London, Oct 25 (IANS) Angered by his leader’s poor showing on a nationally-viewed television show, the legal officer of the anti-immigrant British National Party (BNP) has called for “white riots around the country”.
“Perhaps there needs to be a few ‘white riots’ around the country a la the Brixton riots of the 1980s before the idiot white liberal middle class and their ethnic middle-class fellow travellers wake up,” Lee Barnes said on his personal website.

Hundreds of people were wounded and buildings and vehicles damaged in violent riots involving police, white extremists and people of African-Caribbean origin in the south London neighbourhood of Brixton in 1981 and 1985.

Barnes attacked BNP leader Nick Griffin for “failing to press the attack” during a televised current affairs debate Thursday watched by a record eight million people - an appearance during which Griffin was repeatedly mocked by the audience and slated by fellow-panellists for his views.

During the programme, which led to strong protest outside the studios of the BBC, the far-right politician was unable to defend his statements in support of Hitler and expulsion of immigrants from Britain.

Barnes’ call for riots was slammed by the anti-fascist organisation Searchlight, whose spokesman told The Observer newspaper: “This strips away once and all Nick Griffin’s pretence that the BNP is a non-violent organisation. Lee Barnes is not just another BNP member, he is the organisation’s legal officer, and he is talking about riots in the streets.”

Labour MP Jon Cruddas said: “If this is the view expressed by Griffin’s legal officer, imagine the view among the hardcore BNP members.”

The BBC’s decision to invite Griffin to the panel of its popular Question Time show - prompted by the BNP’s victory in two seats in elections to the European Parliament - was criticised by anti-racist groups, who said it would fuel violence against Black, Asians and Jews.