The One That Will Vote Any Damn Way He Chooses. . .

Interesting to note that their Graces the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have waded into the debate surrounding the forthcoming elections. They too are keen that people should not vote BNP, even though it is none of their bleeding business. Do we really want the established Church supporting or opposing political parties?

Dr Rowan Williams and Dr John Sentamu said it would be "tragic" if people abstained or voted BNP at the local and European elections on 4 June.

I see, but it is perfectly acceptable to vote communist, monster raving loony or Satanists for Indian takeaway night on a Thursday, though.

Let’s face two facts here, the term BNP is now in danger of becoming the generic term for ‘others’, just as hoover becomes interchangeable with vacuum-cleaner and ‘Kosovan’ was taken to mean an asylum seeker of any nationality. Not Tory, Labour or Lib Dem? Must be BNP then.

Second, the BNP are likely to provide significant support for the status quo regarding Monarch, Church and State. So what’s the real beef here?

There have been some rumblings about taking this current crisis and using it as a catalyst for some real far reaching reforms of Parliament. David Starkey has been very vocal, as was Martin Bell on Question Time on Thursday evening, even drawing enthusiastic applause from that common purpose droid Ben Bradshaw. One of those serious reform ideas is for a totally elected Upper House.

The Lords Spiritual will not be amused at the idea of losing their last real bit of constitutional power in this country. They can’t really say ‘vote for the status quo’, so they use the BNP dog whistle in the hope that people equate ‘minority party’ with ‘horrible racist’.

Well it isn’t going to work on me.