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In order to deflect attacks in the media that label them as fascists, racists and homophobes, the group has worked assiduously to field candidates who do not fit the caricature of the jack-booted thug. By putting doctors and other professionals forward as candidates, they gain added respectability. In order to buck the stereotype further, they have even put forward a Muslim convert and a Jewish housewife as local representatives in elections. A BNP broadcast issued in May on the BBC’s channels featured Rajinder Singh, bemoaning the rise of Islamic extremism in Britain. Mr. Singh has been involved with the group for some time, serving as a guest columnist on the official party magazine for a year. This more palatable image has no doubt helped them gain support from voters who would otherwise be wary of such an organisation.
By capitalising on the frustration and resentment of some white voters towards the discrimination that they perceive favours blacks and Asians over them, the BNP has gained new members and some electoral successes in places such as Oldham and Burnley. By campaigning in these tense areas, which have already attracted the attention of the national press, they have managed to generate much greater publicity than their relatively small party could hope to muster ordinarily.
These tactics have produced results for the BNP, so it is not surprising that anxiety about the group has increased at the same time. But it would not be correct to assume that marginalising this group would be an effective way to deal with the tensions that they exploit. When we examine the policies of the current government and the standpoint of the main opposition party, it is clear that the BNP are not the only ones prepared to capitalise on fear and anxiety. In response to the accusation that it is soft on immigration and asylum issues, the government has done its best to demonstrate that it has effective and stringent immigration policies. When the Home Secretary David Blunkett talks of the country being 'swamped' by asylum seekers, what need is there for far-right parties? The Conservatives are not to be outdone in this regard, and regularly claim that they can offer stricter policies than Labour. It is the mainstream media, not the far right, which has done the most to arouse anxiety and resentment about the issues of immigration, asylum and race in a way that is completely out of proportion to the scale of the problem. As Nick Griffin stated in the May 28th broadcast: "A big BNP vote will make the other parties take notice of the patriotic majority." In other words, votes for the BNP can be used to express frustration about race-related policies, but it is the main parties who are in a position to actually execute the policies, not the fringe group.
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