Genealogy of the British Far Right

[sptme]

Can anyone recommend links to good online resource for the history/genealogy of the far right / fascist groups in Britain. I'm looking for something that will show the connection from the NF of the 70s though the BNP and EDL upto the Tommy Robbinsons latest outfit. Anything on history of the dodgy people involved, violent crimes they committed etc. Also anything that gives clear definition of what fascism is from a left wing political perspective, why it's so dangerous and how it differs from other types of right-wing nationalism that isn't defined as fascist.
Or just tell me every thing you know below.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Martin Walker - The National Front WALKER( Martin) The National Front : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Quite good on the formation of the NF out of various far right groups.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

1979 was the highpoint for the NF.

They over-extended themselves at the elections and were defeated by the Tories, as well as spunking money. Alongside this they faced cultural and physical challenge from anti-fascists.

This led to a tonne of in-fighting, with a few splinter groups, expulsions etc.

 

[The39thStep]

There’s absolutely tons of stuff out on the internet on most of what you want aside from a historical and personnel aspect .

The more interesting point you raise ie
“Also anything that gives clear definition of what fascism is from a left wing political perspective, why it's so dangerous and how it differs from other types of right-wing nationalism that isn't defined as fascist.”

Is one that might be more useful for discussion on here.?

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Well there are a bunch of definitions floating around the internet too...

 

[Fozzie Bear]

The main difference and danger is the intensity of the violence, essentially.

 

[Idris2002]

There’s absolutely tons of stuff out on the internet on most of what you want aside from a historical and personnel aspect .

The more interesting point you raise ie
“Also anything that gives clear definition of what fascism is from a left wing political perspective, why it's so dangerous and how it differs from other types of right-wing nationalism that isn't defined as fascist.”

Is one that might be more useful for discussion on here.?

I'll start: Fascism is that political movement which seeks national salvation through violent exclusion of the anti-national, under the will of, and in submission to the will of, a charismatic leader. That factor -the Leader's will - is what means that fascism does not have, and cannot have, any specific economic programme.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Robert Paxton:

A form of political behavior marked by obsessive preoccupation with community decline, humiliation, or victimhood and by compensatory cults of unity, energy, and purity, in which a mass-based party of committed nationalist militants, working in uneasy but effective collaboration with traditional elites, abandons democratic liberties and pursues with redemptive violence and without ethical or legal restraints goals of internal cleansing and external expansion.

(Doesn't account for lone wolf types, but not bad)

Roger Griffin:

Revolutionary species of political modernism originating in the early twentieth century whose mission is to combat the allegedly degenerative forces of contemporary history (decadence) by bringing about an alternative modernity and temporality (a ‘new order’ and a ‘new era’) based on the rebirth, or palingenesis, of the nation.

 

[Pickman's model]

Can anyone recommend links to good online resource for the history/genealogy of the far right / fascist groups in Britain. I'm looking for something that will show the connection from the NF of the 70s though the BNP and EDL upto the Tommy Robbinsons latest outfit. Anything on history of the dodgy people involved, violent crimes they committed etc. Also anything that gives clear definition of what fascism is from a left wing political perspective, why it's so dangerous and how it differs from other types of right-wing nationalism that isn't defined as fascist.
Or just tell me every thing you know below.

Tbh you should imo start earlier, looking at Richard Griffiths fellow travellers of the right, then move forward to Thurlow's fascism in Britain and take in John bean's many shades of black and mcneile and Black's history of the league of empire loyalists. A.k. Chesterton a very interesting character and first leader of the nf, baker's ideology of obsession a biography of him. Then walker on the nf. John bean and mcneile and black were fascists but for me their books very useful. Macklin's failed fuhrer a useful book too.

So much comes back to the various currents that flowed into the nf - the league of empire loyalists, the original bnp, the racial purity lot. But its a much broader river as 'the bigger tory vote' makes clear. The Monday club too I think vitally important. And interestingly lord sudeley out of western goals and the Monday club died on 5 Sept, sure searchlight will publish an obit in their next issue

 

[Pickman's model]

Larry O'Hara

 

[Pickman's model]

There’s absolutely tons of stuff out on the internet on most of what you want aside from a historical and personnel aspect .

The more interesting point you raise ie
“Also anything that gives clear definition of what fascism is from a left wing political perspective, why it's so dangerous and how it differs from other types of right-wing nationalism that isn't defined as fascist.”

Is one that might be more useful for discussion on here.?

Yeh on this loads of stuff bit, there are tons of fascist periodicals on the Internet archive, loads of old nf stuff there. Also quite a few spearheads, tyndall's magazine. Not looked for gothic ripples there but very possibly that too.

