Fortuyn's chilling forewarning

Fortuyn: the Netherlands' first political killing in 300 years

Exactly two weeks before his assassination, the Dutch far-right politician Pim Fortuyn warned that his government would be responsible should he be killed or wounded.

In an interview with BBC FOUR on 22 April, he complained that he only hired bodyguards occasionally because he had to pay for them himself.

"There is no protection from government. The prime minister has made the atmosphere in this country against me. He has said I was a racist. He don't give me any protection, nothing" he said.

"I have said until the 15th when I am killed or wounded then you are responsible because you gave me no protection", he added.

Elections

The suspected gunman, a 32 year old white Dutchman has made no statement to police. Public prosecutors say environmentalist material and ammunition were found at his home.

Mr Fortine's murder raised a question mark over whether next week's general election would go ahead. This morning, however, the Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok announced that the Netherlands would go to the polls as scheduled on 15 May.

The prediction was that Mr Fortine's party would win 15% of the Dutch vote.

Jean Marie Le Pen of course did rather better than that in France, and the BNP made progress in some of the seats they stood in last week in England's local elections.

Is there a link between the three that mainstream politicians should take note of? We spoke to the British foreign office minister Peter Hain.