British Movement

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The British Movement ( BM ), later the British National Socialist Movement ( BNSM ), was a British neo-Nazi party founded by Colin Jordan in 1968 . It emerged from the National Socialist Movement of 1962.

history

The British Movement openly appeared as a neo-Nazi party. Some of the members wore Nazi symbols, party books and advertising slips were adorned with pictures of Adolf Hitler . The party issued brochures such as British Patriot and British Tidings . One of the leaders in the early years was Robert Relf , who in 1976 advertised his home as “For Sale - to an English family only”. The party included some violent leaders who were encouraged to join military associations such as the British Army . In addition, the party had a women's and a youth organization.

The British Movement took part in the United Kingdom elections in 1970 and 1974, but had little success due to its significant neo-Nazi stake. In addition, the majority of right-wing voters voted for the National Front (NF). The highest result was 2.5%, which the party achieved in Aston (Birmingham) in 1970 .

After Jordan left the party in 1975, Michael McLaughlin , a former milkman from Liverpool , became chairman of the party. As the National Front disintegrated, the party grew to 4,000 members and 25 local chapters in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The BM was particularly popular among violent youth and right-wing skinheads who had previously supported the National Front. Young people were recruited, especially from violent football fans and at concerts, and incited to violent behavior. Nicky Crane , one of the most famous right-wing skinheads, became a member of the BM and administered the Kent branch . With its new members, the British Movement was less oriented towards the political realities and more focused on holding protest marches and violent actions.

resolution

In 1980 Ray Hill , who had previously belonged to the party before emigrating to South Africa for a few years, rejoined the British Movement. Hill was later exposed as a mole by anti-fascist Searchlight Magazine . Shortly after rejoining the party, he criticized McLaughlin's dictatorial leadership style, accusing him of embezzling funds. Hill, who was very popular among British Nazi skinheads for participating in some violent acts, was expelled from the party in 1982 and sued McLaughlin. He was supported by Anthony Reed Herbert . McLaughlin had to use party funds to fund the process and maneuvered the British Movement into a difficult financial position.

About half of the members dropped out in the following period and joined the newly founded British National Party in 1982 . The BM could not take part in the 1983 election, but a single candidate remained in Peterborough as he was allowed to run as a candidate for the Labor Party . However, he was later excluded because various forged signatures were discovered on his nomination papers. The party could no longer get out of its financial difficulties and was dissolved by McLaughlin in September 1983.

Start-up

Shortly thereafter, a new organization began to form, also called the British Movement. In 1985 it renamed itself the British National Socialist Movement. This new group is to be led by former long-time members Steve Frost, Danny Tolan, Micky Lane and Benny Bullman. She tried mainly to recruit right-wing skinheads, but later on, especially Blood and Honor . In 1990 the group gained influence in the British right-wing rock scene through No Remorse singer Paul Burnley , until this role was filled by Combat 18 in the mid-1990s . Although the British Movement still exists, it is now a small faction with no major active following.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b R. Hill & A. Bell: The Other Face of Terror - Inside Europe's Neo-Nazi Network . Collins, London 1988, pp. 124 .
  2. ↑ a b c Peter Barberis, John McHugh, Mike Tyldesley (Eds.): Encyclopedia of British and Irish Political Organizations: Parties, Groups and Movements of the 20th Century . Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005, p. 195 .
  3. ^ S. Taylor: The National Front in English Politics . Macmillan, London 1982, pp. 22 .
  4. ↑ a b Nick Lowles & Steve Silver: White Noise . Searchlight, London 1998.
  5. ^ Hill & Bell, pp. 137-141
  6. ^ Hill & Bell, 146
  7. ↑ German election results. Retrieved July 2, 2010 .
  8. ^ Hill & Bell, pp
  9. ^ Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke : Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism, and the Politics of Identity . NYU Press, 2003, pp. 40-41 .
  10. ↑ Nick Lowles: 1990-1999: Ballot box to bomb - Fighting on all fronts. (No longer available online.) Searchlight, archived from the original on December 29, 2006 ; Retrieved July 2, 2010 .
  11. ^ Searchlight Magazine, January 2006