Bovver boots and ballerinas

[Guest guest]

Who are they kidding? By Dominic Casciani BBC News community affairs Good vocal chords: Not what theatre-goers were expectingBritish far-right politics has changed a bit in recent years. Out have gone the bovver-booted bomber-jacketed skinheads. In have come the business suits

and a ballerina. And so, in the unlikeliest of turns, a dozen or so anti-racism protesters turned their foghorn vocal chords away from their familiar haunts to turn up on the steps of the Coliseum, the home of the English National Ballet in London's West End. Why? Because Simone Clarke, principal dancer with the ballet and the lead in the current run of Giselle, is a British National Party member. "Ballet should be Nazi free! Stop the fascist BNP! Ballet not bigotry! Stop the fascist BNP!" came the chants. Delicately poised: Are Ms Clarke's politics compatible with her job?Some

ballet-goers threw quizzical looks - others occasionally tutted. "Pathetic," mouthed one well-dressed woman to her companion as she entered the theatre. This was a rare meeting of completely different worlds. But Ms Clarke, according to a glowing interview on her own website, is that "rarest of human beings". The interviewer wasn't wrong. Born in Leeds, Simone Clarke has battled to the top of her profession - a profession where the key skills are in such high demand that employers search the globe for the right person. Eight of the 10 principals with the English National Ballet were born abroad. Ms Clarke's love interest in Giselle is played by Russian-born Dmitri Gruzdyez. And then there is her real love interest: Her partner, Yat Sen-Chang, also an ENB principal dancer, is a Cuban of Chinese extraction. So while this world of high arts and even higher jumps may be insulated from the gritty realities of hard-nosed politics, it is

hardly short of experience when it comes international migration. All of which has made Ms Clarke's position all the more interesting, not least because she has defended her views, following her naming by the Guardian newspaper. 'Concerned but not racist' In an interview with the Mail on Sunday, the dancer said the BNP was the only party "willing to take a stand" against uncontrolled immigration. Her partner had encouraged her to join up, she said - so talk of racism was "silly". And on and on: Two hours of chanting"I will be known as the BNP Ballerina. I think that will stick with me for life. I don't

regret anything." The ENB has come under pressure to sack Ms Clarke, but has said that her politics is a private matter and it has not mandate to comment on her views. But this didn't wash with protesters like Lee Billingham of Love Music Hate Racism. "It's just not that simple," he said taking a break from leafleting passers-by. "It's not that there has just been some kind of undercover reporters' expose. "She has reiterated her views in the papers. The ENB is a publicly funded arts body. It gets our money. It has a duty to promote diversity and equality. "The BNP is not a normal political party. Anyone who takes time to look at it knows that. We need to draw a line in the sand." So what did the punters make of it all? Vincent, a veteran ballet-goer and Soho resident, said he found the BNP "rather disgusting people" - but their politics was "entirely irrelevant" to the performance. "She can have all the views she wants and

I can have mine. That is the nature of a free democracy," he said. "She's up there as a professional dancer and as long as she keeps to that on stage, I have no objections. "Everybody would have forgotten about her unfortunate politics had it not been for this demonstration. Now the BNP are getting publicity, which is hardly useful." Most people shared his view. Walk-out But Judy Chan, 62, of Harlow walked out - possibly the only person to do so - on discovering more about Ms Clarke. She handed her ticket back to ENB staff and, to the complete surprise of the protesters, offered to hand out leaflets. Judy Chan: Handed in her ticket, walked

out"The BNP are a fascist movement and fascists have cost the world dear," she said. "I grew up in the aftermath of the war and saw what fascism had done to the world - millions dead, entire countries destroyed. "This would have only been the second ballet I have gone to and I don't have that much money. But I cannot sit there and clap that woman knowing what I now know. "If she is a ballerina, she should be a fairly sophisticated person. And if she cannot or will not distinguish between normal politics and fascism then I don't want to watch her." And then things took an even more surreal turn. BNP outing Richard Barnbrook, the leader of the BNP in Barking and Dagenham turned up with some less-than-balletic looking minders. Protesters surged and chants grew louder. Police led Mr Barnbrook away for his own safety. Busting stereotypes, Mr Barnbrook told reporters he was

hoping to enjoy an afternoon at the ballet. That enjoyment was later disrupted when two protesters began chanting mid-performance. Richard Barnbrook: BNP outing to the ballet"I don't normally go to the ballet but I'm going to support Simone Clarke," he said. "I'm supporting her freedom of expression.They are trying to get her sacked for one simple reason: her standing up for common sense and saying she doesn't support the government. So what did he think of her relationship with Mr Sen-Chang? "I'm not opposed to mixed marriages but children [of these relationships] are washing out the identity of this

