Many warned me against writing this post. I was told I would be giving her the attention she craves. I was told this woman should be ignored in the hope she may one day disappear. The chances are you have probably at one time or another come across this lady if you are a regular follower of certain forums, blogs or political facebook pages. The chances are you brushed her off as a political disaster after reading any one or more of her "radical opinions".
Even after all this online notoriety I have yet to see any proper, thought out dialogue between her and a writer, an interview of sorts. The only third party articles and posts about her are either damning one way slagging matches or brown nosing agreement and justification of her actions and opinions. This is why I decided to actually sit down and spend some time, virtually, with the Khawanator.
I wanted to see why Khaw held some of the more extreme views that she holds. I wanted to ckarify some of the things it has been reported she has said in the past. I wanted to see what it is that makes Khaw tick.
What I found out from our short and civil exchange is that Claire Khaw accepted her BNP membership because "she thought it would be rude to refuse", she believes there is nothing wrong with holding a referendum on the reintroduction of slavery and public executions, she really does insist that she is a Libertarian and she is in fact, despite the many rumours, a real life person and not an elaborate internet hoax.
INTERVIEW 28 December 2010:
ELLIS-ROSWELL: What is your background and what brought you to the UK?
KHAW: I am from Malaysia and I came to the UK to go to boarding school.
E-R: And you were a member of the BNP? Is that not contradicting to your non-anglo background?
K: I was invited to join and I received my membership card in March 2010.
E-R: You have nothing else to say in regards to your BNP membership being hypocritical in the opinion of some people?
K: How is being a member of the BNP being hypocritical? They invited me to join and I thought it would be rude to refuse. Also, it now gives me the superb opportunity of being associated with them and standing up for free speech and freedom of association, ie. defending their right to exclude me from their party if that is what they wish.
E-R: Some may say it is hypocritical to belong to an organisation which would, if given the chance, forcibly remove you from your home.
K: The BNP only propose voluntary repatriation, ie. bribing non-whites to go "home". I don't find this proposal at all threatening. Indeed, if things got so bad that the BNP came into power, I would be quite happy to take the proposed sum of £50,000 to go.
E-R: How would you sum up your political beliefs?
K: My political beliefs are libertarian: fewer laws, lower taxes but with a minimum of morality. The Koran is a good source of moral guidance, in my opinion. The New Testament is too vague and The Old Testament is too harsh.
E-R: You have applied for to The Libertarian Party I believe? What has been the problem with that?
K: I have declared an interest in joining The Libertarian Party but am aware that the current rules would not permit me to join as I am a member of the BNP. It seems counter productive for a fledgling party to insist on absolute loyalty when it has so little to offer. I would join if allowed to do so by the rules, however.
E-R: Would you not considor resigning your BNP membership in order to become a member of The Libertarian Party? What is holding you back from defecting? Were you also aware that anyone, of any political colours, can become a party supporter? If you did become a Libertarian Party member and were elected leader, as I believe you planned on trying, what would be your first three acts as party leader?
K: I will considor resigning my BNP membership when I am leader of The Libertarian Party. The BNP gives me a certain notoriety, while The Libertarian Party would consign me to political oblivion. If I became leader I would:
1- Propose that all policies of The Libertarian Party become promises to hold referenda if elected.
2- Propose changes in the constitution recommending that all Libertarian Party members join other parties to spread the libertarian message.
3- Promise that all promises in The Libertarian Party manifesto involve repealing an Act of Parliament.
E-R: You are also the founder of "One Party For All" which believes in a one party state. Ben Woodhams claims that among other policies you would: "reintroduce slavery, make bastardy a disgrace, reintroduce public executions and reintroduce public floggings". Are these claims correct?
K: I see no harm in promising to hold referenda on those subjects and also promising to abide by the decision of the majority, whatever it is.
E-R: I struggle to see how a libertarian could ever stand by and allow enslavements, execusions and floggings. However, we shall move on. You have found notoriety online through being banned on Mumsnet and more recently the Facebook page of the BBC Today programme. Do you enjoy your notoriety? There have been accusations that in fact you are a very elaborate and clever online hoax. This leaves me to ask quite simply- Claire, are you a real person?
K: Many people have had the pleasure of meeting me. Notoriety is necessary to becoming the celebrity I hope to be, as soon as possible. Time is short and the situation may already be irretrievable.
E-R: In what way would you like to be a celebrity? Do you imagine yourself on the big screen in Hollywood one day?
K: As a philosopher, polemicist, writer and someone who knows all the answers. One of my more ambitious projects is creating a new state religion to replace the Anglican Church. I am really not interested in Hollywood at all.
E-R: Thank you so much for taking the time out of your Bank Holiday to answer a few of my questions. Are there any last words of wisdom you would like to share?
K: Just this: The free speech of the people whose views you dislike is your free speech too! People seem to have forgotten Voltaire's words: "I disagree with what you say but would defend to the death your right to say it." The way things are this would appear to need more than a few gentle reminders. That is why I have taken the extreme step of joining the BNP to make this point.
Some of her views may be mad, bad and vile but Claire Khaw is not a serious threat in British politics. In my opinion she is a nice enough person, who unfortunately is a bit too in love with the spot light. I personally feel that she adds a different shade to many online debates on free speech and liberty. But that is all she will ever be. One small shade to an online debate. I just hope the Libertarian Party holds onto it's rules on membership, the BNP can keep her.
