LONDON — Nick Griffin, the leader of the British National Party, is a "soft" fascist who does not rant in the 1930s style. But he came pretty close to the old style two months ago when, newly elected to the European Parliament, he called for "very tough" measures to stop illegal African migrants from entering the European Union by crossing the Mediterranean in boats.
Interviewed afterward by the BBC, he said: "Frankly, they need to sink several of those boats." The interviewer interrupted him, protesting that the EU does not murder people.
"I didn't say anybody should be murdered at sea," Griffin replied. "I say boats should be sunk. They can throw them a life raft, and they can go back to Libya. Europe has sooner or later to close its borders or it's going to be swamped by the Third World."