ULSTEW SAYS Birmingham fascists cash in on anti-Republican backlash desperatesections of society see any future in Kinnockism or THE SCENE on Britain's far right is beginning to change, with the National Front in rapid decline and the British National Party upping its profile.
The NF, the best known of Britain's fascist organisations, still outnumbers the rest. But despite its 4,000 paper members at the beginning of the year, the Front is in decine. Its real membership is probably nearer half the paper figure. Under the leadership of lan Anderson, the organisation has decided to tum to electoral poltics in a big way.
The original decision to stand in more than 60 seats in the coming elections appears to be a product of the far right's success on the continent.
But in realty, they are more likely to stand more like a dozen candidates. They did have £100,000 in their election kitty - but the ownership of this is contested, and other party funds have been frittered away.
They may have some cash in their coffers, but the NF have considerable problems. Not only have three of their executive recently been arrested, but also recent NF events have badly flopped.
Less than 100 turned up to their St.George's Day rally, despite it being held in their strongest area, and one than 210 tumed out on Remembrance Sunday. Ihe latter used to attract thousands in the 1970s. publications - The Flag, Vanguard and Lionheart -appear only sporadically.
But the BP, led by John Tyndall, has been attracting increasing numbers with is hard ine and high public profile. Though smaller than the NF at 1,500 or so, the BP has been using its international inks to stage some of the largest fascist rallies in recent times.
It has been recruiting from the NF. It will probably ligures. east and south east London. appears in the area. to menoon wmeo foodely. Their Street, London W1M8JR stand in around ten seats in the coming elections - and could win support in London, judging by some past The "British Nationalists' are linked into the far right abroad through a Belgium-based network called the Odal ring. Top German and US nazis spoke at BNP rallies last year, attended by up to 600 people. But more recently, the party has been concentrating on activity in But the party is now facing some dificulties in Bexley. where & has its headquarters. Alter pressure from antifascists, local councilors have threatened to take action to have them removed if any more BNP propaganda Blood and Honour, with around 1600 skinhead supporters, are based around the band The Klansmen (previously Skrewdriver), and have commercial opera The British Movement, a secretive operation run on hundred. The undercover nature of the operation is perhaps explained by their members' lking for guns, not Other British fascist groups include the KKK, numbering around 400; two groups called The Third Way. each with 50-odd members (one of whom is Patrick Harrington); the League of St George, led by Keith Thompson, which has apparently gone rather downhill from is original millonaire membership; and a couple of hundred Friends of Mosley, largely ageing blackshirts led by John Warburton from Hackney.
• Much of this information is from Searchlight magazine, £12 a year from 37b New Cavendish No. 12 Nov. 23, 1991
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