Compare and contrast (part 2)

The BBC's decision to invite the BNP's Nick Griffin onto Question Time has aroused much anger from the usual suspects. The BBC's local council (Hammersmith and Fulham) are "worried" about protests and want the venue moved. United Against Facism is planning a mass blockade of the BBC studios on the day in a deny them the right to free speech protest. BECTU, The TV technicians' union, has attacked the BBC's decision and pledged to join a demonstration against the recording of the programme.
General secretary of BECTU Gerry Morrissey said: "We believe there should be no media coverage of the BNP." It seems that the argument runs something like this: the BNP must not be allowed to be heard as they are a racist party and their views are abhorrent and likely to cause inter-community strife.

Meanwhile Islam4UK are reported to have launched a campaign to impose Sharia law on Britain. The group have urged Muslims from all over Britain to converge on London on 31 October for a "March 4 Shari'ah" to demand the full implementation of Sharia law. Islam4UK declared "On this day we will call for a complete upheaval of the British ruling system its members and legislature, and demand the full implementation of Shari'ah in Britain." Have United Against Facism complained about this march in favour of implementing Sharia law in the UK? Have BECTU issued a statement decrying this march in favour of a law that would discriminate against women, subject homosexuals to the death penalty and in the words of Anjnem Choudary would mean that "people who commit adultery would be stoned to death and that anyone who becomes intoxicated by alcohol would be given 40 lashes in public" Surely the latter being something of interest to his members.


We seem to have from many on the left a willingness to deny free speech to a legitimate political party with more Local Council seats than the UKIP and as many MEPs as the Greens. Whilst the same people smile benignly as an extreme movement march in London. Double standards anyone?



Sharia law that would