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Monday 9 April 2012

Mayoral Elections May 2012


Understandably, when it comes to the forthcoming mayoral elections the gaze of the media has thus far largely been directed towards London, the place where the concept of a directly elected mayor was put to the test for the first time in 2000. It is and will be a contest dominated by the personalities of Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone, the only men to have held the office to date. Already it has proven to be an exceptionally bad tempered race, with personal animosity boiling over into the well-publicised “fucking liar” incident in which Johnson lost his rag with Livingstone during a live radio debate. Although Johnson is a rich man, the subsequent publication of his personal earnings and tax details for the past three years, when compared to Livingstone’s, shows that he has paid his way whereas Livingstone, thanks to a little creative accounting, most certainly has not. Johnson’s fury therefore possessed some justification.

Livingstone was a trailblazer of divisive multiculturalist identity politics, helping to create an ethnically and culturally fragmented capital that whilst in our country is largely no longer of it; a city defined by geography rather than by people and community. Having nurtured the emergence of distinctive self-conscious ethnic blocs, it is to them that he now largely appeals, championing ‘minorities’ over the indigenous population. Andrew Gilligan and others have noted Livingstone’s poisonous embrace of Islamists in recent years, as well as a succession of remarks that indicate an apparent antipathy towards Jews. Having witnessed Galloway’s successful mobilisation of the Muslim bloc vote in Bradford West, it is a certainty that Livingstone will tap into this same demographic in London, appealing to the electors of Tower Hamlets and other such areas, using the Islamic Forum of Europe to help deliver the “community” votes that he requires. Galloway’s victory was to a considerable extent founded upon the willingness of Muslims to vote and the apathy of the non-Muslim indigenous population. Given that neither Johnson nor Livingstone enjoys a commanding lead in the opinion polls, Livingstone’s ability to tap into the growing Muslim bloc vote could provide him with the advantage that he requires to edge ahead of Johnson. This is the ugly political reality that characterises our capital today.

For all of the metropolitan media’s obsession with London, life and politics do exist outside of the capital, and mayoral elections also will be taking place elsewhere on 3 May, notably in Liverpool and Salford. Doncaster, which produced something of a surprise in its mayoral election of 2009 by returning the English Democrat Peter Davies (quite why a man would praise the Taliban for their “family values” is puzzling), will be holding a referendum over whether it should retain or abolish the office of elected mayor. With none of the mainstream political parties igniting voter enthusiasm, the time would seem to be ripe for other parties to make a breakthrough, so perhaps either of these elections might produce a surprise result. However, the personality and background of each of the candidates is as likely to be just as influential as any party label.

In Liverpool a mayoral debate will take place on Thursday 19 April, with the opportunity being open for all candidates to contribute. However, given their antipathy towards free speech and democracy, the self-styled “Liverpool Antifascists”  have stated that their supporters are planning to hold a demonstration outside of the debate’s venue – Mountford Hall – because they claim that “three fascist candidates” will be present, with one from each of the following parties: “the British National Party, English Democrats and National Front.” The recent demise of the BNP has resulted in groups and campaigns describing themselves as “antifascist” seeking to find new targets for their activities so as to justify their ongoing existence, and it is thus unfortunate for the English Democrats that they are but the latest to be singled out for stigmatisation by Liverpool Antifascists, Hope Not Hate and UAF.

Contemporary politics, in England in particular, has grown stale and offers prospective voters no real choice. This fact is reflected in the dismal approval ratings of the leaders of the main political parties and low voter turnout. Clearly, there is room for a new party that seeks to provide a credible and moderate nationalist programme aimed at improving the lot of our citizenry as a whole, and our people in particular. Although such a party does not yet exist, a decision has been taken to bring it into existence, and work is currently underway with respect to its organisation, structure, constitution and policy. A team is being brought into being and an announcement regarding its launch will be made within the next couple of months. The next set of local and mayoral elections therefore, should be rather more interesting than those scheduled for this May.

19 comments:

  1. This sounds potentially promising. The BNP has imploded mainly, though not exclusively, because of Nick Griffin's inept leadership and because the public don't trust him (his historical 'baggage' is a big cause of this)but a nationalist party is sorely needed due to our country's sad decline. UKIP are just Thatcherite anti-EU Tories so can't win much support and the other small parties have significant policy drawbacks. This new party could do with people of the calibre of Dr Frank Ellis or Andrew Moffat.


    Barry(Anonymous)

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    1. Thank you Barry. This will however seek to be something other than a BNP Mark II, as will become clear. With the right policy mix and presentation in place, it will win support from credible figures.

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    2. If this new party is wise, it will adopt a more liberal stance on homosexuality than the BNP does. Even though I am a BNP supporter and a hetreosexual, I think the party's viewpoint on this does unnecessarily alienate a large proportion of the population and could be brought more up to date ie support civil partnerships but not gay 'marriage'.

      When our nation has so little time left before we become totally overwhelmed by the immigration tsumami, it is politially stupid to alienate gays who, of course, can be just as patriotic/nationalist as hetreosexuals. Also, by having a hardline stance on this subject it can appear to the public that nationalists are very authoritarian and want to control the public at every turn which gives the left ammunition to portray us as 'fascists' ect.


      Where I differ from you is that I am a supporter of capital punishment. However, I think it would be a good idea if a new nationalist party says that if we were in government we wouldn't legislate for a return of the death penalty but would instead hold a referendum on the subject afer having a full and frank national debate on it. This referendum stance would also, as above, help to counter the left's portrayal of nationalists as strongly authoritarian 'fascists'.


      We desperately need an electable nationalist party in Britain not just on account of our terrible decline as a nation but to combat UKIP who if the polls are to be believed are on 9% of the vote!. I doubt that personally but if it is true then it isn't good. A sensible nationalist party should be able to easily beat UKIP out of sight once their crazy and dogmatic adherence to globalist economics (what they call 'libertarian' economics) is pointed-out to the electorate.


