Nick Griffin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nick Griffin
Griffin at a BNP conference, 2009
Vice president of the Alliance for Peace and Freedom
Incumbent
Assumed office 2018
President	Roberto Fiore
President of the British National Party
In office 21 July 2014 – 1 October 2014
Chairman of the British National Party
In office 27 September 1999 – 21 July 2014
Preceded by	John Tyndall
Succeeded by	Adam Walker
Member of the European Parliament for North West England
In office 4 June 2009 – 2 July 2014
Preceded by	Den Dover
Succeeded by	Louise Bours
Personal details
Born	Nicholas John Griffin (1959-03-01) 1 March 1959 (age 66) Barnet, Hertfordshire, England
Political party	Alliance for Peace and Freedom (2015–present) British National Party (1995–2014) National Front (1974–1989)
Spouse	Jackie Griffin ​ (m. 1985)​
Children	4
Alma mater	Downing College, Cambridge
Profession	Politician

Nicholas John Griffin (born 1 March 1959) is a British politician. He was the chairman of the British National Party (BNP) from 1999 to 2014. He also served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for North West England from 2009 to 2014. After this, he was president of the BNP for a short time in 2014 before leaving the party.

Griffin was born in Barnet, England. He went to Woodbridge School in Suffolk. He joined the National Front, a political group, when he was 14. After studying at the University of Cambridge, he worked for the National Front. He became part of its main leadership group in 1980.

He ran as a candidate for the National Front in elections in 1981 and 1983. He left the party in 1989. In 1995, he joined the BNP and became its leader in 1999. He ran in several elections and became a Member of the European Parliament in 2009.

Griffin has been criticized for some of his views. After becoming leader of the BNP, he tried to change some of his earlier positions. When he was invited to public debates, it often led to protests. Since 2018, he has been the vice-president of the Alliance for Peace and Freedom.

Early Life and Education

Nicholas John Griffin was born on 1 March 1959 in Barnet. His father, Edgar Griffin, was a former Conservative councillor. When Nicholas was eight, his family moved to Southwold in Suffolk. He attended Woodbridge School. Later, he received a scholarship to Saint Felix School in Southwold.

Griffin joined the National Front in 1974 when he was 14. He had to pretend he was 15 to join. By the age of 16, he reportedly stayed at the home of a National Front organizer.

From 1977, Griffin studied history and then law at Downing College, Cambridge. His connection to the National Front became known during a debate at the Cambridge Union Society. His photo was published in a student newspaper. He later started the Young National Front Student group.

He earned a law degree and also became a skilled boxer. He took up boxing after an incident in Lewisham. He boxed against Oxford three times in the annual Varsity match, winning twice. He stopped boxing due to a hand injury. He is a fan of famous boxers like Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe. He also admires Amir Khan.

Political Journey

Starting in the 1970s and 1980s

After finishing university, Griffin worked at the National Front headquarters. As a teenager, he went to a National Front meeting with his father. By 1978, he was a national organizer for the party. He helped create the White Noise Music Club in 1979. In 1980, he joined the party's main leadership team. That same year, he started a magazine called Nationalism Today.

As a National Front member, Griffin ran for election twice in Croydon North West. This was in a 1981 special election and the 1983 general election. He received a small percentage of the votes.

The National Front lost many members after Margaret Thatcher's Conservative Party won elections. Griffin and other members became unhappy with the party's direction. They started to follow the ideas of Roberto Fiore, an Italian politician. By 1983, this group left to form the "Political Soldier" part of the National Front. This group wanted to bring back old country "values."

Griffin left the National Front in 1989 after disagreements. He then helped form the International Third Position (ITP) but left it in 1990. In the same year, he lost his left eye in an accident. He has worn a glass eye ever since. The accident made it hard for him to work. He later had financial problems and declared bankruptcy. For several years, he stayed out of politics.

Joining the BNP in the 1990s

Griffin returned to politics in 1993. In 1995, he joined the British National Party (BNP) at the request of John Tyndall. He also became the editor of two magazines owned by Tyndall.

Tyndall had started the BNP in 1982. However, his past image made it hard for the party to gain respect. In his 1999 campaign to become leader, Griffin aimed to make the party more appealing to voters. He wanted to move the BNP away from Tyndall's extreme image. Griffin changed the party's focus. He wanted to reduce its emphasis on removing multiculturalism. He promised to get rid of "the three Hs: hobbyism, hard talk and Hitler."

