Mary Warnock
Shame is a unique emotion; when you feel it, you instantly recognise it and feeling it lies at the heart of morality. I felt corporate shame at the return of Nick Griffin to represent this country in the European Parliament, comparable to the first such shame I ever felt at the time of Suez and again when we entered Iraq. Griffin is a disgrace. But if MEPs need police protection (which I doubt), then he as a member must have it as of right; indeed, he probably needs it more than most. Whatever our moral convictions, we cannot condone his murder.
Mary Warnock is a philosopher and crossbench peer
Barbara Gunnell
I wouldn't waste an egg on Nick Griffin, but if he were at risk of injury or death he would be as deserving as any of us of police protection. Even so, an egg on the jacket is small retribution for preaching the kind of nationalist nonsense that could generate far greater violence. I have heard no evidence that his unpleasant views put him at risk and his call for protection seems, therefore, self-aggrandising. If I were a police chief, I would ignore it and divert scarce resources into the dead-cert victims of racial violence in Britain's inner cities.
Barbara Gunnell is a writer and editor
Karol Sikora
In a democracy, all views should be heard. Whether we like Mr Griffin's policies or not, he is, after all, an elected politician. The need for police protection is a risk assessment that can only be based on information that we simply don't have. The British police usually have sound judgment and I believe they can be trusted to keep him safe. He probably doesn't need the sort of expensive and highly visible protection afforded to Tony Blair in his London house, but that is for the police and not us or Mr Griffin to assess.
Karol Sikora is a cancer specialist
Diane Abbott
Nick Griffin is entitled to protection from acts of criminality. Furthermore, he is entitled to express his views. But throwing eggs at politicians is not a crime - it is a grand British tradition. I am surprised that a party that claims to be British nationalists is not more appreciative of it. And, if the sight of the BNP on the streets incites citizens to throw eggs, maybe the BNP needs to accept that this is what comes with being a fascist party. I do not want taxpayers' money wasted on elevating Nick Griffin's status and protecting him from mere egg-throwers.