country's indigenous people. That's my view. It's not the party's view." Mr Barnbrook did not appear to be aware that Ms Clarke and Mr Sen-Chang have a child. In the history of modern British politics, Ms Clarke's story may not appear that important. But her views are of immense value to the BNP itself. Nick Griffin, the BNP's leader, has one aim. For years, the British far-right looked enviously at the strides made by Jean Marie Le Pen's National Front in France. In 2002, Le Pen reached the final Presidential run-off. Mr Griffin's aim is to transform the BNP into a similar party, an organisation that people regard as the acceptable face of nationalism, standing up for "ordinary" British people. Having a ballerina in their ranks is a measure of how perceptions of his party have changed. Peter H

Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.

[Guest guest]

I'm not opposed to mixed marriages but children [of these relationships] are washing out the identity of this country's indigenous people.

 

would that be the britonic tribes, the celts, the anglo-saxons, the jutes, the danes, or the normans???

peter VV Jan 12, 2007 1:34 PM Re: Bovver boots and ballerinas

Who are they kidding?

 

 

 

 

 

By Dominic Casciani BBC News community affairs

 

 

 

 

Good vocal chords: Not what theatre-goers were expectingBritish far-right politics has changed a bit in recent years. Out have gone the bovver-booted bomber-jacketed skinheads. In have come the business suits and a ballerina.

And so, in the unlikeliest of turns, a dozen or so anti-racism protesters turned their foghorn vocal chords away from their familiar haunts to turn up on the steps of the Coliseum, the home of the English National Ballet in London's West End. Why? Because Simone Clarke, principal dancer with the ballet and the lead in the current run of Giselle, is a British National Party member. "Ballet should be Nazi free! Stop the fascist BNP! Ballet not bigotry! Stop the fascist BNP!" came the chants.

 

 

 

 

Delicately poised: Are Ms Clarke's politics compatible with her job?Some ballet-goers threw quizzical looks - others occasionally tutted. "Pathetic," mouthed one well-dressed woman to her companion as she entered the theatre. This was a rare meeting of completely different worlds. But Ms Clarke, according to a glowing interview on her own website, is that "rarest of human beings". The interviewer wasn't wrong. Born in Leeds, Simone Clarke has battled to the top of her profession - a profession where the key skills are in such high demand that employers search the globe for the right person. Eight of the 10 principals with the English National Ballet were born abroad. Ms Clarke's love interest in Giselle is played by Russian-born Dmitri Gruzdyez. And then there is her real love interest: Her partner, Yat Sen-Chang, also an ENB principal dancer, is a Cuban of Chinese extraction. So while this world of high arts and even higher jumps may be insulated from the gritty realities of hard-nosed politics, it is hardly short of experience when it comes international migration. All of which has made Ms Clarke's position all the more interesting, not least because she has defended her views, following her naming by the Guardian newspaper. 'Concerned but not racist' In an interview with the Mail on Sunday, the dancer said the BNP was the only party "willing to take a stand" against uncontrolled immigration. Her partner had encouraged her to join up, she said - so talk of racism was "silly".

 

 

 

 

And on and on: Two hours of chanting"I will be known as the BNP Ballerina. I think that will stick with me for life. I don't regret anything." The ENB has come under pressure to sack Ms Clarke, but has said that her politics is a private matter and it has not mandate to comment on her views. But this didn't wash with protesters like Lee Billingham of Love Music Hate Racism. "It's just not that simple," he said taking a break from leafleting passers-by. "It's not that there has just been some kind of undercover reporters' expose. "She has reiterated her views in the papers. The ENB is a publicly funded arts body. It gets our money. It has a duty to promote diversity and equality. "The BNP is not a normal political party. Anyone who takes time to look at it knows that. We need to draw a line in the sand." So what did the punters make of it all? Vincent, a veteran ballet-goer and Soho resident, said he found the BNP "rather disgusting people" - but their politics was "entirely irrelevant" to the performance. "She can have all the views she wants and I can have mine. That is the nature of a free democracy," he said. "She's up there as a professional dancer and as long as she keeps to that on stage, I have no objections. "Everybody would have forgotten about her unfortunate politics had it not been for this demonstration. Now the BNP are getting publicity, which is hardly useful." Most people shared his view. Walk-out

But Judy Chan, 62, of Harlow walked out - possibly the only person to do so - on discovering more about Ms Clarke. She handed her ticket back to ENB staff and, to the complete surprise of the protesters, offered to hand out leaflets.

