Pointless sectarianism

There is a debate about whether the BNP are left wing or right wing. I think it’s a sterile and pointless debate and don’t like the terms left and right anyway (and certainly don’t think that it makes sense to see the BNP as an extrapolation of ‘the left’ or ‘the right’).

Nevertheless, people generally understand that the BNP are a bunch of racist scumbags who need to be opposed, regardless of exactly how we categorise their politics or how we think we should best go about opposing them.

Unless, of course, you’re Conservative Future.

Earlier this year, Michael Rock, Chairman of CF, said

I would find it very difficult to authorise a coordinated campaign against the BNP if the terms of discourse and engagement were not properly defined: the BNP are a party of hate and have their roots in the left wing traditions of fascism.

In other words, unless you agree with CF’s view of the BNP, they won’t work with you against the BNP.

xD.

Posted on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Categories: BNP, Campaigns, Tories.
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2 Responses to “Pointless sectarianism”

  1. jameshigham Says:
    October 30th, 2009 at 5:15 pm

    Yes, it’s a sterile debate. The issue these days is Statist or non-Statist.
    .-= jameshigham´s last blog: Ladies and gentlemen, please adjust your links and feeds =-.



  2. Dave Cole Says:
    November 1st, 2009 at 10:37 pm

    I disagree. I accept that the size, role and location of state functions is an important debate, but it isn’t the only one.

    For instance, we had a debate about gay marriage. You see yourself as anti-statist, but I could very reasonably say you are being statist by interfering in the right to contract.

    Part of my dislike for left-right terminology is that they are inaccurate terms. Moreover, though, I don’t think there is any one, single axis on which everyone can be placed. Two is an improvement, but still an oversimplification. If nothing else, it is possible to arrive at the same policy position from different starting philosophical positions and vice versa. Left-right, statist-antistatist or whatever oversimplify to the extent that they have neither descriptive nor predictive value and as such have no place in our ontology.
    .-= Dave Cole´s last blog: Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-11-01 =-.