This change was meant to make the BNP similar to successful European parties. Instead of street protests, the party focused on elections. Some policies were made less extreme. For example, forcing ethnic minorities to leave was changed to making it voluntary. Griffin's image as a Cambridge-educated family man was different from the BNP's previous extreme image. In October 1999, Nick Griffin won the leadership election against John Tyndall.

From 2000 to Today

After joining the BNP, Griffin ran as a candidate in several English elections. In 2000, he ran in West Bromwich West and came fourth. After the 2001 Oldham race riots, he ran in Oldham West and Royton in the 2001 general election. He received 16% of the votes, coming third.

In the 2004 European Parliament election, he was the BNP candidate for North West England. The party received 6.4% of the votes but did not win any seats. In the 2005 general election, he ran in Keighley and finished fourth.

Richard Barnbrook (left) and Griffin at a press conference outside the Palace of Westminster in May 2009

Griffin was the BNP candidate in the 2007 Welsh National Assembly Elections. The BNP received 5.5% of the votes. In May 2007, he was also a candidate in a local election but was not successful. In November 2008, a list of BNP members was posted online. Griffin said he knew who was responsible. He welcomed the attention, saying it showed that the typical BNP member was not a "skinhead."

He was elected as a Member of the European Parliament for North West England in the 2009 European Elections. The BNP received 6.2% of the votes and gained two MEPs. Griffin and another MEP, Andrew Brons, were met with protests. Griffin saw the election as an important win. He said his party had been unfairly treated and stopped from holding public meetings.

In May 2009, Griffin was invited to a Buckingham Palace garden party. This invitation caused objections from many groups and people. Griffin first declined, not wanting to cause trouble for the Queen. But when invited personally in 2010, he accepted. He said he would be there to represent his party's supporters. The Palace later stopped Griffin from attending. They said he had used the invitation for political reasons. Griffin called this decision an "absolute scandal."

In September 2009, he asked party members for more funding. He said the party's financial problems were due to "attacks on the party." He also defended the BNP's funding transparency.

In the 2010 general election, he ran in Barking. He finished in third place. In 2011, after the BNP lost many local council seats, Griffin narrowly kept his position as leader.

In 2010, Griffin announced he would step down as leader by 2013. He wanted to focus on his European Parliament election campaign. He lost his European seat in May 2014. He then stepped down as BNP leader on 19 July 2014. He became the party's president. However, on 1 October, the party announced it had expelled Griffin. They claimed he was "deliberately fabricating a crisis."

After leaving the BNP, he started British Unity. He describes it as a group of experienced nationalist publicists. He was also a founder of the European party, the Alliance for Peace and Freedom (APF), in 2015. In 2018, Griffin became the vice-president of the APF.

In March 2015, Griffin attended a forum in St. Petersburg, Russia. He told the audience that Christian countries might face a "terrible civil war."

Public Discussions

After becoming BNP leader, Griffin was invited to speak at several universities. In December 2002, he was invited to a debate on extremism at Cambridge. The event was moved twice due to protests. The threat of violence between protesters and supporters led to the event being cancelled. The organizer said it was a loss for free speech.

In February 2005, Griffin was asked to debate multiculturalism at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. The student who invited him said it was important to discuss the BNP's views openly. Anti-racist groups criticized this. Griffin said he was coming because students invited him to discuss an important topic. The university later withdrew the invitation.

In May 2007, Griffin was invited to speak at the University of Bath. A student wanted him to explain the BNP's policies. Some saw this as an attempt by the party to gain support at the university. Many union leaders asked the university to reconsider. A large protest was planned. Due to safety concerns, the university cancelled the invitation.

Several months later, the Oxford Union invited Griffin to speak about free speech. This invitation was criticized by many, including the head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. A protest rally was held in Oxford. Many people spoke against the invitation. On the night of the debate, about 50 protesters entered the venue. Hundreds more gathered outside. Police blocked the entrances and removed the protesters inside. Griffin entered with security guards. The event was split into two rooms. Many people found the debate upsetting. However, some supported Griffin's right to speak freely. The Oxford Union later said the debate was successful.

