UKIP is not a far right party, but that doesn't mean its voters don't hold far right sympathies.
UKIP is not a far right party, but that doesn’t mean its voters don’t hold far right sympathies
Anti-racism charity Hope Not Hate published a report yesterday stating that ‘The British far right ends 2014 in its worst state for almost 20 years’.
They base this conclusion on the fact that the two main far right groups, the BNP and the EDL, have suffered embarrassing leadership crises over the past few years that have caused them to splinter.
They point out that rallies and marches organised by the remnants of these groups and others like them in response to ISIS atrocities and the Rotherham sex abuse scandal were poorly attended, and indicate a lack of support for Islamophobic rhetoric.
But this isn’t a simple happy ending. The rise of UKIP, and the emergence of tiny but growing extreme right groups such as National Action,shows that the sentiment that saw Nick Griffin elected to the European parliament in 2009 has not gone away.
It is simply finding new outlets to express itself – whether in the less controversial form of UKIP, or in more militant groups that promise tougher changes than the collapsed BNP and EDL can currently offer.
UKIP is not a far right party, but that doesn’t mean its voters don’t hold far right sympathies. With the choice of a failing BNP and a strong UKIP, it is not surprising that people with strong anti-immigration views are willing to compromise with a party that has more power if less vehemence.
Ukip is part of the group Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD), which includes representatives from the Danish People’s Party, the True Finns Party, the Dutch SGP and the infamous Italian Lega Nord.
These groups all describe themselves as ‘Eurosceptic’, but are best known for views which have little to do with Europe and more to do with Muslims and Africans.
YouGov found that almost two-thirds of UKIP voters don’t mention Europe when they are asked what they feel are the most important issues facing Britain. UKIP’s founding objective has been eclipsed by its stance on immigration by its own supporters.
Most people do not like to think of themselves as racists. They usually have a list of legitimate grievances that have led them to hold prejudiced views, rather than simply a rabid hatred of people who are different.
Nevertheless, the end result is the same, and UKIP offers a voting option with less stigma attached to it than groups like the EDL which have become synonymous with violence. Furthermore, UKIP is a party with a chance.
Hope Not Hate’s report describes the conditions for racism this year in the UK as ‘favourable’ – a child sex abuse scandal in a town that was formerly a BNP stronghold, with mainly Pakistani Muslim perpetrators – but says that the far right has failed to capitalise on this.
But the Paris massacres have shown that current events are still being used to recruit people to the anti immigration cause; Nigel Farage spoke on LBC last week saying:
“We in Britain – and I’ve seen some evidence in other European countries of it too – have pursued a really rather gross policy of multiculturalism and by that, what I mean, is that we’ve encouraged people who have come from different cultures to remain within those cultures and not to integrate fully within our communities.”
The choice of language is watered down, but the tactic is the same: incite fear, unite people against minorities.
We cannot afford to be complacent about extremist views, whichever form they take. Changes in mood can be sudden and unpredictable; according to a poll by YouGov UKIP supporters in Feb 2014 comprised just over half a million former Lib Dems and 400,000 who voted for Labour last time.
Research by the Guardian found that BNP and UKIP supporters tended to come from a similar demographic; older, white working class voters who have few or no educational qualifications, and share the sense that ordinary people are being betrayed by politicians.
The report also highlights the rise of antisemitism, a problem which has received little coverage over the past few years, and shows how clandestinely hate movements can grow.
Hope Not Hate also admits that the size of a far right following does not necessarily decrease the risk they pose, pointing out the recent trend for uncoordinated ‘lone wolf’ attacks’.
In Germany this week, tens of thousands of people joined an ‘anti-Islamisation’ rally with the far right group PEGIDA. In the wake of the Paris murders, with fear and suspicion rife, we need to be more vigilant than ever about the recruitment tactics of the far right.
Ruby Stockham is a staff writer at Left Foot Forward. Follow her on Twitter
34 Responses to “We cannot afford to be complacent about the far-right”
swat
The Far Right has very strong links with Football hooliganis Many of the facists have found a natural home in UKIP.
damon
Being opposed to ongoing mass immigration isn’t ”far right”.
But it’s probably the feeling of at least a simple majority of the country.
In that other thread on ethnic minority people in political parties, it was said that the demographic make up of Edmonton in London was 73% ethnic minority. Where did all the white people go?
A few years ago, Dagenham was said to be a last stronghold of the BNP in London as there was resentment at the area becoming like nearby Newham. But I don’t think that will have stopped the demographic change happening, as it was one of the cheaper areas left in London. So before long Dagenham will probably have an ethnic profile more like Newham or Edmonton.
The thing is, you can’t make everyone like that or welcome it. They might get used to it over time if they stay there, but many will move further out into Essex if things are squeezed there.
All this talk of ”the far right” and fascists is a bit OTT in my opinion.
It sounds like what’s most important is to derail any organised voice the ”lumpen prolateriat” might come up with.
Gary Scott
There’s no place for complacency. UKIP presents itself as the acceptable face of the far right. Despite an ever-smiling Farage being ultra reasonable and distancing himself from the racist, Islamaphobic, Anti-Semitic, homophobic, misogynistic, xenophobes who populate the party and their elected ranks – those ARE the people who vote for the party and who represent the party. The party IS one of racism. Britain First, a dangerous group trying to promote themselves as acceptable are close to UKIP and have, as we know, recommended voters to side with UKIP to get their agenda across. The times when the National Front or BNP had high support were not the most dangerous. NOW is the time to be afraid, when UKIP is represented by former BNP officials and members, members and voters are racist and disaffected Tories along with disaffected voters swell their ranks, this is when they have a real chance at power. Imagine a Conservative and UKIP coalition at the next parliament! Many Tories are UKIP Sympathisers and would happily join forces and allow their true feelings to surface. Such a scenario is entirely feasible and one which should fill any right thinking voter with dread. I am not exaggerating when I say it makes me fear that Britain could be a fascist country within a few short years.
Northeus
I think HnH’s analysis is outdated. Might have been accurate a year ago but the tweets I’m seeing from Ukipists are dripping with hate this week in the wake of the Paris attack. The whole lexicon has shifted among Ukipists and the mantras all sound very familiar indeed. BNP circa 2008. Now that it has absorbed the BNP, it is essentially a rebranded version of it. There is a soft-antisemitism about it, a loathing of Muslims and has a propensity to stoke up new fears without outright lies and misinformation.
Farage was always bad but the demagoguery has reached epic proportions and now he doesn’t even try to hide his ignorance because his followers will believe anything he says. It’s a personality cult and it’s becoming more fascist by the day.
That said, it’s not working out for them because a split is developing and there’s no way a post-Farage Ukip can hold together. It will have a bloody civil war and whichever faction wins will be left with an unelectable shell of a party. It’s already tanking in the polls and more and more people are waking up to what a disgusting little tribe it is, mostly as a result of their unhinged and deeply disturbed activists.
The hyperventilation over Ukip is a bit unnecessary though. It’s going nowhere and will never break through the glass ceiling. If there was any danger of it becoming a serious party I would be very worried indeed, but that would require them to be more talented and organised than they could ever hope to be. It is a party of pathological losers.
sarntcrip
ACCORDING TO WHO IS UKIP NOT A FAR RIGHT PARTY,ASK A DISABLED PERSON THEY’LL TELL YOU OUR CURRENT GOVERNMENT IS FAR RIGHT GIVEN THEIR HECTORING, BADGERING & BULLING OF DISABLED PEOPLE WHO CAN’T WORK THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN