It's never too late to catch up with the Sunday newspapers. If you didn't read this interview with Richard Barnbrook, the first British National Party member of the London Assembly, now is the time. Quite an extraordinary piece of reporting about a most peculiar man. Cole Moreton's genius consists in asking the right questions and letting Barnbrook speak for himself:
He collaborated with the likes of the film-maker Derek Jarman and was, he insists, the lover of the radical actor Tilda Swinton. "I've got DNA proof that I went out with her."
At one point, Moreton resorts to that most telling of devices, the verbatim transcript, which produces this description of a film Barnbrook once made, called HMS Discovery: A Love Story, which he insists is "not gay". So what is it about?
Sexuality and Aids and the concept of a relationship, how does a man and a woman relate, going through history, between Captains Scott and Oates, between Christ and John the Baptist and the Mother Earth walking through carrying the flag ... it's almost like a still-born child, how does people relate to each other ... it was dealing with the bigotry of attitudes towards people.
Moreton at his best, brightest star in The Independent on Sunday's firmament.
It seems I don't qualify as British according to Barnbrook's definition.
My father was from Slovenia and during the Second World War he spent three and a half years in the German Army on the Russian front.
My mother was German and was in the girls' branch of the Hitler Youth.
But no, my impeccable Aryan credentials won't cut any ice with Barnbrook, so I might as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb and own up to the fact that my maternal grandfather set out to assassinate Hitler in 1943 or 1944.
Posted by: Michael Petek | Thursday, 05 June 2008 at 12:46 PM
The BNP are lead by a man who denied the holocaust. Having seen a picture of Richard Barnbrook, doping what looks pretty much like a gay scene to me, in a so called art movie in a report in "pink news". All I can say it takes a new meaning to the phrase "the BNP suck". LOL
Posted by: dirty european socialist | Thursday, 05 June 2008 at 12:57 PM
I have never heard of John Rentoul nor know who he is, but he should be advised that people like Richard Barnbrook and other leading BNP politicians have infinitely more courage and character than any of the sniveling, peevish little excuses for humanity who read the Independent and support the destruction of British culture and identity. People who welcome the conversion of the once great English capital city of London into a violent, dysfunctional, incoherent Third World hell hole should see a psychiatrist.
Posted by: Isaac Brown | Thursday, 05 June 2008 at 02:59 PM
How can you support a party that elect a leader who would deny the holocaust, and claim that as some moral high ground your party are evil scum. And the people who vote for the BNP are evil dire scum. Your pathetic choice of a made up name, shows an obbsession with the leaderof the country and jews.
Posted by: dirty european socialist | Thursday, 05 June 2008 at 03:26 PM
the independent and guardian obsession with the BNP is quite amusing.most of the sad hacks at these rags are employed through their race and sexuality, not journalistic competence,it might aid fair reporting if some of them had actually lived real life!!!!
the support they give to failed communists is quite incredible,especially as stalin committed the worst holocaust in history! that fact has always had me wondering,why do they hate hitler and not stalin?
thank god (or the paedophile prophet if your muslim) that britains finally awakening just before its too late.
Posted by: john | Thursday, 05 June 2008 at 03:55 PM
I don't know about you, "dirty european socialist", but I consider British society to be free and open, and one should be able to believe in what ever one wishes to believe in. So what if someone decides to question the version of history which tells us ad nauseum that 6million Jews were gassed during WW2? Is it obligatory to accept these unsubstantiated ideas? How would all the evidence gathered since the War - eg photographs, eye witness testimony, forensic analysis etc - how would it stand up to cross examination in a British (as opposed to a Nuremburg) court room? Would "Liberty" allow evidence extracted under torture? What would a jury make of it all? So don't come that self righteous sanctimonious guff about "holocaust denial"! Who do you think YOU are?
Posted by: Fred Jones | Thursday, 05 June 2008 at 04:04 PM
'the truth fears no investigation'
Posted by: gerry | Thursday, 05 June 2008 at 04:14 PM
Posted by: Peter | Thursday, 05 June 2008 at 04:22 PM
That's funny mate cos I was just about to say the same about the Bertie Wooftahs in the NF/BNP. They used to hang out in some pretty dubious pubs back in the 1960s and had a real fancy for the Curzon Street Cowboys. They tried hanging out around our barracks once but got a good kicking for their troubles.
Posted by: flipped | Thursday, 05 June 2008 at 05:05 PM
The difference between the far left and far right?
