Four days after Enoch Powell gave his infamous ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech, The Timesquoted A.K. Chesterton, chairman of the National Front (NF): ‘What Mr. Powell has said does not vary at all from our views’.[1] In his speech Powell railed against Commonwealth immigration and indicted those who he believed responsible for the situation. While the… Continue reading “From Imperialism to Transnational White Nativism: The context of the Radical Right reaction to the “Rivers of Blood”
Britain’s anti-fascist movement has a complex and fascinating history. Yet aside from a few scholars, such as Nigel Copsey and David Renton, there has been little exploration of the movement by historians. However, appraising the history of anti-fascism helps contextualise not only the nature of the extreme right; but importantly, civil society cultures that oppose it.… Continue reading “Searchlight on Bulldog: A Historical Case Study in UK Anti-Fascist Practice”
It is hard to deny Brexit’s important place within recent radical right discourse and activity. Recently, Paul Stocker’s excellent book English Uprising has captured this part of that debate. The radical right had a significant impact in dictating the tone and trajectory of the Leave campaign, especially away from the official Vote Leave platform. Equally,… Continue reading “Back to the Future? Comparing Radical Right Referendum Results, 1975 and 2016”