us together with the ‘butchers of basra’ protesters)
Comment by One From The Plough — 11 November, 2009 @ 8:24 pm
Way of the mark; pure propaganda.
Griffin didn’t call the press, the press came to him. He stood silently in a crowd of thousands and refused to talk politics when the same press that now condemn him for being there tried to get him to spiel.
He has every right to be there as a private citizen, as an elected MEP, as a leader of legal political party and as the son of a serviceman.
Unlike the other parties leaders, Griffin is not responsible for any of these deaths and came and paid his respects; no more, no less.
Comment by LWF — 11 November, 2009 @ 9:25 pm
I’m sue that Griffin got a lot more support from those union jack waving crowds than the media like to believe somehow. Its truly BNP land out there.
All this triumphalist and jingoistic flag waving really makes sick. You know what, if you don’t want to die leave the military or better still just don’t join. It really is that simple and millions will support you. Follow the brave example of Lance Corporal Glenton and others.
Comment by paddy garcia (In a personal capacity) — 11 November, 2009 @ 9:30 pm
From the reports I read, Griffin was rather welcome at that sick little parade of jingoism. A few people I saw quoted were saying how they’d consider voting BNP because they supported “our boys”. But that’s the response I’d expect from the kind of middle-class backward bastards who turn up to wave flags at dead bodies. One from the plough, you’re on another planet, mate.
Comment by DRN — 11 November, 2009 @ 9:53 pm
A year ago Andy showed the way in an exemplary fashion… with the Swindon Stop the War Coalition participation Remeberance day ballon release commemorating all the dead of war.
This was a gentle indication of how ‘the left’ can participate in a ‘civil’ way that aims a hegemony.
This exemplar was ignored…so this year in the middle of massive popular objective opposition to imperialist war in afghanistan… a small demo in London and huge popular respinse to ‘help for heros’ and the british legion poppy appeal…
well….
Andy’s release of white ballons signifying peace was at least an attempt to relate to public anti war sentiment…
Nick Griffin gets a positive reception …
because he is there.
where is the left?
One from the Plough’.. you carry on wearing your poppy….. i’ve got one on as I type…
out of respect for my maternal grandfather…. Morgan Jones… who despite being in protected employment as a Rhonda Valley Miner… volunteered in 1940. On April 1st 1945 he died when a 14 year old German lad lobbed a stick grenade through the turrent of his churchill tank on German territory…
my nan buried his medals….
He was a socialist, He was an Anti Facsist….
I never knew him…. but his spirit hovers over our family…
RIP Morgan Jones
Comment by mark anthony france [independent parliamentary candidate for Bromsgrove Consituency] — 11 November, 2009 @ 10:12 pm
There is no need for confusion between support for the troops and opposition to the war. In fact, I believe the best way to support the troops is to oppose the war. I support the troops whole heartedly and see no difference between supporting those in uniform and supporting other workers elsewhere who, like the rest of us, are unavoidably implicated in ‘imperialism’or oppression.
Would anyone, for example, advise against supporting a strike at British Aerospace on the grounds that workers there have helped manufacture military hardware that has been sold to Israel?
The argument against the war in Afghanistan seems to have been won. There is no reason why the left, who have argued consistently and coherently against the war, shouldn’t include military families and ex-service people in such a campaign - not for reasons of the type of opportunism demonstrated by Griffin but because they should be our natural allies.
Comment by Daveyboy — 11 November, 2009 @ 10:46 pm
“Would anyone, for example, advise against supporting a strike at British Aerospace on the grounds that workers there have helped manufacture military hardware that has been sold to Israel?”
There has been actions against EDO in Brighton, a company which does supply high tech equipment to the IDF Air Force which has been used against the people of Lebanon and Gaza for example.
Comment by paddy garcia (In a personal capacity) — 11 November, 2009 @ 10:50 pm
#6 Just to clarify, by “strike at British Aerospace” I mean an industrial dispute by workers employed by British Aerospace, not a military style attack.
Comment by Daveyboy — 11 November, 2009 @ 11:04 pm
“There has been actions against EDO in Brighton, a company which does supply high tech equipment to the IDF Air Force which has been used against the people of Lebanon and Gaza for example.”
BUt this is agitation by peaceniks outside the plant, The workers in the plant presumably don’t agree with it being shut.
Comment by Andy Newman — 11 November, 2009 @ 11:09 pm
#1
” wonder what way the left could approach such an event”
well so far, we have opted to do nothing, I am thinking of going along to the next one (it is only 3 miles from my house) on Monday to gauge the mood for myself.
Comment by Andy Newman — 11 November, 2009 @ 11:11 pm
# 3
*“I’m sue”*
Then stop calling yourself Paddy!
*“Griffin got a lot more support from those union jack waving crowds than the media like to believe somehow. Its truly BNP land out there.”*
Right.
And you gather this from people that are in grief and receiving their dead husbands, sons, fathers and brothers coffins back into the country. Are you for real?
*“All this triumphalist and jingoistic flag waving really makes sick.”*
Really? Because I think its comments like the one you made on a previous thread and I reproduce below that makes ordinary people sick:
“There are very few lower life forms than a Brit squaddie. Like rats and cockroaches they come from the vilest BNP/EDL/NF supporting drossvilles and gutters. One squaddie, one bullet.”
*“if you don’t want to die leave the military or better still just don’t join”*
Right. I see.
And how exactly would that have helped to defeat the Nazis in Europe? Or the Fascists in Spain?
