This summer I was lucky enough to visit two very different countries. The only immediate similarity I can think of is that they were both in their own way superlative: India, the world’s largest democracy; and Belarus, ‘Europe’s last dictatorship’ (according to Condoleezza Rice). However, symptomatic of my cultural nosiness, as I travelled through these countries I made a point of speaking with as many of their students as I could. It was from these conversations that another similarity arose – that despite my admiration of many aspects of these foreign cultures they each inspired in me a great pride in Britain. My pride was thankfully not too predictable. I wasn’t having thrills about our civilised tea parties or tripping on a patronising diagnosis of their political systems. I was proud of British universities. "In Britain, I declared, anyone can afford to go to university" I know it sounds obvious, but sometimes you need a harsh juxtaposition to prove what yo ...

As Nick Griffin stepped up to the podium of Manchester Town Hall to thank those who picked him as their MEP, the other victors turned around and walked off the stage in protest. In their speeches they condemned him as an aberration, and argued that it was a sad day for British politics. Our mainstream politicians, struck with shock and uncertainty over how to react to the BNP’s victory in two regions, have decided to respond by trivialising the BNP. They tell us that there is no place for them, that politics is not their domain and act as though this result were an inexplicable anomaly. However these elections were far from anomalous, and the explanation for them is now staring our politics in the face. This is no time for superiority. For the BNP, this was the equivalent of a landslide victory. Where Andrew Brons won his seat in Yorkshire the party polled 9.8%, its highest in these elections. The North West region, which elected Mr Griffin, gave the BNP only its fourth highest resul ...