I just don't think Question Time is the appropriate forum for the BNP. Inviting them to participate in a mainstream political debate, to be just one opinion among many, is to normalise the fascist voice. Which is a bloody awful thing to be doing.

Interview them, certainly. I'm not suggesting active censorship. But don't invite them to the discussion table. We know exactly where that kind of ethnic nationalism leads. It has an established track record. And when they appear in the media, that's the context they should be presented in.

Allowing them to share a platform with mainstream political figures, affording them the same time and space to air their views, preventing interruptions and treating their words with official respect...? Even these things indicate a level of acceptance of the BNP vision that should make us uncomfortable.

Have we really not learned anything when it comes to this particular ideology? It should never be normalised. The BBC have dropped the ball on this one.