Before the publication of his new edited book on extremism in modern Britain, Dr Matthew Goodwin from the University of Manchester offers some reflections on the contemporary far right for NothingBritish (The New Extremism in 21st Century Britain is published by Routledge on February 11th, 2010. )
The BNP has been rising for ten years, yet we still know little about its voters and electoral base of support. Our new book brings together leading experts to discuss the challenge posed from organized extremism in modern Britain, including the BNP. This challenge is increasingly complex, and any response strategies will need to consider the following:-
- The far right will not be a flash-in-the-pan. Research by Robert Ford in our book suggests that a battery of policies and positions associated with the far right enjoy support from large majorities of the public, and that the far right could potentially appeal to 15-20 per cent of the British electorate. The trends underpinning the rise of the BNP – public concern over immigration, weakening attachments to mainstream parties and identity concerns – are set to continue. Whether expressed in the BNP, the English Defence League (EDL) or the UK Independence Party (which under a new leadership is placing greater emphasis on Islam), the far right challenge will remain.
- The far right is no longer just the BNP. For the first time in British history mainstream politicians and others are facing a strong far right political party (the BNP) and a growing extra-parliamentary far right grassroots social movement (English Defence League). There are important differences between the two: the BNP opposes non-white members, the EDL officially welcomes them; the BNP has a broad ideological programme, the EDL focuses on the single-issue of Islam; the BNP contests elections, the EDL does not (yet); the BNP distances itself from extremist groups, the EDL grew out of the hooligan movement. In addition, we are also seeing signs of increasing activity among ‘lone wolves’, individuals who may have links to groups but who pursue terrorist activities in isolation (the Timothy McVeigh types).
- The BNP is not simply the National Front reincarnate. The popular claim that the BNP is just the ‘same old NF’ is mistaken. In our book we show how BNP voters are older, less skilled and more Northern than their NF forbearers. Meanwhile, the organization and strategy of the BNP is years ahead of the political ineptitude of the old Front.
- The far right is not just about immigration. Another popular claim it that the far right is fuelled by a single-issue, immigration. In fact, the far right today is tapping into much broader concerns over social and cultural identities, and is in particular becoming a vehicle of Islamophobia. Unlike anti-Semitism in the 1970s, Islamophobia today enjoys pockets of sympathy among sections of British media and political elites (e.g. the invitiation to Geert Wilders to show his Fitna video in the House of Lords/the columns of Melanie Phillips, etc). It also appears widespread, as in the YouGov survey last year which suggested that 44% of all respondents (not just BNP) agreed that even in its mildest forms Islam poses a danger to Western civilization. Put in other words, focusing only on immigration will not satisfy the concerns of the modern far right voter.
The book considers response strategies to the far right (and other forms of extremism). Any such response from a future Conservative Government will need to take heed of these observations about the changing nature of the far right challenge in modern Britain.
Dr Matthew Goodwin.
It’s good that the phenomena of the BNP/EDL etc are being analysed, but I believe that the epithet “far right” is a mosnomer. The BNP, for example, wnat to nationalise everything in sight and micromanage the lives of British citizens – not the mark of any point of the spectrum of the right. Look at Hitler, Mussolini, Lenin Stalin: all fascists, none of them right-wing.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Wrong FD, the BNP only seek to nationalize vital key assets such as energy, public transport, utilities etc. It encourages private enterprise free from foreign manipulation and influence…
Lets be honest Thatcherite policies have hardly done us any favours has it? They don’t call it rip-off Britain for nothing you know!
Left-wing or right-wing doesn’t apply any more, it’s pointless to try to pidgeon-hole parties in this fashion nowadays it’s too simplistic and misleading.
As for your assertion of the BNP wanting to “micromange” our lives… Do you actually live in new labour 21st century Britain?
We are more “micromanaged” now than ever!
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DEMOCRACY – letting the people decide!
The British people invented modern Parliamentary democracy. Yet in recent years the British people have been denied their democratic rights. On issue after issue, the views of the majority of British people have been ignored and overridden by a Politically Correct ‘elite’ which thinks it knows best. On immigration, on Capital Punishment, on the surrender of British sovereignty to the EU and in numerous other areas, democracy has been absent as Labour, Tories and Lib-Dems conspire in election after election to offer the British people no real choice on such vital issues. The BNP exists to give the British people, that choice, and thus to restore and defend the basic democratic rights we have all been denied. We favour more democracy, not less, not just at national but at regional and local level.
Power should be devolved to the lowest level possible so that local communities can make decisions which affect them. We will remove legal curbs on freedom of speech imposed by successive Governments over the last 40 years. We will implement a Bill of Rights guaranteeing fundamental freedoms to the British people. We will ensure that ordinary British people have real democratic power over their own lives and that Government, local and national, is truly accountable to the people who elect it.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Blimey I think I broadly agree with the Dr’s diagnosis but remember it was mainstream politics that caused it, in various ways both the Labour & Conservative parties have vacated an area in politics & the BNP & others will now occupy that space.
I explained before it would very simple for the Conservatives to see off the BNP but they won’t as they have decided that the trappings of power are enough for them & therefore can’t do what the voters want of them.
So the voters go elsewhere.
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Greetings to all in the Caliphate of Britain.
Opponents of multiculturalism and unfettered immigration are easily tagged with the epithet of “extremist”. When NB and the Torys describe concerned citizens as extremist or neo-nazi etc… you can bet your bottom dollar that they will do bugger all to address these problems hen they are elected into government.
Another reason to vote BNP and make a stand for the “old dart”
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Always amusing to see James and his Bullingdon Club cronies trying to fathom out why 1 million Britons vote BNP!
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“Opponents of multiculturalism and unfettered immigration are easily tagged with the epithet of “extremist”. When NB and the Torys describe concerned citizens as extremist or neo-nazi etc… you can bet your bottom dollar that they will do bugger all to address these problems hen they are elected into government” [AussieAl]
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Sorry, I was interrupted and pressed the wrong button.
Those who do not want to address issues put those who do into little boxes such as. “extremist”, “nazi”, “fascist”, “anti-Semite” (one of the silliest), “Holocaust denier”, racist et al.
The terms “right” and “left-wing” mean less than ever now as politics is more like a corkscrew in Britain now. Screwing us all into the ground.
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If you are going to press the wrong button, we best not give you the nuclear trigger to look after!
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The truth of the matter is this country is heading for civil war, a civil war that should have been avoided. It happened in Ulster and it’ll happen here as well!
Thats what happens when you FORCE religions to live side by side, anyone remember Yugoslavia…
It can’t happen here surely, this is Britain and we Brits don’t do things like that… do we?!
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Multiculturalism forces different, incompatible people to live side by side; however, it is always european cultures that are forced to accomodate the many and varied foreigners.
Cannot understand why this is so and why the dickheads on the left of politics continue to espouse this madness. I dont believe that most Torys support these policies, but i know they no longer have the guts to do anything about it!
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I don’t see the likeliehood of civil war in Britain. The population has been tamed into compliance and besides, even air-rifles are treated by the powers-that-be as if they are assault rifles. An unarmed propaganda-drugged populace sleep walking into oblivion, led by self-serving politicians.
Nuclear trigger! I find my computer mouse intimidating!
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I agree with your point about air rifles but whether the population is “An unarmed propaganda-drugged populace sleep walking into oblivion”, I hope not.
I think a lot of people know something is wrong & they’re not happy about it but how will that manifest itself?
I remember a woman going into a rant about police state Britain in a shop some time ago & I said that I agreed with it.
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