Jacqui Smith bans Geert Wilders from entering the country

[afleitch]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7882953.stm

Geert as we know has his 'film' Fitna. It's probably not very nice. However when hearing he was going to screen it at parliament (invoted by Lord Pearson), the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith barred Mr Wilders on the grounds that his visit was a threat to 'community harmony and therefore public security'.

Dutch foreign minister Maxime Verhagen has now complained directly to the Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

Mr Wilders claims that he will still attend the screening.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

Who would think this woman could be so impossibly fascist?

Isn't she lovely?


Seriously, a threat to 'community harmony and therefore public security'. this stuff has reached truly horrific levels of political correctness. I've always despised people who treated 1984 and BNW as foreshadowing of our own future, but this lot is really making me think twice.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Amusing to see him get the same treatment as Farrakhan did.

[minionofmidas]

Meh. Equal standards of idiocy are preferable to unequal standards of idiocy, but no idiocy would still be preferable.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Personally I think he should be allowed in, but forced to stay in Spitalfields. Without security. Problem solved.

[Lief 🗽]

Disgusting. Britain's turning into quite the authoritarian hellhole.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Here I thought the United States gave dumb reasons for taking away people's civil liberties.

[Franzl]

     Here I thought the United States gave dumb reasons for taking away people's civil liberties.

Oh we do....just not quite as dumb as some others do.

[Silent Hunter]

He tried to get in- and failed.

[afleitch]

I watched the film. It is sh-t.

But - he, nor anyone else makes any comment, other than by crude visuals. The commentary is simply passages and speeches from fundamentalist clerics. How can simply broadcasting that be considered 'incitement'? It reminds me of Dispatches

[Verily]

If anyone cares, this had made Geert Wilders more popular in the Netherlands, although at least Rita Verdonk's party is now almost dead.

New Dutch poll (in terms of seats):

CDA: 28 (-13 on 2006)
PvdA: 24 (-9)
PVV: 23 (+14)
VVD: 20 (-2)
D66: 17 (+14 )
SP: 16 (-9)
GL: 11 (+4)
CU: 5 (-1)
ToN: 2 (+2, new, splinter from VVD, will merge into PVV or win no seats at the next election)
PvdD: 2 (nc)
SGP: 2 (nc)

http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/32840/dutch_ultra_nationalist_party_gains_ground/

PVV has surged from 15 seats to 23 since early January.

[freek]

New poll, from the same pollster (the pollster is crap though). IMO other pollsters are more reliable.

PVV: 27 (+18 on 2006)
CDA: 26 (-15)
PvdA: 21 (-12)
D66: 19 (+16)
VVD: 17 (-5)
SP: 18 (-7)
GL: 11 (+4)
CU: 5 (-1)
ToN: 2 (+2)
PvdD: 2 (nc)
SGP: 2 (nc)

[Hash]

What the  is going on.

[Verily]

You know, it's hard to think of two political parties as diametrically opposed as D66 and the PVV to be surging. So at least Geert Wilders continues to be countered by the equal popularity of Alexander Pechtold.

Also... sixth place for the VVD? Ouch.

[freek]

So at least Geert Wilders continues to be countered by the equal popularity of Alexander Pechtold.

Since Alexander Pechtold is the only one in the parliament who really counters Wilders, a surge for Wilders is almost automatically a surge for Pechtold.

[minionofmidas]

What the  is going on.

D66 has been forgiven by their voters.