Should we try and do more to get other political parties on the BDF forums?

[Austin Sheridan]

Since I have joined it is clearly evident that this forum is almost BNP v UKIP.

I think it would be good to get members on here from other political parties so that we can get a decent debate.

e.g I have not come across a Labour supporter/member yet.

Personally I think this forum is very right wing and I would support an increase of left wing members so that we can have a decent debate on left and right wing policy.

What do you all think?

If you agree with me how do we encourage left wing members to join?

[UKIP-Andy]

People with any political views are welcome to join, providing they stick to the forum rules of course. If more BNP and UKIP members register, then that can't be helped.

[max fm]

I have not come across a Labour supporter/member yet.

I think there's a very, very simply reason for this!

[UKIP-Andy]

I think there's a very, very simply reason for this!

The sheer shame of saying the words "I support Labour"?

[flamingreen]

I am all for supporters of all parties joining as well as those like me who are 'floating' (used to be Old Labour). They dont have to be 'left wing' in particular the more variety the better!

That was why I liked the old Five Live board at the Beeb.

Maybe ppl who are on facebook should recruit over there?

[Eureka]

Since I have joined it is clearly evident that this forum is almost BNP v UKIP.

I think it would be good to get members on here from other political parties so that we can get a decent debate.

e.g I have not come across a Labour supporter/member yet.

Personally I think this forum is very right wing and I would support an increase of left wing members so that we can have a decent debate on left and right wing policy.

What do you all think?

If you agree with me how do we encourage left wing members to join?

I think this forum started life as a UKIP forum, which explains a lot about its preoccupations.

I would like other views to be aired but forums evolve in a particular way and it is difficult to be prescriptive about this.

There are plenty of Labour supporters out there but many will have problems with decisions that Labour has taken in recent years. This is always an issue for a party in government and perhaps should wake us up to the fact that governing is not quite as simple as those in opposition make out.

Personally I think there is a fine line between being a supporter of a party on a forum and an apologist. I would much rather have independent-minded people (whether BNP, UKIP, Labour, Conservative or Lib Dem in their voting) than party hacks of any flavour.

[Alex McKee]

As has already been said, this forum started out as an unofficial UKIP supporters forum and has evolved into it's current form. The BNP come here because they know they will be treated fairly, which is pretty rare. Anyone is welcome, as long as they abide by the rules, and if you want to invite people to the forum feel free.

[Nyge21]

I am all for supporters of all parties joining as well as those like me who are 'floating' (used to be Old Labour). They dont have to be 'left wing' in particular the more variety the better!

That was why I liked the old Five Live board at the Beeb.

I used to frequent the Today message board on R4, until the Beeb took that one down
(see BBC - MESSAGE BOARDS - Today - Message Board - Conversation)

- and although very rarely posted after that to a bbc MB I did look in occasionally on the R5 live boards - to see what some of my fellow posters from the R4 today board were up to. There was a real community of posters !

Well, I gather from your post that has gone the same way - interesting the Beeb used the same excuse for closing the R5 live boards as they did for the Today MB. And a very lame excuse it is!

Did you tell any of the R5 Live posters about the option of coming on here before the board closed? There's always people like 'Pat Shed' , who might share a different perpective!! Persaonally, I liked to read "i.moore" who made points very well, even if i disagreed a bit.... and what became of "Old_Leftie"?

[Gill]

As has already been said, this forum started out as an unofficial UKIP supporters forum and has evolved into it's current form. The BNP come here because they know they will be treated fairly, which is pretty rare. Anyone is welcome, as long as they abide by the rules, and if you want to invite people to the forum feel free.

The reason i came on this site, i was interested in the English democrats but then i met Uncles and that solved that issue

What you may have noticed, The Bnp are still basically no platformed on most forums and are considered Nazi's so reasonable debate with the left is non existent.

They have been plenty of lefties on the forum but they cant hack reasonable debate with Bnp and Ukip supporters, They always resort to name calling or just lose interest due to our mature standards.

You can bring your lefties on Austin as long as they don't start with their commie tactics.

[ENP]

As has already been said, this forum started out as an unofficial UKIP supporters forum and has evolved into it's current form. The BNP come here because they know they will be treated fairly, which is pretty rare. Anyone is welcome, as long as they abide by the rules, and if you want to invite people to the forum feel free.

The reason i came on this site, i was interested in the English democrats but then i met Uncles and that solved that issue

What you may have noticed, The Bnp are still basically no platformed on most forums and are considered Nazi's so reasonable debate with the left is non existent.

They have been plenty of lefties on the forum but they cant hack reasonable debate with Bnp and Ukip supporters, They always resort to name calling or just lose interest due to our mature standards.

You can bring your lefties on Austin as long as they don't start with their commie tactics.

I agree with both of the above.
I came here because at the time I supported UKIP but was fascinated that BNP supporters could actually string words together, as far as I'm aware this is still the only forum that allows free discussion of BNP issues.
This might upset the forum's owner but it was this forum that converted my view of the BNP to the extent that I would now vote for them, it might also upset the BNP that their website had quite the reverse effect.