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| Griffin complaint over BBC 'mob' | Griffin complaint over BBC 'mob' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| BNP leader Nick Griffin is to complain to the BBC over his controversial appearance on Question Time, saying he had faced a "lynch mob". | BNP leader Nick Griffin is to complain to the BBC over his controversial appearance on Question Time, saying he had faced a "lynch mob". |
| Mr Griffin claims the normal format of Thursday's programme was changed and it should not have been held in London. | Mr Griffin claims the normal format of Thursday's programme was changed and it should not have been held in London. |
| The fallout from the show - watched by eight million people - has intensified, with Mr Griffin's fellow panellists saying he had been "shown up". | The fallout from the show - watched by eight million people - has intensified, with Mr Griffin's fellow panellists saying he had been "shown up". |
| But critics said the show had given the BNP huge publicity. | But critics said the show had given the BNP huge publicity. |
| The BBC has defended the show, which was watched by four times its normal audience, saying it had a duty to be impartial. | The BBC has defended the show, which was watched by four times its normal audience, saying it had a duty to be impartial. |
| Format 'twisted' | Format 'twisted' |
| Mr Griffin faced robust questioning about his views on race, immigration and the Holocaust from a largely hostile audience. | Mr Griffin faced robust questioning about his views on race, immigration and the Holocaust from a largely hostile audience. |
| He criticised Islam, defended a past head of the Ku Klux Klan but insisted that he was "not a Nazi". | He criticised Islam, defended a past head of the Ku Klux Klan but insisted that he was "not a Nazi". |
| In a press conference on Friday, the BNP leader said he would be making an official complaint to the BBC about the programme, saying its normal format had been "twisted" so that it focused solely on his views. | In a press conference on Friday, the BNP leader said he would be making an official complaint to the BBC about the programme, saying its normal format had been "twisted" so that it focused solely on his views. |
| He challenged the BBC to ask him on the show again and to allow a wider range of subjects to be discussed. | He challenged the BBC to ask him on the show again and to allow a wider range of subjects to be discussed. |
| The BBC is firm in its belief that it was appropriate for Mr Griffin to appear as a member of the panel and the BBC fulfilled its duty to uphold due impartiality by inviting him on the programme Mark ByfordBBC deputy director general Profile: Nick Griffin Analysis: How did he do? Newspapers on Griffin appearance Reaction to Griffin's performance Angry scenes outside BBC | |
| He also claimed the audience was not representative of the UK as a whole as levels of immigration in London meant it was "no longer a British city". | He also claimed the audience was not representative of the UK as a whole as levels of immigration in London meant it was "no longer a British city". |
| Mr Griffin's fellow guests on the show said his performance had exposed his real views and the true attitudes of the BNP. | Mr Griffin's fellow guests on the show said his performance had exposed his real views and the true attitudes of the BNP. |
| Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said Mr Griffin had been "taken aback" by the hostility of the audience which showed most people in the UK wanted "nothing" to do with his views. | Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said Mr Griffin had been "taken aback" by the hostility of the audience which showed most people in the UK wanted "nothing" to do with his views. |
| Justice Secretary Jack Straw said Mr Griffin had been subjected to proper scrutiny and that his performance had been "catastrophic". | Justice Secretary Jack Straw said Mr Griffin had been subjected to proper scrutiny and that his performance had been "catastrophic". |
| But Welsh Secretary Peter Hain said the BBC had legitimised the BNP's "racist poison" by inviting its leader onto the show. | But Welsh Secretary Peter Hain said the BBC had legitimised the BNP's "racist poison" by inviting its leader onto the show. |
| 'Aborigines here' | 'Aborigines here' |
| The BNP leader was booed at the start of the recording and accused of trying to "poison politics" as he was attacked by fellow panellists and the audience. | The BNP leader was booed at the start of the recording and accused of trying to "poison politics" as he was attacked by fellow panellists and the audience. |
| The show covered topics including whether it was fair for the BNP to "hijack" images of Winston Churchill, whether immigration policy had fuelled the BNP's popularity and whether Mr Griffin's appearance was an early Christmas present for the party. | The show covered topics including whether it was fair for the BNP to "hijack" images of Winston Churchill, whether immigration policy had fuelled the BNP's popularity and whether Mr Griffin's appearance was an early Christmas present for the party. |
| He was asked by a member of the audience about why he had described Islam as a "wicked and vicious faith". | He was asked by a member of the audience about why he had described Islam as a "wicked and vicious faith". |
| QUESTION TIME Watch the programme again href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00nft24/Question_Time_22_10_2009">Question Time on iPlayer | |
| The BNP leader insisted his views had been widely misrepresented in the media and denied a string of statements attributed to him, including a quote from 2006 in which he said "Adolf went a bit too far". | The BNP leader insisted his views had been widely misrepresented in the media and denied a string of statements attributed to him, including a quote from 2006 in which he said "Adolf went a bit too far". |
| "I am not a Nazi and never have been," he said, adding: "I am the most loathed man in Britain in the eyes of Britain's Nazis." | "I am not a Nazi and never have been," he said, adding: "I am the most loathed man in Britain in the eyes of Britain's Nazis." |
| But Mr Griffin was challenged by several black and Asian members of the audience. | But Mr Griffin was challenged by several black and Asian members of the audience. |
| One man asked Mr Griffin: "Where do you want me to go? I love this country, I'm part of this country." | One man asked Mr Griffin: "Where do you want me to go? I love this country, I'm part of this country." |
| The BBC defended its decision to ask Mr Griffin onto the show. | The BBC defended its decision to ask Mr Griffin onto the show. |
| "The BBC is firm in its belief that it was appropriate for Mr Griffin to appear as a member of the panel and the BBC fulfilled its duty to uphold due impartiality by inviting him on the programme," said its deputy director general Mark Byford. | "The BBC is firm in its belief that it was appropriate for Mr Griffin to appear as a member of the panel and the BBC fulfilled its duty to uphold due impartiality by inviting him on the programme," said its deputy director general Mark Byford. |
| It has received 243 complaints from people who believed the show was biased against the BNP leader as opposed to 114 complaints from people who felt he should not have been allowed into the programme. | It has received 243 complaints from people who believed the show was biased against the BNP leader as opposed to 114 complaints from people who felt he should not have been allowed into the programme. |
| Six protesters were arrested and three police officers injured during demonstrations outside BBC Television Centre, where it was filmed. | Six protesters were arrested and three police officers injured during demonstrations outside BBC Television Centre, where it was filmed. |
| About 25 people managed to get through the gates and run towards the BBC building when security guards opened them to let in a car. A few minutes later they were led, dragged or carried back outside. | About 25 people managed to get through the gates and run towards the BBC building when security guards opened them to let in a car. A few minutes later they were led, dragged or carried back outside. |