 

[tim]

Martin Walker - The National Front WALKER( Martin) The National Front : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Quite good on the formation of the NF out of various far right groups.

I read that when I was at school and I'm 58 now. There must be something a little more up to date

 

[Pickman's model]

I read that when I was at school and I'm 58 now. There must be something a little more up to date

If you look at my post I mention several more recent books

 

[tim]

"Searchlight" is/was fairly comprehensive, but has a reputation for being quite dodgy in its own right.

 

[Pickman's model]

"Searchlight" is/was fairly comprehensive, but gas a reputation for being quite dodgy in its own right.

Oh yes. Without a doubt they're dodgy. But much of the news they carried very useful, it's a good source but definitely to be handled with care. Larry O'Hara's writings about them much recommended

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I read that when I was at school and I'm 58 now. There must be something a little more up to date

There are lots of books, certainly. That one is easily accessible online though, which is what the OP was after.

 

[Idris2002]

Robert Paxton:

A form of political behavior marked by obsessive preoccupation with community decline, humiliation, or victimhood and by compensatory cults of unity, energy, and purity, in which a mass-based party of committed nationalist militants, working in uneasy but effective collaboration with traditional elites, abandons democratic liberties and pursues with redemptive violence and without ethical or legal restraints goals of internal cleansing and external expansion.

(Doesn't account for lone wolf types, but not bad)

Roger Griffin:

Revolutionary species of political modernism originating in the early twentieth century whose mission is to combat the allegedly degenerative forces of contemporary history (decadence) by bringing about an alternative modernity and temporality (a ‘new order’ and a ‘new era’) based on the rebirth, or palingenesis, of the nation.

Good stuff here from Fozzo. One thing that we should throw into the mix is that "classical fascism" arose in Euro countries where the agrarian question was still a live issue - including in France. The two countries where fascism never really took off were probably UK and Ireland - in the former, the ag q had been settled in the previous centuries by the crushing of the English peasantry in the enclosures, and in the latter via the successful peasant movements for land reform of the late nineteenth century.

Retention of old relations of production in the countryside created severe political tensions, blocked modernisation of agricultural production, and could even threaten food security. This could all be dealt with via peasant-friendly land reform (as it was in Ireland) but that would involve changes to property relations that would be obnoxious to the petty bourgeoisie from whose ranks fascism sprang.

(NB when I say the hakenkreuz and fasces never took off in UK and Eire I don't mean that Mosley and O'Duffy were no threat, but simply that their movements failed, which they did).

 

[steeplejack]

Thurlow's book mention by PM is very good but (I guess) goes up to the late 80s...

 

[sptme]

Martin Walker - The National Front WALKER( Martin) The National Front : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Quite good on the formation of the NF out of various far right groups.

Thanks for that and the other replies. Books are not quite what I'm looking for though. To be a little bit more explicit in my aims: I have some acquaintances (I don't really want to call them friends) who are being pulled into the anti-muslin grooming gang rhetoric. They are not hardened racists (not yet anyway) but they are politically naive to the point of being politically illiterate. They think Tommy Robinson is an ok bloke who cares about the abused kids. My push back against them has been met with "but the left says everyone is far right these days". They accept that the NF was genuinely fascist and bad news but think Tommy's not the same. So I'm looking for something that shows he comes from the same lineage. Something well researched, accurate and factual that shows that he, the EDL and the BNP members have all been involved in and have convictions for political and racist violence. Something hard-hitting but a bit more easily digestible than a book. Factsheets, presentation documentaries etc. Thanks

 

[sptme]

"Searchlight" is/was fairly comprehensive, but has a reputation for being quite dodgy in its own right.

In was active in east London's anti-fascist anti-Nazi stuff in the early to mid-90s when the BNP were on the rise there. I used to rely on the searchlight and Newham Monitoring Projects work for my info on the far right. I'm woefully out of touch with it all now. I thought searchlight became Hope not Hate. Are they still going under the searchlight name? What do you think is dodgy about them?

 

[Pickman's model]

In was active in east London's anti-fascist anti-Nazi stuff in the early to mid-90s when the BNP were on the rise there. I used to rely on the searchlight and Newham Monitoring Projects work for my info on the far right. I'm woefully out of touch with it all now. I thought searchlight became Hope not Hate. Are they still going under the searchlight name? What do you think is dodgy about them?

Hope not hate split from searchlight

 

[sptme]

The main difference and danger is the intensity of the violence, essentially.

I think this is an important point.