The far left hates WITHOUT predjudice.
Posted by: laughing | Thursday, 05 June 2008 at 05:14 PM
"The BNP in its own words" you say, as if at last they have somehow been tricked into showing their 'true colours.'
I read the article. What did I find ? Apart from the usual sneering for want of anything concrete to 'expose' (no, of course you won't snooping in the hope of finding something to misrepresent) it was revealed that the BNP's 'own words' showed they subscribed to ....... Surprise ! the policies they have set out in detail for years on their website and in various publications.
A shock only to those who have abused the Party without even bothering to actually establish what it stands for; and perhaps a double shock for those used to Labour, Conservative, and Liberal Democrat politicians whose only consistency is an attitude towards their own people on a sliding scale from disinterest to contempt to outright hatred.
Posted by: I Grey | Thursday, 05 June 2008 at 07:30 PM
Sadly the BNP is the only political option to counter the growing Islamic invasion of the UK. Centuries of hard fought freedoms are being undermined by an open door demographic of those who are at the least, hesitant to condemn acts of terrorism by their muslim brothers. The UK of the future will be a Yugoslavia or a Lebanon.
What really gets me is women who willingly convert. Why do men not have to wear the headscarf or veil? To think a hundred years ago suffragettes were throwing themselves under trains in the name of equality for women, and now this, in our own country.
Posted by: Mark | Thursday, 05 June 2008 at 10:36 PM
john :
Hitler committed the worst holocaust in history and where in either of the newspapers you mention, do people support Stalin. It is a fake premise, that you put forward as if there are loads of writers in these newspapers supporting Stalin. By the way Hitler killed more than Stalin.
Stalin killed 20 million, Hitler killed 40 million and in a shorter perioid of time.
Fred Jones - So are you denying the holocaust. You are one trying supress free speech. I have every right to say people who deny the holocaust are scum. You claim you support freedom, but in the next breath ask me stop criticising people who deny the holocaust. So you seem to think we should roll over an let your evil bullying argument go without being talked back to. Only someone utterly evil would regard it as self righteous sanctimonious guff to see the holocaust as evil. You are one who talks utterly evil BS.
The torture was done by the NAZIs in the concentration camps. There have been plenty of holocaust trials such as the Nuermbrug trials, and the Doctors' Trial.
gerry Like the doctors trial and Nurembrug trial.
Posted by: dirty european socialist | Thursday, 05 June 2008 at 10:46 PM
I am no fan of the BNP, but I have taken the time to read their publicity material. I have not, however, read the Barnbrook interview and nor do I intend to. The leader to this thread tells me all that I need to know about its undoubted bias.
The BNP's website content, whilst a little unsophisticated, does not contain anything that I would consider to be overtly racist or xenophobic. Much of it is common sense and I can see why so many do support them.
I don't recall seeing anything denying the holocaust.
One thing that is noticeably absent from the BNP's publicity material is the spiteful vitriol that is the trademark of the far left.
There is more to reasoned argument than simply calling people names and accusing them of all manner of nefarious intent on the basis of rather flimsy evidence.
Finally, it is not the BNP, or any other right of centre party, that has spent the last decade systematically destroying the fabric of this country and deliberately attempting to destroy our national identity.
Posted by: Keith Lonsdale | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 12:59 AM
To be honest I thought the interview was pretty juvenile. I wonder how many interviewees stumble over words when trying to explain complex notions off-hand, and I wonder how many of them get quoted verbatim in an obvious attempt to belittle their intelligence.
Then again, I suppose that just about sums up John Prescott's entire career.
Posted by: Sam | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 03:56 AM
Sam is correct, the BNP may be a party that I wouldnt personally vote for, but the way most sections of the media treat them is obscene.
If any other group in society was treated in a like manner it is certain that those same journalists would cry to high heaven about the new "McCarthyism" and media bigotry.
I can sadly see why so many britons are now voting for them, the elites treat people like cattle and expect them to behave like sheep.
Posted by: Jesse | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 04:35 AM
Dirty European Socialists ask if I am "denying the holocaust" - no, I am asking him to prove the detail about gas chambers. You don't prove something didn't happen - that's impossible - you prove something DID happen - so where's the proof which would convince a British jury after examination by both sides in a court of law. Far from "trying to supress free speech" this is the exact opposite in that everyone has a chance to speak either for or against. At the moment, the only people who are allowed to speak without spite and vitriol aimed at them ( or jailed in some countries!), are the pro gas chamber lobby. Yes, you "have every right to say people who deny the holocaust are scum" but it does not make it any more believable nor any more proveable - even a dumbo like Dirty European Socialist should be able to see that - or perhaps not...
Newspaper and media folk may not support Stalin but most of them support the principles of Marxism which spawned communism which was embraced by Stalin and the rest of the riff raff. Hitler has had to portrayed as uniquely evil by the media - which he was not - otherwise he would be no worse than any other national leaders. That's why the holocaust has been promoted. Hitler was unique only in that he had the measure of the damaging activities of international Jewry. Note how Max Mosely, the F1 chief, was happy to admit consorting with prostitutes, yet denied the "nazi" link to his fornication. Similary, Lib Dem MP mark Oaten was vilified by the media NOT for committing disgusting homosexual with rent boys, but for cheating on his wife. These examples show how Marxism and holocaust propaganda have worked to turn logic on its head.
Posted by: Fred Jones | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 08:15 AM
" And the people who vote for the BNP are evil dire scum. "
Thank you dirty european socialist for the official line on this matter . The bigoted left always bring a smile to my face , I suppose like uncle Joe you would like to ship them all out to Siberia for re-education some things never change .
Over 100 million people were murdered under socialist regimes in the last century and all you've got to show for it is a Che Guevara T-shirt and a poxy blog .
Your history never again will haters like you gain power .
People like me voting BNP
Posted by: Dave V | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 11:20 AM
haha,i like the post dave v.
its a classic quote though 'communism killed 100,000,000 people and all i got was this lousy che geuvara t-shirt'.
imagine walking down the campus with an 'adolf hitler was right' t-shirt on!
most of the tarquins and sebastians waving socialist 'worker' (the ironys lost on them) placards dont even know the roots of their own radicalism.
i had to laugh the other day as i saw a socialist worker article about supporting firemen(persons!).
how this rabble can even associate themselves with firefighters (brave people who get out of bed in a morning and risk their lives WORKING every day)is way beyond me.
im waiting for the guardian or independent to be giving away a copy of barnbrooks film on the front cover,
i also notice a very relevant comment quoting the moron who is peter thatchell was removed off this thread?
i guess thats communism for you though.
Posted by: che | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 02:19 PM
" imagine walking down the campus with an 'adolf hitler was right' t-shirt on!
most of the tarquins and sebastians waving socialist 'worker' (the ironys lost on them) placards dont even know the roots of their own radicalism. "
che I dare those 'radicals' to open their minds how many of them could read ' Why Johnny Cant Think ' and not blush .
http://www.amazon.com/Johnny-Cant-Think-Robert-Whitaker/dp/0972929207
Posted by: Dave V | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 05:15 PM
I wonder what its like?
Working for the Independent (sic) or Guardian,waking up every day looking in the mirror and knowing you've only got to where you are in life due to the colour of your skin,religion (take white christians out of this equation) or your sexuality and not for your ableness to do your job as well as other qualified people.
Posted by: Journo | Friday, 06 June 2008 at 05:18 PM
Keith Lonsdale you talk a load of rubbish. The BNP leader has publically denied the holocaust, that is real hate filled vitriol. Not someone asking for equality to be solved.
Fred Jones You are an idiot of the highest order. I have provided you with trials in Nuremburg and the famous doctors trials. But I suppose you will deny they happened. As for evidence for a UK jury, what on earth are you on about, the holocaust did not happen in the UK. So what on earth does a British trial have to do with this. Will you deny the Americans abused the red Inidnas because we do not have court cases in the UK on the issue. What are you on about you utterly moronoc oaf. Trials happened in Germany and Israel, and other nations. Remember the famous Nuremburg and the doctors trial your utter utter idiot.
Then you spout out some awful drivel that anyone who is left wing is Marxist and thereofre is a Stalinist what a simple idiotic notion. You can be a Marxist wihtout being
a Stalinist. Look at Trotsky. Not all commies supported Stalin.
Dave V You are the evil moronic bigot. You talk utter rubbish. Communists in total killed fewer than 100 million in the previous centry. Not Stalin on his own. And you keep copming back to this moronic claim I support Stalin. I do not I say he killed 20 million which is less than 40 million, that Hitler killed. All communists government added together killed more than Hitler. But the NAZIs only ran one nation for less than two decades. So that is worse.
