I've been watching a load of people on TV waving banners, and I find myself sympathising but not agreeing with them. The BBC really had no choice, within the terms of its remit, to invite NG onto QT.

There are two reasons why I agree with the BBC's decision. For the first I wouldn't expect the protestors to agree with me. Time will tell if I'm correct with the second reason.

I've never been too sure how far I'd personally take Voltaire's declaration that he would die fighting to protect free speech for his political opponent. Call me a coward, but I've only got me, so I suppose if I were to actually die in defence of anything, I'd choose a different cause. But as a principle, it does stand. Democracy can only exist on a fundemental level if freedom of speech is awarded at a higher level than any one individuals whim, or even the whim of a group. That ceases to be democracy and starts to be dictatorship by the majority, and the BBC couldn't survive if it was forced to be the arbiter.

The second reason I want NG to be heard is this man's views are our greatest weopon against him. While he is allowed to float around in a quasi-mythical anti-politicians space, he will be able to bask in some kind of heroic victim hood. Subject his views to the full glare of scrutiny and he will find that position far more difficult to maintain