The Rise of English Nationalism: The BNP, Muslims and Jews’

Quilliam co-director Ed Husain spoke at a SOAS discussion on ‘The Rise of English Nationalism: The BNP, Muslims and Jews’ on 19th October 2009. The discussion was chaired by Professor of Israeli studies, Colin Shindler. Fellow discussant was Dr Maurice Glasman, Director of the Faith and Citizenship Programme at London Metropolitan University.

Ed spoke about:

1. How the no-platform policy applied to the BNP – though right for the 1990s – is no longer working as the party has shown its support to be electorally almost a million strong. The party now has two seats in the European Parliament and more than 50 council seats across the country. There is now a need to counter thought with thought, and undermine the BNP's arguments rather than shy away from them.

2. That the sectarian intolerance present within British Muslim communities and its manifestation of building neighbouring mosques based on differences didn’t accord with the tolerance they demanded of wider society, only feeding the BNP’s anti-Muslim stance.

3. That Labour, but also the other main parties, needed to address the real grievances of a minority but powerful group of voters who feel that the BNP are the only party that is listening to them.

Dr Maurice Glasman argued that we shouldn’t take a morally superior position to the BNP. He talked about the work of the programme he is involved in and how it focuses on ‘common good’ politics. This has resulted in communities coming together over a shared concern – be it a living wage, usury or anything else of mutual concern. People who come together out of shared self-interest feel empowered, and this is the perfect antidote to what fascism depends on: a power that is elsewhere and hidden. Moroever, fascism cannot be fought alone – it requires community mobilization.

The discussion was very well-attended with a cross-section of students of all ages.