 

 

 

 

Judy Chan: Handed in her ticket, walked out"The BNP are a fascist movement and fascists have cost the world dear," she said. "I grew up in the aftermath of the war and saw what fascism had done to the world - millions dead, entire countries destroyed. "This would have only been the second ballet I have gone to and I don't have that much money. But I cannot sit there and clap that woman knowing what I now know. "If she is a ballerina, she should be a fairly sophisticated person. And if she cannot or will not distinguish between normal politics and fascism then I don't want to watch her." And then things took an even more surreal turn. BNP outing Richard Barnbrook, the leader of the BNP in Barking and Dagenham turned up with some less-than-balletic looking minders. Protesters surged and chants grew louder. Police led Mr Barnbrook away for his own safety. Busting stereotypes, Mr Barnbrook told reporters he was hoping to enjoy an afternoon at the ballet. That enjoyment was later disrupted when two protesters began chanting mid-performance.

 

 

 

 

Richard Barnbrook: BNP outing to the ballet"I don't normally go to the ballet but I'm going to support Simone Clarke," he said. "I'm supporting her freedom of expression.They are trying to get her sacked for one simple reason: her standing up for common sense and saying she doesn't support the government. So what did he think of her relationship with Mr Sen-Chang? "I'm not opposed to mixed marriages but children [of these relationships] are washing out the identity of this country's indigenous people. That's my view. It's not the party's view." Mr Barnbrook did not appear to be aware that Ms Clarke and Mr Sen-Chang have a child. In the history of modern British politics, Ms Clarke's story may not appear that important. But her views are of immense value to the BNP itself. Nick Griffin, the BNP's leader, has one aim. For years, the British far-right looked enviously at the strides made by Jean Marie Le Pen's National Front in France. In 2002, Le Pen reached the final Presidential run-off. Mr Griffin's aim is to transform the BNP into a similar party, an organisation that people regard as the acceptable face of nationalism, standing up for "ordinary" British people. Having a ballerina in their ranks is a measure of how perceptions of his party have changed.

Peter H

 

Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.

What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know, it's what we know for sure that just ain't so.

- Mark Twain

[Guest guest]

Like I said , who are they kidding? The Valley Vegan..............fraggle <EBbrewpunx wrote: I'm not opposed to mixed marriages but children [of these relationships] are washing out the identity of this country's indigenous people. would that be the britonic tribes, the celts, the anglo-saxons, the jutes, the danes, or the normans??? -----Original

Message----- peter VV Jan 12, 2007 1:34 PM Re: Bovver boots and ballerinas Who are they kidding? By Dominic Casciani BBC News community affairs Good vocal chords: Not what theatre-goers were

expectingBritish far-right politics has changed a bit in recent years. Out have gone the bovver-booted bomber-jacketed skinheads. In have come the business suits and a ballerina. And so, in the unlikeliest of turns, a dozen or so anti-racism protesters turned their foghorn vocal chords away from their familiar haunts to turn up on the steps of the Coliseum, the home of the English National Ballet in London's West End. Why? Because Simone Clarke, principal dancer with the ballet and the lead in the current run of Giselle, is a British National Party member. "Ballet should be Nazi free! Stop the fascist BNP! Ballet not bigotry! Stop the fascist BNP!" came the chants. Delicately poised: Are Ms Clarke's politics compatible with her job?Some ballet-goers threw quizzical looks - others occasionally tutted. "Pathetic," mouthed one well-dressed woman to her companion as she entered the theatre. This was a rare meeting of completely different worlds. But Ms Clarke, according to a glowing interview on her own website, is that "rarest of human beings". The interviewer wasn't wrong. Born in Leeds, Simone Clarke has battled to the top of her profession - a profession where the key skills are in such high demand that employers search the globe for the right person. Eight of the 10 principals with the English National Ballet were born abroad. Ms Clarke's love interest in Giselle is played by Russian-born Dmitri Gruzdyez. And then there is her real love

interest: Her partner, Yat Sen-Chang, also an ENB principal dancer, is a Cuban of Chinese extraction. So while this world of high arts and even higher jumps may be insulated from the gritty realities of hard-nosed politics, it is hardly short of experience when it comes international migration. All of which has made Ms Clarke's position all the more interesting, not least because she has defended her views, following her naming by the Guardian newspaper. 'Concerned but not racist' In an interview with the Mail on Sunday, the dancer said the BNP was the only party "willing to take a stand" against uncontrolled immigration. Her partner had encouraged her to join up, she said - so talk of racism was "silly". And on and on: Two hours of chanting"I will be known as the BNP Ballerina. I think that will stick with me for life. I don't regret anything." The ENB has come under pressure to sack Ms Clarke, but has said that her politics is a private matter and it has not mandate to comment on her views. But this didn't wash with protesters like Lee Billingham of Love Music Hate Racism. "It's just not that simple," he said taking a break from leafleting passers-by. "It's not that there has just been some kind of undercover reporters' expose. "She has reiterated her views in the papers. The ENB is a publicly funded arts body. It gets our money. It has a duty to promote diversity and equality. "The BNP is not a normal political party. Anyone who takes time to look at it knows that. We need to draw a

