Election Fever in Barking

Today's Daily Mail carries a report about an incident which occurred yesterday in Barking, involving the BNP's parliamentary candidate for Romford, Bob Bailey.

The bare facts are that former-Royal Marine Mr Bailey and his canvassing team were aggressively approached by three Asian youths, who seemed determined to remonstrate with them and start trouble. After attempting to defuse the situation, Bailey tells them that they are out numbered and should be on their way, at which point one of the youths spits right in his face, causing him to retaliate - which in turn leads to a brawl.

Judge for yourself:

At the beginning, Bailey seems to me to be saying "how many are there of us," or something along these lines, as the youths approach, attempting to appeal to common sense and diassuade them from violence.

The BBC camera crew who just happened to be on hand to record the incident insist that Bailey actually shouted "are you lot robbers," or something similar - at least, that is what I am informed was reported on last night's BBC London news programme.

Apart from their manifesto launch and an interview between Nick Griffin and Jeremy Paxman on Newsnight, this is pretty much the only mainstream media coverage the BNP have had in this election campaign.

As usual when it comes to the BNP, opinion and commentary on this latest incident is purely black and white; several copies of the video of the incident on YouTube have titles like "BNP's Bob Bailey Drunkenly Attacks Asian Youths," giving the impression that a swaggering Bailey walked up to some skinny lads quietly reading in a park and attacked one of them for no reason.

The Daily Mail itself reports the incident as: "Caught on camera: BNP candidate punches and kicks Asians after being spat at on campaign trail." It's marginally better than what it was before the update: "BNP Candidate Punches and Kicks Asian Voters After Being Spat At."

The fact is, most people would retaliate after being spat at for going about their lawful business. No one is forced to vote for the BNP or any other party, and attacking canvassers you disagree with is about as counterproductive as it gets.

Some of the comments on the article play for sympathy; apparently, those hooded and hulking Asian males who feel it is their right to silence anyone they don't like are "youngsters" who are "threatened by the BNP's message of hate."

Well, clearly a fair number of white voters in this country feel threatened by Asian gangs, of "youngsters" or otherwise, and the rise of the BNP simply reflects that.

I'm sure the commentators who expressed such sentiments would be just as understanding if some disaffected white youngsters spat in Shahid Malik's face on the campaign trail, because they were scared by his call for a Muslim Prime Minister and the rapidly shifting demographic reality in this country - or outraged over his slithering out of fraud charges over his expenses thefts.

As usual, this is an own-goal for the liberal elite; many people will respect Bailey for standing up to intimidation, particularly those who would not have reacted as he did but wish they could. There is also a glaringly clear case of double standards going on; if Bailey had slunk away, the UAF and Hope Not Hate types would be crowing about how the "scum" aren't welcome on the streets and won't defend themselves, about how the big bad BNP types are scared of some "boys".

Let's be honest, in public relations terms the BNP are damned if they do and damned if they don't, and that's the way the media like it.

Mr Bailey was assaulted in a particularly disgusting and humiliating way whilst going about his business and expressing his legitimate political opinions, canvassing for votes in a supposedly free country; it is clear from the video the Asian males did not want a debate or to protest but simply to provoke him and cause trouble. They succeeded, but because they didn't come out on top we're supposed to feel sorry for them.

Well, I don't. I am sick and tired of media bias and inconsistencies,of unprincipled thieves and crooks trying to prove how moral they are by smearing others, of name-calling and outright lies passing for commentary and debate, and of what is happening to my country.

Tonight I will stay up and follow the election results as they come in, and frankly I wish any political party that isn't Labour, Liberal Democrat or "Conservative" very well indeed. Of particular interest should be the results from Buckingham, where UKIP's Nigel Farage hopes to unseat the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, and Barking, where the BNP's Nick Griffin hopes to unseat the ghastly New Labour ideologue Margaret Hodge.

Good luck to both - and good luck to Britain. I fear that whatever the outcome, she'll need it.