You keep having to re write what i wrote in your own head,. I DO NOT SUPPORT STALIN. BUT HE WAS NOT AS BAD AS HUTLER. And you evil claim that all commies are bad because Stalin was bad is evil bigotry. Does that mean all Monarchists are wife murderers because Henry the 8th killed his wives. It is pathetic moronic logic.
che Many socialists are fireman you utter pratt. Do you think all socialists are just full time in their political ideology maybe you have no job and are only a facist. LOL.
Posted by: Dirty European Socialist | Monday, 09 June 2008 at 11:48 PM
By the way Hitler is spelled Hitler not Hutler. The holocaust did happen end of story,
Posted by: Dirty European Socialist | Tuesday, 10 June 2008 at 11:00 AM
Dirty European Socialist:
"Keith Lonsdale you talk a load of rubbish. The BNP leader has publically denied the holocaust, that is real hate filled vitriol. Not someone asking for equality to be solved."
I never said that he hadn't. In fact, I didn't mention or quote Mr Griffin at all; my comments concerned the BNP's website and election campaign material, neither of which make any such claim.
I will remind you of some of the things that I DID say :"One thing that is noticeably absent from the BNP's publicity material is the spiteful vitriol that is the trademark of the far left. There is more to reasoned argument than simply calling people names and accusing them of all manner of nefarious intent on the basis of rather flimsy evidence."
I realise that this will be difficult for someone devoid of substantial argument to countenance, but if you at least try, you may just find others taking you seriously; something that at the moment they manifestly do not.
Posted by: Keith Lonsdale | Wednesday, 11 June 2008 at 03:36 PM
You are offensive bully. I put forward a major substantial argument. How on earth is it not a substantial argument to say Griffin denied the holocaust is that not a major issue to you. You trivialise alot of major issues don't you. The BNP website is filled with hate. I do not know what planet you are from. Do you have two suns on your planet.
Posted by: dirty european socialist | Saturday, 14 June 2008 at 07:10 PM
DES: QED
Posted by: Keith Lonsdale | Sunday, 15 June 2008 at 01:39 PM
Yep you have demonstrated what I said.
Posted by: dirty european socialist | Saturday, 28 June 2008 at 10:20 PM
Can anyone advise me,my ex-husband who is frail and 81 years old has just arrived from South Africa with an Indian woman aged 49 who he has married.
She says she has relatives in Dubai that hope to cometo England.
It's obvious to any-one that all she wants is a British passport,once she gets that the old man will be dropped like a hot potato and she will bring all her relatives in.
She has already found out all the benefits she is entitled to including carers allowance.
The thing is,I don't think she has arrived through the proper channels,she has arrived with a return ticket,him with a single,so she may have posed as a tourist.
Don't get me wrong,he treated me badly and my concern is not for him but I don't want half the population of Dubai arriving to leech off us.
Please,anyone,any suggestions?
Posted by: Rosina | Thursday, 13 November 2008 at 02:36 PM
BNP all the way for me and all my family and friends vote for them there not racists there branded racist because the opposition are scared they will get in to power bnp are fighting for our country back and if you all are all to dumb that this country is a welcome matt to everyone then you are all fools and idiots ill never ever stop voting for bnp racist cuts both ways tell me this is the mobo awards racists that stands for music of black origin if i wanted awards for white people then im a racists bull shit the list goes on so all you none bnp believers give up world war1 and world war2 was for nothing they fought for this country and now look youve gave it away sick im so angry and frustrated please please god let bnp sort out this countrys mess come on nick griffin have faith we will fight this to the end goodbye
Posted by: chris | Sunday, 23 November 2008 at 01:30 AM
How can you say Stalin was not as bad as Hitler. They were both evil dictators and they both murdered. given the chance, they each would have murdered more and more. You all talk crap no one knows the truth behind any political party. Hitler was seen as a heroe before he went power mad and killed millions. Anarchy anyone ?
Posted by: Sam Gibbins | Friday, 19 June 2009 at 05:36 PM
The constant references to Griffin’s holo denial are pathetic. He used the phrase “holohoax” about ten years ago and never repeated it, best of my knowledge.
Several senior Labour politicians used to be in the Communist party. So what? That does not mean they are currently communists? Numerous Labour and Tory politicians have criminal convictions. So what? 40% of the male population has a criminal conviction, as I understand it.
Finally, I can’t see the problem with holo denial. If someone wants to deny the holo or the Battle of Hastings, let them. All they prove is that they’ve gone round the twist – permanently or temporarily.
Posted by: Howard Dent | Sunday, 11 October 2009 at 12:58 PM