Taking on the extremists

Fascists are making gains across Europe

By Nick Assinder BBC News Online political correspondent

Some good may yet come out of Jean-Marie Le Pen's shock success in the French presidential election.

Mainstream politicians in Britain, and Europe in general, believe it will finally shake voters out of the apathy which is gripping much of the continent.

Le Pen has sparked fears

The lesson from France, they claim, is that sitting on your hands can have dangerous consequences.

Mr Le Pen's victory may be short lived, but it has sent shockwaves throughout the EU, which appears to be witnessing a resurgence in far right politics.

Everwhere, from Norway to Italy, the extremists appear to be advancing.

And moderate parties across the continent are warning voters that by staying at home they are offering the hard-right power on a plate.

Record low

But, to a great extent, these mainstream parties have brought the problem onto themselves and it must be up to them to address the issue of apathy.

Rightwingers, indeed extremists of all kinds, flourish where traditional, moderate politics becomes ineffectual, arrogant, unprincipled and sleazy.

Some, and often all, of those traits can be applied to many of the mainstream parties across Europe.

In Britain, turnout at the last general election slumped to a record low. Things are worse in local and European parliament elections.

The apathy has been blamed on disillusion with the New Labour government and a perception that it is not tackling basic problems such as crime and, until the budget at least, public services.

There is also a widely held view that Britain has become a "soft touch" for immigrants and that, where sleaze is concerned, Labour is "no better than the other lot".

Economic hardship

Last year's riots in Bradford have also raised fears that the BNP may be on the march in this country.

Mandelson stressed government record

There are good reasons, however, to think an upsurge in far right politics is unlikely here.

For a start, the political system does not encourage the growth of small parties and, despite the occasional local victory, the BNP or the National Front have never made significant electoral gains.

Most also believe, with much good evidence, that Britain is not a country which is attracted to extremists of any colour.

Probably most important, however, is the fact that the economic conditions are not right for the emergence of powerful extremist groups in the UK.

Widespread disillusion with the political class is not enough on its own- they also need economic hardship and large levels of unemployment to feed off.

Former minister Peter Mandelson is probably right when he says the Labour government has already tackled problems over asylum and crime.

But it is success in keeping down unemployment that will offer the best defence against extremists.

Occasional victories

Next month's local elections will see a united front against the BNP in areas like Bradford, and few believe they will make any significant impact.

The party stands at only about 1% in the opinion polls - way below their allies in other EU countries.

That is not to say they cannot spring surprises or score occasional victories.

Nor does it mean the threat can simply be brushed aside.

Mainstream politicians in Britain already admit they need to do more to re-engage with ordinary voters and clean up their image.

The French shock should give that campaign even greater impetus.