Silas. Sorry, I wasn't implying that you were. The problem lies with the meanings which can be placed on these things. Many people regard the gollywog as a harmless toy, and I wish that we as a species were so devoid of racism that it could not possibly have any other connotation.

Unfortunately, this harmless doll was adopted by the BNP as a symbol of negritude, of racial inferiority if you like. At their summer camp at Codnor last year, a group of BNP members decided to hold a mock trial and lynching. I can't remember what the accused was accused of, probably of being here and being black. But what did they use to symbolise the "ethnically inferior" invaders? A gollywog, that's what.

Like I said, it's all down to signs and symbols and interpretations. Curiously enough, they named the accused doll Winston. But that was a hangover from the days when Winston Churchill was seen by the BNP as an arch traitor, who led us into a so called "totally unneccesary war", instead of siding with Hitler against the Slavic hordes.

Shortly afterwards, the leadership of the BNP realised there was mileage to be had in invoking WW2, and the Dunkirk spirit and the white cliffs of Dover and all that. Overnight, their portrayal of Churchill turned 180 degrees. Suddenly he symbolised the British people standing up against foreign invasion and standing for all things British.

The BNP are not just a bunch of sick fascists. They are also a bunch of liars and hypocrites and opportunists.