Introduction Britain is experiencing dramatic social changes, accelerated by the decision to leave the European Union (Brexit) following a referendum in 2016 and the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic. These changes are taking place at a time when Britain has experienced over a decade of declining living standards following the 2008 financial crisis, partly as a …
Migrant hotel protests continue. Former footballer turned TV presenter Gary Lineker sparked controversy after comparing government policy towards refugees to Nazi Germany. This led to Lineker being taken off a flagship football show which prompted a walkout by fellow presenters. Protests against hotels being used to house refugees continued in March, although smaller than in February, …
Anti-migrant hatred goes mainstream Refugees in Britain are living in fear after a spate of protests outside hotels the government is forcing asylum seekers to live in while their claims for asylum are processed by a racist Home Office. In Knowsley, Liverpool, one of these protests turned into a riot in which a police van was …
Targeting of ‘migrant hotels’ continues. More people were referred to the British government’s counter-terror programs for far-right extremism than Islamist extremism for the second year running. The figures also revealed there had been a large rise in the number of men referred to such programs over the ‘women-hating incel ideology.’ Police now consider incels to …
Far-right threat on the rise In December, British MPs warned that the country’s armed forces and police are at risk of infiltration by far-right activists trying to acquire weapons. This comes as the number of self-initiated right-wing extremists in the UK who are being radicalized online is on the rise. The UK’s security services are also conducting a …
Further far-right terror attacks expected In the wake of last month’s racist firebombing in Dover, the UK expects future terror attacks from far-right extremists. The head of MI5 warned that far-right extremists are radicalizing themselves online “from the comfort of their bedrooms” and acquiring weapons. The spy chief also said they had seen an increase in …
Migrant crisis intensifies, stoked by government rhetoric Britain had two Prime Minister’s in October as the ruling Conservative Party (Tories) replaced Liz Truss with Rishi Sunak. Both Truss and Sunak appointed the hard right Suella Braverman as Home Secretary and the Tories appear to see cracking down on immigration as an issue they can campaign …
Fascists are back on the streets Over summer British far-right street activity has significantly increased, with fascist group Patriotic Alternative (PA) joining protests against Drag Queen Story Hour by transphobes and other reactionary conspiracy theorists. These protests took place across the country, harassing a tour by a drag queen who was reading a book to children …
Deportation flights fail to take off The first flight deporting illegal migrants to Rwanda was cancelled minutes before take-off after last-ditch legal rulings. The government is challenging a decision by the European Court of Human Rights which blocked the flight and is threatening to withdraw from the European legal framework. The government is also planning to scrap …
Sleepwalking to fascism? The British government is “sleepwalking to fascism” according to a speech Scottish MP Mhairi Black gave in the House of Commons. Black cited the prioritisation of “a manufactured culture war”, the “terrifying” scrapping of the Human Rights Act and the government’s plan to send migrants to Rwanda as examples of the shift. At …
‘Rainy Fascism Island’ In the middle of April, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced plans to send tens of thousands of asylum seekers to Rwanda, over 4,000 miles away. The issue of migration continues to dominate British far-right activity, but the government’s racist policies severely limit the appeal of far-right parties to the electorate. Fascist party Patriotic …
Former English Defence League (EDL) leader Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, has joined far-right party For Britain (FB). FB is led by Yaxley-Lennon’s close associate Anne Marie Waters and is best known for being supported by former Smiths frontman Morrissey. FB has attracted support from some former British National Party (BNP) activists. The party holds …
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has divided the British far-right, with the faultlines mirroring those of the split between civic nationalists and ethno-nationalists. Much of the civic nationalist side of the British far-right, even those who have travelled to Moscow in recent years, have turned against Russia and thrown support behind Ukraine. The ethno-nationalist tendency has …
English Defence League (EDL) founder Stephen Yaxley-Lennon is being pursued by creditors for an estimated £2 million (€2.4m), having declared himself bankrupt during a High Court trial last year. A month later, Yaxley-Lennon divorced his wife, Jenna Vowles, who was the registered owner of their family home. Despite the bankruptcy and divorce, Yaxley-Lennon appears to still be living at the property, according to anti-racist charity Hope Not Hate (HNH) who claim to have observed him spending time there.
Key Developments Former English Defence League leader (EDL) turned far-right YouTuber, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as ‘Tommy Robinson’ announced he would be releasing a documentary called ‘The Rape of Britain’ about child sexual abuse perpetrated by men from Muslim backgrounds in Telford. On Christmas Day Yaxley-Lennon confronted a law firm worker and accused them of …
Key Developments One of the topics to dominate public discourse and attract a noteworthy amount of far-right activity in November has been migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats. This has led to far-right group Britain First launching a harassment campaign against the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the volunteers who go out …
Key Developments The Traditional Britain Group (TBG), which brings together a broad audience of far-right figures, held their annual conference in central London on 23 October. Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg once attended one of their dinners, a previous conference has been addressed by anti-Islamist Anne-Marie Waters and neo-Nazis like Mark Collett and other leading …
