Charm offensive? Yes, very! The learned Dr Phill from the BNP provides an object lesson in public re

Paul Stokes | Sunday, 1 October 2006 Source: The Scotsman

SAY what you like about the BNP - no really, say what you like about them - but you cannot fault them on their media relations. Last week I made a passing, and I thought fairly uncontroversial, reference to the likelihood a BNP member would hold racist views.

I based this on a few things, including the definition of racism which is, according to my dictionary, "the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races" and the fact the BNP defines the constituency it serves, the indigenous peoples of Britain, along racial lines.

Reasonable? Not according to BNP press man Dr Phill Edwards, who e-mailed to say I was a "semi-educated creep who cannot get a proper job and instead lie for a living in a gutter rag". The cheek. While he may be right on the job front, I am in fact a highly educated creep with loads of letters after my name.

I fired off a jaunty retort pointing out my belief, based on a layman's reading of modern genetics, that we humans are one species and that, strictly speaking, human races do not exist.

Ever reasonable, Dr Phill fired back: "You may not think that preserving the UK as a land for the native white people is a good idea - in which case you are either black or mad", while asserting the realities of racial difference by reference to the "poor intellectual achievement of blacks" and their prowess as sprinters. What... no mention of their natural rhythm on the dance floor?

At this I thought I would let the matter lie. Sadly, Dr Phill could not, leading to the following exchange:

Dr Phill: "Not heard from you - still reading the evidence on racial differences or have you given up? There's plenty more crap for you write about, to fill your pathetic rag, eh?"

Me: "Yawn."

Dr Phill: "Yes - that's right, can't defend your silly views, so [you] turn to abuse."

For once, I really do not know what to say.