The Telegraph's revelation that Marine Le Pen views the French National Front as closer to UKIP than the BNP is evidence of how the far-right would love to gain as much success as UKIP.
The far-right want to be viewed as patriotic, positive and the bastions of popular opinion. Even the BNP themselves are now reportedly copying UKIP where they can.
Unfortunately for the likes of Le Pen and Nick Griffin, being an ethnic nationalist more concerned about the colour of one's skin rather than the content of their character will hold you back massively, as most right-minded people recognise that patriotism and pride transcends ethnicity and creed.
Just as Miliband and Cameron are out of touch with their dismissal of immigration as an issue that people are rightfully concerned about, Griffin and so-called "nationalists" are equally as out of touch with modern opinion.
My generation grew up in a country with huge social problems caused by segregation in many of our town and cities, and with open-border immigration that has caused problems in the job market with wages being driven down. But we also grew up in a country where races mostly get along fine and are equally as patriotic and passionate about this nation.
Patriotism is no longer about where you came from, but who and what you believe in now. That is why UKIP's outlook of national civic pride that welcomes everyone will continue to thrive, while the BNP's outdated social world view will soon become extinct.
1 comment:
Notwithstanding the FN's moderate protectionism, Marine Le Pen is right. To qualify it as an "ethnic nationalist" party is nonsense: when Jean-Marie Le Pen was first elected to the French Parliament, his substitute was Black; he was the first French politician to put forth an Arab for candidacy to the French Parliament, in 1957; and he was the first to have a Muslim woman elected regional councillor, in 1986. The FN's policies touch neither on skin colour not on creed, but pertain rather to patriotic sentiment and the promotion of such values as foster social cohesion.
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