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| BNP 'may appear on Question Time' | BNP 'may appear on Question Time' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The BBC has confirmed it may invite British National Party leader Nick Griffin to appear on an edition of Question Time sometime in the future. | |
| A spokesman said it was bound by the rules to treat all political parties with "due impartiality". | |
| Talks are being held with other parties, some of whom have previously refused to share a platform with the BNP because of its policies on race. | Talks are being held with other parties, some of whom have previously refused to share a platform with the BNP because of its policies on race. |
| But the BBC says no parties can dictate who should not be included on the show. | But the BBC says no parties can dictate who should not be included on the show. |
| No BNP representatives have ever appeared on the BBC's flagship panel show. | No BNP representatives have ever appeared on the BBC's flagship panel show. |
| Our audiences - and the electorate - will make up their own minds about the different policies offered by elected politicians BBC spokesman | Our audiences - and the electorate - will make up their own minds about the different policies offered by elected politicians BBC spokesman |
| But the BBC spokesman said following the far-right party's success in the recent European elections, the BNP "has demonstrated evidence of electoral support at a national level." | But the BBC spokesman said following the far-right party's success in the recent European elections, the BNP "has demonstrated evidence of electoral support at a national level." |
| He said this would be "reflected" in the amount of coverage the BNP receives on BBC programmes such as Question Time. | He said this would be "reflected" in the amount of coverage the BNP receives on BBC programmes such as Question Time. |
| The spokesman added: "The BBC is obliged to treat all political parties registered with the Electoral Commission and operating within the law with due impartiality." | The spokesman added: "The BBC is obliged to treat all political parties registered with the Electoral Commission and operating within the law with due impartiality." |
| The BBC argues its approach is consistent with the approach taken towards other parties, such as UKIP and the Greens, both of which are now represented in the European Parliament. | |
| The spokesman added: "Due impartiality is achieved both by ensuring appropriate scrutiny for each party and by the appearances of a range of politicians across a series of programmes. | The spokesman added: "Due impartiality is achieved both by ensuring appropriate scrutiny for each party and by the appearances of a range of politicians across a series of programmes. |
| "Our audiences - and the electorate - will make up their own minds about the different policies offered by elected politicians." | "Our audiences - and the electorate - will make up their own minds about the different policies offered by elected politicians." |