That Democracy Problem

Look. We either abide by democracy, or we don't.

BNP leader invited to meet Queen at Buckingham Palace garden party

A spokeswoman for Buckingham Palace confirmed that an invitation had been issued this year. She said that Mr Griffin was eligible to nominate himself and the Palace would not discriminate against democratically elected representatives.

Quite rightly too. It's that democracy thing, you see.

Searchlight, the organisation which campaigns against the BNP, said it was “bizarre” that Mr Griffin had received an invitation when his party had been soundly rejected by voters at the general election.

Actually, it would be 'bizarre' if one of two MEPs, representing a party which garnered almost a million votes in June last year, was denied an invitation to which he is entitled under the current rules. Especially at the behest of Searchlight, an organisation for whom no-one has ever voted.

Listen guys, yes the BNP are misdirected and deeply unpleasant, but it's kind of important that we stick to the etiquette of our electoral system. Anything else would appear, well, a bit like a dictatorship, really. Or, even worse, the EU.

Sometimes such annoying inconveniences are thrown up. Life tends to do that. Think 13 years of authoritarian Labour government, for example.

And with that, I suppose I say farewell to the Times as a linkable source.