Jo Cox MP might have been killed for researching about the so called Far Right but when it comes to fighting elections the Far Right has become practically invisible.
Once again, Dave Furness, a Londoner, stood in yet another by-election for the British National Party. This time it was Stoke on Trent, but the party didn't even bother to stand a candidate in Copeland. Before, in another set of by elections, the BNP stood in only one seat because it didn't have candidates to stand in David Cameron's seat.
Almost three years later, the British National Party is going nowhere and has continued to shed not only members but also member of the BNP team including its BNP TV team.
At another level, after the demise via expulsion of Steve Squire as London Regional Organiser, Mike Jokes stepped in to fill the gap but hasn't been seen or heard in what has become the most important region for the British National Party. Formerly populous and active branches of the British National Party in London are now shadows of their former selves with less than ten people attending monthly meetings.
A very expensive website was launched but when it comes to content the BNP is trailing the mass media and other political organisations. The BNP used to be a force to be reckoned with, a trend setter that was never far away from the main headlines. Now, it could only be defined as a wreck very much like the National Front - the organisation the founding members of the British National Party came from. Still mentioned from time to time on the websites of organisations like Hope Not Hate that are very much a one-man band but totally irrelevant in political terms.
Also from time to time, the BNP is on the news as Helen Goodman MP, walking on the footsteps of Jo Cox MP, continues her campaign of harassment of political opponents, wasting Parliamentary time in lost causes because in its present form the British National Party is no longer alive.
Adam Walker and other present and former BNP members used to talk about the importance of the brand but the brand is now like the signs of Woolworths - the brand is still around but the chain of shops that made it is no more. Far too many activists sacrificed their lives - including their family lives - for an organisation that led them to frustration and despair.
But the damage done by the British National Party doesn't stop with its political misfortunes that are very much the direct consequence of the way the organisation has been run. Present and former members face blacklisting which in short means widespread discrimination that can destroy individuals and families.
Banning individuals from certain jobs and occupations on the basis of their political background is a very dangerous strategy and it creates a myriad of new problems constituting an infringement of civil and political rights.
In Germany, CDU and other political parties tried to ban Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands on political grounds. The highest court in Germany disallowed such a ban indicating that it would be illegal to proscribe a political organisation merely on political grounds. Such ban would create an extremely serious precedent taking Germany back to the 1930s.
Blacklisting individuals who have committed no crime whatsoever, not allowing them access to jobs and professions is creating also a very dangerous precedent. If you remember, in the 1930s members of the Jewish Community were banned from certain professions. Even if you profoundly disagree with individuals on political grounds, the said individuals should have access to jobs and professions as long as they are not committing a crime.
A careful analysis of present legislation in the United Kingdom leads me to conclude that the United Kingdom has enacted legislation that is very similar to legislation enacted by National Socialist Germany, banning individuals merely on political grounds. From this point of view, Parliament has scored an own goal.
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