The success of the BNP in the recent election (not to mention UKIP) should be a wakeup call to the major parties.   

The impression I had was that BNP and UKIP drew much of their strength from the frustration that many people feel over the economy and many aspects of EU membership.      British voters were promised a referendum awhile back on the EU.   

As a USAian I don't have an opinion about the future of UK EU membership or immigration policy, but I get the distinct impression that ever since Tony Blair decided to support the US in Iraq (see my blog entry a few years back:
http://blog.pnart.com/?p=13 ) there has been a growing body of UK voters who don't feel that mainstream politicians listen or respond to them.   And that the politicians will do whatever they bloody well want to do. This leads to extremism and social unrest.   The way to undermine the BNP is for the Tories and New Labour to be more responsive to the voters (and get their ethical house in order while they're about it)