      Barry (Anoymous)

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    3. Yes, the intention is just as you say. Homosexuality will be a non-issue for the party and it will recognise civil partnerships. I do not think that you will find that it will be to Frank Ellis's liking however. His knowledge of Russian language and classic literature is excellent, but he would not make for a tactful politician. From what I have read of his thoughts, he will find what will be proposed excessively 'liberal'. In terms of policy mix, the new party should be able to trump UKIP. The tricky part of course will be gaining sufficient numbers to draw the party and its policies to the attention of the public. It will not be an easy task, but I am convinced that it can be done. Would you, and others that you know, be interested in becoming part of this venture?

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    4. Up untill this year, I was a BNP member and I should be renewing my membership but as I can't see any democratic mechanism from within the party to remove Nick Griffin from the leadership and attempting to start afresh (though the BNP is probably beyond saving anyway)it is unlikely I will renew (especially considering the steep membership fees nowdays!). I would certainly consider joining this new party.


      Anonymous (Barry)

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  2. Am I right in thinking that by 'moderate nationalist party' you mean a party which is unequivocally pro - pluralist democracy and which gives contentious policies such as bringing back capital punishment and repealing civil partnerships short shrift ( I hope so!). If your nationalism is rigorous and credible then you shall be tagged 'extremnist','racist' and, probably, 'fascist' by the political elite, their media machine and their marxist activist chums. If however, your 'nationalism' is approved by them then I'd wager that you
    won't be espousing nationalism at all (rather like UKIP).

    Salford Nationalist

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    1. Salford Nationalist, you are absolutely correct in your policy assumptions regarding my definition of a 'moderate nationalist party'. It will of course however be tagged as 'extremist' and all of the other pejorative labels that are deployed when such a party threatens the status quo. Witness the media transformation of Pim Fortuyn and Geert Wilders into so-called 'fascists', etc.

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  3. People do not realise the power of the Muslim bloc vote. If you try talking to people about it, they just don't get it.

    Lutfar Rahman got 52% of the vote and got more votes than all the other candidates put together, which incidentally was exactly the same margin that Galloway won by.

    More and more, we will see the Muslims abandoning NuLabour and standing their own Islamist candidates.

    They will be able to win many of the Northern mill towns in England, many wards in Birmingham like Alum Rock. And the answer from our mainstreams parties will be to kowtow even more to the demands of Muslims.

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    1. This could well be true. The upcoming elections could produce some interesting results.

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  4. The machine that is being used to wreck democracy is the mainstream media - the place where people gather the information fed to them in order to form their (voting) opinions. I don't believe any new party could remotely succeed electorally until the MSM's credibility is comprehensively trashed in people's imaginations. Then Nationalists will also need a powerful and effective media of their own to get their policies heard.

    This new party can be as moderate, clean and democratic as it likes - but as sure as night follows day, it will be slurred as far-right, racist, fascist, neo-nazi et al. That is, if it is a genuine threat to the globalist establishment and not "controlled opposition". The EDL are not racist but they get this treatment all the time, so I trust the new party will have made contingencies for this. If they haven't it will simply be another well-intentioned exercise of p__ing in the wind.

    But anyway, I wish them every success regardless. Look forward to hearing more about them.

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    1. Thanks Lantern. You are correct in noting that all manner of pejorative and inappropriate labels will be attached to it, but as you will see, no rational being will be able to believe what the media say of the party if they become acquainted with its policy platform, which they will of course be able to freely access via the internet.

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  5. I have answered your comments about the future of the movement on my blog here ;

    http://leejohnbarnes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/article-by-durotrigan.html

    regards,

    Lee

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    1. Thanks for the link Lee. As you point out in your introduction, there is a need for a wider cultural movement to support such a politics, and I see this as valuable. However, I see both cultural and electoral strategies as complementary, and still think that the latter, with the right approach, can work.

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  6. I have posted a response to your article about your suggestions for the future of the movement here ;

    http://leejohnbarnes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/article-by-durotrigan.html

    Regards,

    Lee

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  7. All very interesting but to cut to the chase, Boris Johnson will win in a canter.
    It says something about the state of our politics and the people involved today when the English Democrats are regarded in equal measure by both Far Left and Far Right factions Yours sincerely Bert Leech

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    1. I think you are right Bert. Boris will probably have the edge in this particular contest.

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  8. I‘d say that taking part in the failed and fraudulent democratic process is a futile exercise. Increasing more people are also recognising this. The odds are firmly stacked against any nationalist political party succeeding. Street action and direct action is the way forward. The left have recognised this and gained success far beyond their numbers. EDL have also had success in a very short time. The spectre of economic collapse is haunting UK and Europe. The total financial collapse of the European Union will set off a chain of events across all western countries of protest and anger that will see governments blown away. A vacuum will arise, an opportunity for organised street militias to seize power. Leftwing orgs and anarchist groups are prepared for it. Nationalists have to agitate and plan for it also or their inaction will mean being permanently sidelined or even persecuted.

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    1. MFB, I understand that many think that electoral politics are futile, but I remain unconvinced, for what I have seen presented to the electorate to date has been significantly flawed. It is our intention to create a party afresh that takes what is worth salvaging from old-style nationalist politics, and developing a contemporary, credible and appealing political alternative.

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    2. The problem is Durotrigan, how does the policies and ideas of a nationalist party get through the filter, bias and hostility of the NUJ and BBC for example. These are just two of the powerful and influential media organisations that have to neutered or silenced before any non-left groups or political parties can get a fair hearing without being misrepresented, shouted down or being subjected to incitement to violence.

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