The NUJ today condemned the BBC’s decision to invite BNP leader Nick Griffin on tomorrow's Question Time.NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear said: "We believe the BNP should be subject to proper journalistic scrutiny which would challenge their anti-social policies and their dishonest propaganda which seeks to spread disharmony and fear.
"We believe this requires rigorous questioning backed up by detailed research. There is no opportunity for this sort of forensic examination in the knock-about soapbox environment of Question Time.
"We believe the BBC is wrong to invite the BNP to appear on Question Time and will support any member who refuses to work on this week's programme in line with the union's code of conduct and conscience clause.
“The NUJ applauds journalists in the BBC and elsewhere around the UK who are subjecting the BNP’s racist propaganda to professional scrutiny - and exposing their lies where they find them.”
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Freedom of speech is a key principle in a democracy. And this means allowing views we might strongly disagree with to be expressed in public forums.
Too many people nowadays want to gag those with whom they disagree. Some people argue Jan Moir shouldn't have been allowed to write what she did in the Daily Mail. Trafigura tried to prevent The Guardian from reporting on its dealings in Africa. Now the NUJ want to silence the BNP. Others want to gag those with religious views from public debate. Where does it stop?
As Voltaire said, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
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