BNP begins complaint campaign aimed at MEN's advertisers
BNP begins complaint campaign aimed at MEN'sThe BNP is encouraging its supporters to pressurise the Manchester Evening News' advertisers following the paper's editorial stance urging readers not to vote for the party in next week's European elections.
The MEN has been running the ‘BNP-The Truth’ campaign this week, which the newspaper’s editor, Paul Horrocks, said was to inform the public of the "extremist" policies held by the party.
Horrocks told The Drum: “We took the decision to expose more details on their policies and, when we tried to speak to the deputy leader, Simon Darby, to confirm the BNP’s manifesto in 2005, when it wanted all non-white Britons to leave the country, he essentially said ‘Yes’ but refused to talk about the issue any further.
"When you think about that, to try and suggest that in multi-cultural Britain we in effect ‘repatriate’ society, it’s just an outrage and we felt it right to bring details like that to our readers' attention.”
As a result of the MEN’s campaign, the BNP has asked its supporters to complain to MEN advertisers in order to persuade the paper to cease its editorial campaign.
In an email to supporters, the BNP said: "They [the MEN] are terrified that British patriots will be elected on June 4th. It is time we started fighting back against these media rats in the only way possible: by complaining to their advertisers!
"If enough people do this, the companies in question will moan and groan to the Manchester Evening News' business directors, forcing a behavioural change vis-à-vis the editorial team and journalists. We are calling on all genuine British Nationalists to heed this call and complain to one of the companies."
The email then listed a number of regular advertisers in the MEN.
A spokesperson for the BNP said: “The MEN has told a pack of lies. This is a publication that looks to try and pass itself off as a trusted purveyor of news and current affairs which has decided to launch a campaign against the BNP."
Horrocks said that the paper would continue with its campaign nevertheless. The European Parliamentary Elections are held on 4 June.
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Comments
As diabolical as Labour are I'd choose them any day over the BNP. And please stop posting leaflets through my door with istock images of 'British' people...
Right on the MEN
Readers should be treated as intelligent people who can make their own mind up in a democratic society. They don't need to be preached to by a media whose own moral standards are dubious at best. I think most people can arrive at the right conclusions about the merits of the BNP, without hysterical, student union hacks giving Nick Griffin free PR.
I don't think the BNP's campaign will have the slightest effect. Any advertiser who listens to that bunch of c**ts isn't going to last long as a business.
There is no place in the modern world for racism and bigotry. Whilst the BNP is unlikely to be a realistic choice for the country's political future, it supports many inoffensive values and principals that this country has lost over the years. It is a crying shame that the main political forces in this country seem incapable of balancing a modern, cosmopolitan Britain with the patriotic pride and principals of mutual respect that have regrettably disappeared in recent decades.
Hmmm, well the BNP are a little direct. But I fear that their attitude is wrong and decisions potentially made would put the UK in a bad position. They come across as being hurt and spiteful. Could we really trust a party like that, not that they'd even have a chance.
The type of person to vote are the more mature, poorly educated men in society who like to rant... and probably reads the biased red top tabloids. Sadly... (we'll i'm right).
I'm glad the MEN highlighted the facts. That's journalism.
"Student union hacks"? Possibly a bit harsh.
I think the MEN is right to publish this kind of editorial. As much as I'd never seek to prevent he BNP expressing their views, however hiddeous, surely showing up the short-comings politicians / parities of all types is actually what journos SHOULD be doing.
I hadn't noticed any hand-wringing about whether papers should be questioning Labour's policies, or whether the Tories actually have any etc. etc.
Why the sudden interest when the BNP is the party in question? Do they deserve some kind of special treatment? The very fact that, as Tasha points out, the party is attempting to silence criticism of their policies shows that: 1) they only approve of "freedom of speech" when it suits them and 2) they don't have the confidence in their policies to deal with and answer criticism head-on
Sure, most people are bright enough to see through the faux-respectability and , frankly laughable, pretence at National Pride (how can you be proud of a country if you're determined to completely re-make it!?!). However, a lot of people simply haven't been told any more than what the BNP campainer told them on their doorstep.
If the MEN and other papers don't have the right / guts / student-union-hackism to address dodgy political parties (don't think I'm not looking at you Labour, UKiP etc. etc.) they may as well just re-brand as the Manchester edition of Heat magazine!
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