line in the sand." So what did the punters make of it all? Vincent, a veteran ballet-goer and Soho resident, said he found the BNP "rather disgusting people" - but their politics was "entirely irrelevant" to the performance. "She can have all the views she wants and I can have mine. That is the nature of a free democracy," he said. "She's up there as a professional dancer and as long as she keeps to that on stage, I have no objections. "Everybody would have forgotten about her unfortunate politics had it not been for this demonstration. Now the BNP are getting publicity, which is hardly useful." Most people shared his view. Walk-out But Judy Chan, 62, of Harlow walked out - possibly the only person to do so - on discovering more about Ms Clarke. She handed her ticket back to ENB staff and, to the complete surprise of the protesters, offered to hand out leaflets. Judy Chan: Handed in her ticket, walked out"The BNP are a fascist movement and fascists have cost the world dear," she said. "I grew up in the aftermath of the war and saw what fascism had done to the world - millions dead, entire countries destroyed. "This would have only been the second ballet I have gone to and I don't have that much money. But I cannot sit there and clap that woman knowing what I now know. "If she is a ballerina, she should be a fairly sophisticated person. And if she cannot or will not distinguish between normal politics and fascism then I don't want to watch her." And then things took an even more surreal turn. BNP outing Richard Barnbrook, the leader of the

BNP in Barking and Dagenham turned up with some less-than-balletic looking minders. Protesters surged and chants grew louder. Police led Mr Barnbrook away for his own safety. Busting stereotypes, Mr Barnbrook told reporters he was hoping to enjoy an afternoon at the ballet. That enjoyment was later disrupted when two protesters began chanting mid-performance. Richard Barnbrook: BNP outing to the ballet"I don't normally go to the ballet but I'm going to support Simone Clarke," he said. "I'm supporting her freedom of expression.They are trying to get her sacked for one simple reason: her standing up for common sense and saying she

doesn't support the government. So what did he think of her relationship with Mr Sen-Chang? "I'm not opposed to mixed marriages but children [of these relationships] are washing out the identity of this country's indigenous people. That's my view. It's not the party's view." Mr Barnbrook did not appear to be aware that Ms Clarke and Mr Sen-Chang have a child. In the history of modern British politics, Ms Clarke's story may not appear that important. But her views are of immense value to the BNP itself. Nick Griffin, the BNP's leader, has one aim. For years, the British far-right looked enviously at the strides made by Jean Marie Le Pen's National Front in France. In 2002, Le Pen reached the final Presidential run-off. Mr Griffin's aim is to transform the BNP into a similar party, an organisation that people regard as the acceptable face of nationalism, standing up for "ordinary" British people. Having a ballerina in their

ranks is a measure of how perceptions of his party have changed. Peter H Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger. What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know, it's what we know for sure that just ain't so. - Mark Twain Peter H

 

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[Guest guest]

What are your thoughts on this one Peter?

 

Jo

, peter VV <swpgh01 wrote:

>

> Who are they kidding?

> By Dominic Casciani

> BBC News community affairs

>

> Good vocal chords: Not what theatre-goers were

expecting

>

> British far-right politics has changed a bit in recent years. Out

have gone the bovver-booted bomber-jacketed skinheads. In have come

the business suits and a ballerina.

> And so, in the unlikeliest of turns, a dozen or so anti-racism

protesters turned their foghorn vocal chords away from their familiar

haunts to turn up on the steps of the Coliseum, the home of the

English National Ballet in London's West End. Why? Because Simone

Clarke, principal dancer with the ballet and the lead in the current

run of Giselle, is a British National Party member. " Ballet should

be Nazi free! Stop the fascist BNP! Ballet not bigotry! Stop the

fascist BNP! " came the chants. Delicately poised: Are

Ms Clarke's politics compatible with her job?

>

> Some ballet-goers threw quizzical looks - others occasionally

tutted. " Pathetic, " mouthed one well-dressed woman to her companion

as she entered the theatre. This was a rare meeting of completely

different worlds. But Ms Clarke, according to a glowing interview

on her own website, is that " rarest of human beings " . The interviewer

wasn't wrong. Born in Leeds, Simone Clarke has battled to the top

of her profession - a profession where the key skills are in such

high demand that employers search the globe for the right person.