 

[Pickman's model]

Thanks for that and the other replies. Books are not quite what I'm looking for though. To be a little bit more explicit in my aims: I have some acquaintances (I don't really want to call them friends) who are being pulled into the anti-muslin grooming gang rhetoric. They are not hardened racists (not yet anyway) but they are politically naive to the point of being politically illiterate. They think Tommy Robinson is an ok bloke who cares about the abused kids. My push back against them has been met with "but the left says everyone is far right these days". They accept that the NF was genuinely fascist and bad news but think Tommy's not the same. So I'm looking for something that shows he comes from the same lineage. Something well researched, accurate and factual that shows that he, the EDL and the BNP members have all been involved in and have convictions for political and racist violence. Something hard-hitting but a bit more easily digestible than a book. Factsheets, presentation documentaries etc. Thanks

The edl were effectively doing the same thing as the nf did in the 70s, provocative demonstrations to provoke violence so they could say 'I told you so'. All sorts attended the edl demos, including auld nf-ers, people out of blood and honour, bnp etc, google that sort of thing and you'll find lots of material.

 

[tim]

Are they still What do you think is dodgy about them?

I always found their stuff informative, but there always seemed to be people casting aspersions, not least on here.

 

[Pickman's model]

In was active in east London's anti-fascist anti-Nazi stuff in the early to mid-90s when the BNP were on the rise there. I used to rely on the searchlight and Newham Monitoring Projects work for my info on the far right. I'm woefully out of touch with it all now. I thought searchlight became Hope not Hate. Are they still going under the searchlight name? What do you think is dodgy about them?

Oh what's dodgy? The first editor died while on the phone to special branch, and gable continued in the same vein. Smearing anti-fascists as fascists when it suited them. Lying and distorting. Notes From The Borderland - Searchlight for Beginners

AFA and Searchlight

In an obviously controversial decision, the previous issue of Red Action carried an article by a leading BNP strategist. The article by Ton...

www.redactionarchive.org

 

[Griff]

Knew Ian Anderson (ex NF chairman) when we had a shop in Epping around 2005. Had no idea who he was, as he started busying himself with local politics and gaining support from local businesses.

Seemed an OK chap until somebody mentioned to me who he was and I started looking him up.

Mentioned him on here and somebody sent me stuff he was still doing from his printing company (far right newspapers etc).

Dead now.

 

[ddraig]

Thanks for that and the other replies. Books are not quite what I'm looking for though. To be a little bit more explicit in my aims: I have some acquaintances (I don't really want to call them friends) who are being pulled into the anti-muslin grooming gang rhetoric. They are not hardened racists (not yet anyway) but they are politically naive to the point of being politically illiterate. They think Tommy Robinson is an ok bloke who cares about the abused kids. My push back against them has been met with "but the left says everyone is far right these days". They accept that the NF was genuinely fascist and bad news but think Tommy's not the same. So I'm looking for something that shows he comes from the same lineage. Something well researched, accurate and factual that shows that he, the EDL and the BNP members have all been involved in and have convictions for political and racist violence. Something hard-hitting but a bit more easily digestible than a book. Factsheets, presentation documentaries etc. Thanks

Would this help a bit to show plenty of abusers and criminals on the right?

Far Right Sexual Offences

First of all before you go any further a lot of the content in this page is shocking and repulsive. There is everything from Child Sexual Exploitation, murder of a child with a sexual motive and ab…

far-rightcriminals.com

 

[sptme]

Oh what's dodgy? The first editor died while on the phone to special branch, and gable continued in the same vein. Smearing anti-fascists as fascists when it suited them. Lying and distorting. Notes From The Borderland - Searchlight for Beginners

AFA and Searchlight

In an obviously controversial decision, the previous issue of Red Action carried an article by a leading BNP strategist. The article by Ton...

www.redactionarchive.org

That's interesting. I didn't know any of that before.

 

[sptme]

Would this help a bit to show plenty of abusers and criminals on the right?

Far Right Sexual Offences

First of all before you go any further a lot of the content in this page is shocking and repulsive. There is everything from Child Sexual Exploitation, murder of a child with a sexual motive and ab…

far-rightcriminals.com

Yes, definitely. Thanks

 

[Dystopiary]

Definitely point out to them that the lovely Tommy cared so much about the victims of grooming gangs that he tried to disrupt the case and deny them justice for a bit of publicity for himself. I don't this can be understated tbh.

And he's not for free speech when it suits him: less than a year ago he was given a five-year stalking ban for harassing a journalist late at night after she requested a comment, through his solicitors, on a story alleging that he misused money donated by his supporters.

The magistrate said “Ms Dearden has said she felt extremely shaken, distressed and unsafe and afraid to go outside. The defendant clearly poses and continues to pose a risk to the complainant’s physical and psychological wellbeing.”

He also accused her partner - loudly - of being a paedophile, with no justification.