Comment by Timmy — 11 November, 2009 @ 11:15 pm
More to the point, how can anyone put forward those views and expect to get a sympathetic hearing from people who have friends and relatives connected to the armed forces, which is just about everyone I know.
Comment by Andy Newman — 11 November, 2009 @ 11:17 pm
Hmm … funny how suddenly it’s the socialist community ’standing up’ for our soldiers, when at every other opportunity you call them terrorists and demonstrate against the job they are doing. I can’t stand Nick Griffin or what he stands for, but he has every right to be there to respect people who, whether right or wrong, do their job which is putting their lives on the line for this country. This event is a repatriation of six soldiers who’s families are currently suffering the worst days of their lives, and to who we should be extremely thankful. It’s not Question Time, and to use it to make a cheap political point is disgraceful.
Comment by WWT — 12 November, 2009 @ 12:42 am
I have to admit that I don’t get the argument that the paper is trying to make. Why is it so wrong for Griffin to be there but so right that Brown should be?
And how exactly did Griffin hijack the event if he was coming off weith lines like “I am not here to talk about politics – it is not appropriate.”
It seems like the media have over-reacted here and given the fecker another publicity coup.
Comment by Ciarán — 12 November, 2009 @ 12:47 am
6 “6.There is no need for confusion between support for the troops and opposition to the war.”
Opposition to the war and political action before and during, to stop it, is a matter of priniple, and comes first. “Support for the troops” is ambiguous - I want the troops brought home ASAP and hate that young lives have been wrecked by imperialist adventures, but I don’t support the troops, our lads, or whatever, as an imperialist army.
Comment by David Ruaune — 12 November, 2009 @ 1:47 am
I meant “principle”
Comment by David Ruaune — 12 November, 2009 @ 2:03 am
god i hate griffin so much that horrible face i want to punch him so hard.
he scares me . lets never let him win. respect to all at socialist unity, i’ve kinda grown to love this website,its a cool place to hang out.
socialist nurse g.
Comment by graham — 12 November, 2009 @ 2:50 am
Perhaps One-eye McBroon was in detention, correcting his spelling mistakes.
Comment by sean — 12 November, 2009 @ 3:34 am
Griffin’s body language gives away his real intention for being there.
Compare him to the two genuine vets either side of him.
They are looking suitably solemn and focused on the cortege, he is inappropriately smiling and looking directly at the press photographers.
You can almost read his thoughts along the lines of ‘gosh how nice the photo opp, just what I came for’.
Clearly caught out on candid camera I believe for the political oppportunist that he is.
Comment by Halshall — 12 November, 2009 @ 8:35 am
I understood local people didnt want anyone from outside turning up including political leaders of any kind
Comment by Sean — 12 November, 2009 @ 5:57 pm
#20 Sean
Apparently there were three Tory MPs there (including the local one), but they would have remained unnoticed if it hadn’t been for Griffin’s publicity stunt.
I don’t feel that they (the MPs)were there for anything other than paying their respects.
And of course Griffin was seen to be handing out cards. Another indication of his true motive.
Comment by Halshall — 12 November, 2009 @ 6:55 pm
http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2009/11/12/sikh-fury-over-bnp-wreath-insult-97319-25151246/
Comment by Ger Francis — 12 November, 2009 @ 7:01 pm
the right wing press are trying to cause a split between the rank and file military and the Governmnet (the top brass have always been pro Tory pro coup against any left wing governmnet) but trying to cause a split with other workers like those at the MOD
Its the Tories and the same newspaper editors who believe in bonus culture in the City and wider etc to motivate workers
now they condem workers for getting a £400 bonus on average at the MOD
a bonus opposed by the unions who demanded a decent wage not bonuses
Its important the Left does all it can to stop this split
Its a joke given the Tories committment to cut expenditure on the army etc and it will be squaddies homes and welfare services that will be cut first
Comment by Sean — 13 November, 2009 @ 8:26 am
In modern European history, there have been two categories of regime which sought to hound dissidents solely on the grounds of their political affiliation.
The communist regimes of Eastern Europe formed one group, and most notoriously, Nazi Germany and her Fascist allies formed the other. In Communist Eastern Europe, the tactic of depriving political dissidents of their livelihood and forcing them into menial occupations developed into a finely honed instrument of state policy.
Now, in 21st Century Britain, Fascist-style political harassment is again back in vogue: the modish preoccupation of government ministers, Trade Union barons, Establishment journalists and Cabinet Office bureaucrats alike.
So glad to see you have joined them.
Comment by Rayatcov — 13 November, 2009 @ 3:55 pm
I am actually coming round to Griffin a bit now. He isn’t the monster he is made out to be, in fact, her comes across as sincere (if a little over enthusiastic).
Comment by Kieran — 13 November, 2009 @ 8:36 pm
“BUt this is agitation by peaceniks outside the plant, The workers in the plant presumably don’t agree with it being shut.”
Its not just peacenicks, there are socialists, anarchists, greens involved as well as fluffy peacenicks. Not just demonstrating outside either, the plant has also been occupied and equipment trashed. Activists are faceing trial for this, they are going to make a political defence that what they did was to prevent war rimes, juries have acquitted people charged with similar offences in the past. Do you have a problem with supporting them?
Don’t know how the workers thing, they should campaign for their skills to be used to make socially useful products. Until this happens their wages are paid with the blood of Palesitnian and Lebanese and other people. Hope they sleep well at night, they are beneath contempt.
Comment by paddy garcia (In a personal capacity) — 13 November, 2009 @ 11:07 pm