Eight of the 10 principals with the English National Ballet were born

abroad. Ms Clarke's love interest in Giselle is played by Russian-

born Dmitri Gruzdyez. And then there is her real love interest: Her

partner, Yat Sen-Chang, also an ENB principal dancer, is a Cuban of

Chinese extraction. So while this world of high arts and even

higher jumps may be insulated from the gritty realities of hard-nosed

politics, it is hardly short of experience

> when it comes international migration. All of which has made Ms

Clarke's position all the more interesting, not least because she has

defended her views, following her naming by the Guardian

newspaper. 'Concerned but not racist' In an interview with the

Mail on Sunday, the dancer said the BNP was the only party " willing

to take a stand " against uncontrolled immigration. Her partner had

encouraged her to join up, she said - so talk of racism

was " silly " . And on and on: Two hours of chanting

>

> " I will be known as the BNP Ballerina. I think that will stick with

me for life. I don't regret anything. " The ENB has come under

pressure to sack Ms Clarke, but has said that her politics is a

private matter and it has not mandate to comment on her views. But

this didn't wash with protesters like Lee Billingham of Love Music

Hate Racism. " It's just not that simple, " he said taking a break

from leafleting passers-by. " It's not that there has just been some

kind of undercover reporters' expose. " She has reiterated her views

in the papers. The ENB is a publicly funded arts body. It gets our

money. It has a duty to promote diversity and equality. " The BNP is

not a normal political party. Anyone who takes time to look at it

knows that. We need to draw a line in the sand. " So what did the

punters make of it all? Vincent, a veteran ballet-goer and Soho

resident, said he found the BNP " rather disgusting people " - but

their politics was " entirely irrelevant " to the

> performance. " She can have all the views she wants and I can

have mine. That is the nature of a free democracy, " he said. " She's

up there as a professional dancer and as long as she keeps to that on

stage, I have no objections. " Everybody would have forgotten about

her unfortunate politics had it not been for this demonstration. Now

the BNP are getting publicity, which is hardly useful. " Most people

shared his view. Walk-out But Judy Chan, 62, of Harlow walked

out - possibly the only person to do so - on discovering more about

Ms Clarke. She handed her ticket back to ENB staff and, to the

complete surprise of the protesters, offered to hand out

leaflets. Judy Chan: Handed in her ticket, walked out

>

> " The BNP are a fascist movement and fascists have cost the world

dear, " she said. " I grew up in the aftermath of the war and saw what

fascism had done to the world - millions dead, entire countries

destroyed. " This would have only been the second ballet I have gone

to and I don't have that much money. But I cannot sit there and clap

that woman knowing what I now know. " If she is a ballerina, she

should be a fairly sophisticated person. And if she cannot or will

not distinguish between normal politics and fascism then I don't want

to watch her. " And then things took an even more surreal turn.

BNP outing Richard Barnbrook, the leader of the BNP in Barking and

Dagenham turned up with some less-than-balletic looking minders.

Protesters surged and chants grew louder. Police led Mr Barnbrook

away for his own safety. Busting stereotypes, Mr Barnbrook told

reporters he was hoping to enjoy an afternoon at the ballet. That

enjoyment was later disrupted when two protesters

> began chanting mid-performance. Richard Barnbrook:

BNP outing to the ballet

>

> " I don't normally go to the ballet but I'm going to support Simone

Clarke, " he said. " I'm supporting her freedom of expression. " " They

are trying to get her sacked for one simple reason: her standing up

for common sense and saying she doesn't support the government. So

what did he think of her relationship with Mr Sen-Chang? " I'm not

opposed to mixed marriages but children [of these relationships] are

washing out the identity of this country's indigenous people. That's

my view. It's not the party's view. " Mr Barnbrook did not appear to

be aware that Ms Clarke and Mr Sen-Chang have a child. In the

history of modern British politics, Ms Clarke's story may not appear

that important. But her views are of immense value to the BNP

itself. Nick Griffin, the BNP's leader, has one aim. For years, the

British far-right looked enviously at the strides made by Jean Marie

Le Pen's National Front in France. In 2002, Le Pen reached the final

Presidential run-off. Mr

> Griffin's aim is to transform the BNP into a similar party, an

organisation that people regard as the acceptable face of

nationalism, standing up for " ordinary " British people. Having a

ballerina in their ranks is a measure of how perceptions of his party

have changed.

>

>

>

> Peter H

>

>

> Send instant messages to your online friends

http://uk.messenger.

>