Griffin also spoke in the United States at Clemson University and Texas A&M University. However, his reception at Michigan State University in October 2007 was different. He intended to speak about "overpopulation of Islamists in Europe." But he was often interrupted. The event became a question and answer session. He was heckled by the audience. At one point, the fire alarm went off.

2009 Appearance on Question Time

Protests outside BBC Television Centre before Griffin's appearance on Question Time

On 22 October 2009, Griffin appeared on the BBC's debate show, Question Time. He was there as a representative of the BNP. He was questioned by the audience and the host, David Dimbleby. He was asked about comments he had made in the past. His invitation followed the election of two BNP MEPs. This led to a big debate about the BBC's decision.

His appearance caused a protest outside the BBC Television Centre. About 500 people protested, chanting anti-Nazi slogans. Some tried to enter the building to stop the show. Six protesters were arrested, and three police officers were hurt.

About 8.2 million people watched the program. This was more than three times the usual number for Question Time. Griffin's appearance was a major topic in the news the next day. Many newspapers said that Griffin did not do well in the debate.

In a press conference on 23 October, Griffin said he would complain about the show's format. He called it a "lynch mob." He suggested he should appear again. He said it should be done "properly" to talk about current issues.

Views and Policies

Griffin calls himself a "moderniser" and a "new nationalist." After becoming BNP leader, he reportedly changed his views on the party's traditional supporters. He shifted the BNP's main focus from immigration and race. Instead, he focused on defending what the party sees as "traditional principles." He has presented himself as a supporter of free speech. He has often spoken against multiculturalism. In 2000, he tried to make the BNP more popular by targeting specific groups. These included lorry drivers and farmers. The BNP also created a magazine about rural topics.

The BNP's rules give its chairman full power over party matters. Griffin was responsible for the party's legal and financial issues. He had the final say in all decisions.

After being elected to the European Parliament, Griffin tried to form an alliance with other right-wing parties. This would have given the group more funding. He also talked with other European parties. The BNP keeps connections with Roberto Fiore and other groups in Europe. Griffin criticized the government for how it treated BNP elected representatives. He said they were treated as "second-class citizens."

After his election, he criticized the selling off of national industries, like railways. He accused politicians of being involved in a "giant looting of Britain." He claimed that private companies and the "ruling elite" were building a "Eurocratic state." He called this process "Mussolini fascism." He supported the Gurkhas. He said the BNP would allow them and their families into the country for medical treatment.

After taking control of the party, Griffin tried to change its old image. In a BBC interview in 2001, he said that Hindus and white people were targeted in the 2001 riots. In 2003, he seemed to accept ethnic minorities who were already living legally in the country. He was interviewed again in 2008.

The BNP states that private homosexuality should be tolerated. However, they believe it "should not be promoted or encouraged." They were against civil partnerships. They want to ban what they see as the promotion of homosexuality in schools and media.

Griffin has written articles praising the wartime Waffen SS. He also criticized the Royal Air Force for bombing Nazi Germany. He distributed leaflets that talked about "mass murder" during the Second World War bombing of Dresden.

Global Warming Views

In a BBC interview on 8 June 2009, Griffin said that "global warming is essentially a hoax." He claimed it is used by some to tax and control people. He said the real problem is peak oil. He represented the European Parliament at the 2009 UN Climate Change Conference. There, he repeated his claim that global warming is a hoax. He called supporters of climate action "mass murderers" for backing biofuels. He claimed biofuels would lead to a "greatest famine." A Greenpeace spokesperson said that environmental groups have been concerned about biofuels. They added that Griffin's claims about climate change were "curious."

Personal Life

Griffin lives with his family in Shropshire. He is married to Jackie Griffin, a former nurse. She also works as his assistant. They have four children. Some of their children have been involved with the party. He was declared bankrupt in January 2014. In March 2017, Griffin said he wanted to move to Hungary within six months. In May 2017, Griffin was banned from Hungary. Security sources said he was seen as a "national security threat."

Elections Contested

UK Parliament elections

Welsh Assembly elections (Additional members region; party list)

European Parliament elections (Multi-member constituency; party list)

Images for kids

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  Protests outside BBC Television Centre before Griffin's appearance on Question Time.

See also

In Spanish: Nick Griffin para niños