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Challenge of BNP ‘has been seen off’
Reporter: Lobby Correspondent
Date online: 05 May 2010
ELECTION 2010
Oldham has beaten off the far-right extremist British National Party by addressing issues surrounding immigration, Phil Woolas has said.
The Immigration Minister said it was largely because of the riots in Oldham that Labour changed its policies on immigration and people started to talk about the issue.
Speaking on the “Daily Politics” TV show where the Oldham East and Saddleworth Labour candidate was pitched against his immigration counterparts from other parties, he said: “In Oldham we have beaten the BNP, we have addressed the issues people wanted.”
Talking about BNP leader Nick Griffin being elected as an MEP for the North-West in last year‚s European elections Mr Woolas added: “It was shameful for our region, it was people not coming out to vote.”
Mr Woolas said there was a feeling that people could not speak about immigration because it was tied to race. He said that under Gordon Brown it has been openly discussed.
Tory shadow immigration minister Damien Green refused to explain what Conservative plans for a cap would mean exactly and instead said the party would hold a consultation process.
Mr Woolas said the Lib-Dems policy which would allow illegal immigrants who have been in Britain for 10 years to earn British citizenship was “dangerous”.
Catch up with the candidates at www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/elections/
Comments
People not coming out to vote? So does that mean if you don't vote BNP automatically get the vote? Don't be stupid Woolas. Maybe if the 'big 3' actually addressed immigration sensibly then people wouldn't feel the need to vote for such parties. It is a democracy after all.
People voted for the BNP at the last election as a direct consequence of Labours open door immigration policy, which could also be descibed a "shameful", but it just goes to show what little regard Useless Phil holds his constituents in.
People daren't talk about immigration that was the whole thrust of Gillian Duffys comment to the PM and he proved her point be calling her a bigot!
Race & Immigration might be discussed in Islington, but here you're likely to be arrested if you do!
Whatever your gripes don't even consider the BNP. They are what your parents and grandparents fought to stop and many gave their lives for the cause. Don't let them down.
Lying again Woolas. The Labour party hasn't addressed the issue at all. The figures prove this. The only real change in figures has come from EU workers going home. The immigration levels from non EU countries hasn't fallen, and these aren't transitory, they are permanent stayers.
Owdhamfan,don`t know if your parents fought for anything but lots of people did fight for the right to vote BNP.Not voting BNP would be letting them down.
I find Woolas's comments staggering! How can he say Immigration is now an issue openly discussed under Browns leadership? Was Brown not the one who side stepped Gillian Duffy's valid, reasonable immigration questions, only to label her a bigot when supposedly out of ear shot! The mans a fool. One day the likes of Woolas, will hopefully realise that they themselves alone are responsible for many of the votes cast for the BNP. I am sure Nick Griffin is well aware of this.
oh phil you still seem to have your head in the clouds.
the bnp gained ground because of the mess you made of this country.
your policys do not address any of the problems we have in society today. all cause by you in the first place.
funnily enough if you actually read the majority of bnp policys they make sense. i still wont vote for them.
but then i wont vote labour or lib dems judging by their recent poor performances locally and nationally.
“In Oldham we have beaten the BNP, we have addressed the issues people wanted.” Been in oldham recently phil? I doubt it; I have seen no change at all accept more immigration centres, mosques and islamic learning centres
I don't understand Phil Woolas's statement, how can Oldham as he puts it have beaten the BNP in the Borough. If I remember rightly just after the Euro election it was reported that the votes in Oldham won Nick Griffin his seat. I also think it is air brain to say that the immigration issues have been addressed, since the start of the election campaign the Economy and Immigration have been the main topics that have been discussed.
Let's see what happens to his votes and those of the BMP Friday.How many Labour MPs / the PM have we had here in the last 3 weeks? Running scared Phil? You should be !!
Phil Woolas is talking out of his backside, as ususal, the BNP are stronger than ever-because they actually have some policies that make sense, and they aren't afraid to speak up and say what they believe in.
Also in last weeks chronicle, I was disgusted to see that every candidate for the election tomorrow had something written about them or their party, except the BNP- it only stated who was standing- out of order- the Chronicle trying to influence voters- is Woolas on the payroll there too??
The turnout in the North West in 2009 Euro election was just under 32%, which is very low and well below the European average. The BNP scraped in with just 8% of the vote, beating the Greens by less than 0.5%.
As for immigration, it has probably been the second most talked about issue in this general election! It seems that even when Phil Woolas states the obvious, some people still want to disagree with him.
I live abroad. Therefore I'm an immigrant. There are millions like me (half a million Brits in France alone). Should I be forcibly repatriated? Or are the British uniquely superior?
Ammypam, do you live in social housing, do you claim benefits from the country where you live. can you speak the language, do you integrate with locals, are you trying to force British law on the country where you are?
The Chron have given no space to the BNP and i think that is a big mistake.They are a legitimate party whatever you may think of them. In my opinion there was no talk of the problems surrounding immigration until the BNP dared to speak out.It was a totally taboo subject.!! If anyone was foolish enough to mention the word they where instantly branded as a racist.We should all remember that this country belongs to us the indiginous population, and it is up to us not to lose it.
Ammypam. I also lived abroad, in Spain for a number of years. There was no public sector telephone translation service charged to the Spansih Government at £7 per minute. There was no community cohesion strategist touting their expertise to the Spanish Government for millions of Euros. I was a guest in Spain and saw it as my responsibility to fit in and not expect Spanish communities to be built around me and my needs.
With this in mind, am I unique and superior?
Ammypam. I also lived abroad, in Spain for a number of years. There was no public sector telephone translation service charged to the Spansih Government at £7 per minute. There was no community cohesion strategist touting their expertise to the Spanish Government for millions of Euros. I was a guest in Spain and saw it as my responsibility to fit in and not expect Spanish communities to be built around me and my needs.
With this in mind, am I unique and superior?
keith - so what is an immigration centre and where are they based? and as for mosques and islamic learning centres, at least they are being used every day and not sitttng empty.
Pro driver - so this is the life of every immigrant, right whinge myth spreading, prove your point if you can!!
cant wait for the election results
ammypam - Uniquely superior in their own minds, just like the Americans!!
fightback "and as for mosques and islamic learning centres, at least they are being used every day and not sitttng empty...."
What are they being used for?not courses on intergration or same rights for asian women thats for sure.
Mosques are used for prayers five times a day.
Islamic learning (teaching)cenres teach you how to read the koran and interpret its meaning, a bit like Sunday school and the bible!
As for the myth about Asian women, to my knowledge the Koran (written over 1400 years ago) was the first printed document to enshrine the equality of women and men. One of the prophet Mohammed's (pbuh) first jobs was working for a women...
....On the other hand the law of this land was changed within the last 150 years to allow women to own property after they were married, before that on marriage a womens property became her husbands. No body asks at a muslim wedding "who is giving this women to this man.."
Who treats women as second class citizens?
Courses for integration need to be run where people like you live not where we live.
Why did you ignore my other question, myth unjustifiable?
Have Your Say
Phil Woolas says about the election of Nick Griffin...''“It was shameful for our region, it was people not coming out to vote.”
So, that is an MP complaining about the choice of the people - and is therefore complaining about the voters themselves. It seems that Mr.Woolas does not believe in democracy.
Mr.Woolas - perhaps others did not vote as they didn't think any of the candidates were worth voting for.
If that is the choice of the people, perhaps Mr.woolas should start listening to them
By Thou Dumber @ 05/05/2010 12:38:02