Harborough hustings cancelled over BNP protest fears

A Harborough constituency hustings due to be held at a school in Oadby this evening has been called off over "to prevent the risk of confrontation," says the Harborough Mail:

Chairman of the school governors Graham Wilson said the school had received about 30 letters and phone calls from concerned parents in the last few days.

He said there were also suggestions a text message was being passed around, plus Facebook and Twitter messages threatening an anti-BNP protest outside the event.

Mr Wilson said the school had raised its concerns with the event organisers, the Oadby Council of Churches, and they had decided to cacncel the event.

It is hard to judge the rights and wrongs of this from outside, but it sounds like an overreaction.

What is so sinister about "Facebook and Twitter messages"? If there is a demonstration, can't it be policed to ensure that the debate can go ahead?

This is a bad day for democracy in Harborough. And as far as combating the BNP, it is probably a counterproductive one too.

There are those on the left who, wary of the working class, believe that the BNP will do well if their views on race and immigration are given a hearing.

But the lesson of Nick Griffin's Question Time appearance was that his views on every other subject were so ridiculous that the more public exposure he and his followers get the better.