Desmond's EU 'crusade' has taken a very ugly turn
A glance at the Daily Express homepage shows how a once serious newspaper has become a Pravda for Brexit and the forces of global reaction.
The lead story in its Brexit section (a redundant concept in the Express) approvingly carries an attack by the foreign minister of Poland’s far-right Law and Justice Party on former centre-right Polish president Donald Tusk.
Since when does the most xenophobic paper on the newstands care about Polish politics? Ah, but Tusk is also the current president of the European Council. So in it goes.
Then we have stories about supposed BBC bias against Brexit and sneaky EU foreigners giving billions to undeserving African countries, (‘Eurocrats splashed out the jaw-dropping sum of money on programmes including combatting racism against migrants…’ What could be worse?).
Moving on, we find a piece titled:
‘Seven people that could BRING DOWN the EU in 2017’.
Who they? Just a who’s-who of the global (white) far-right, with friendly profiles of Marine Le Pen in France, Geert Wilders in the Netherlands, Law and Justice former Polish PM Jarosław Kaczyński, Frauke Petry of the far-right Alternative for Germany, Donald Trump, and – of course – Nigel Farage.
(Number seven is Italian demagogue Beppe Grillo, who is very hostile to the EU.) They didn’t include anyone from Golden Dawn, but perhaps that’s a few months away.
This sort of coverage should be borne in mind when spotting the paper’s fantasy splashes about how brilliantly Brexit is going, or with today’s trashing of recently ‘resigned’ Brtish diplomat Sir Ivan Rogers, whom the paper calls an ‘obstacle to securing a swift exit from the EU’.
(Online we have Tory Brexiteer John Redwood MP saying Rogers ‘couldn’t negotiate his way out of a paper bag’.
Why then was he ever in post in the first place, and only removed once he criticised government policy?)
To top this off, we read:
‘End of MERKEL: German leader’s power and influence CRUMBLES as EU leaders opt for PUTIN’
with claims the EU is siding with ‘the Russian strongman’ by watering down sanctions over Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and anexation of Crimea.
The Express has form here. In October 2015 the paper hailed Putin’s ‘heroic efforts’ in bombing Syria, recycling a story from Russian propaganda outlets. (The Express Facebook account remarked: ‘Keep it up Vlad.’)
People on the Left have long enjoyed calling the conservative press ‘fascist’.
But the Daily Express under UKIP donor Richard Desmond has moved from being a dodgy right-wing paper to an organ of neo-fasism in Europe.
Who says Brexit is fueling the far-right?
Adam Barnett is staff writer for Left Foot Forward. Follow him on Twitter @AdamBarnett13
6 Responses to “Brexit Pravda Daily Express boosts neo-fascism in Europe”
GodfreyR
The Daily Express is a paper that stands up for Britain and the British people.
GodfreyR
The real fascism in Europe is religious based fascism.
Anon
Meanwhile – every chance has been given to the people of the EU to have a voice on EU treaties; no plans have been made for an EU army or EU Foreign Office; and no plans are in place to create a United States of Europe.
The EU doesn’t have an EU anthem or flag – suggesting that it believes itself to be a country; and it is ridiculous to suggest that the EU has five presidents.
Pravda?? The Soviet Union can only sit back in broad admiration at what the EU has pulled over its captive’s eyes.
Mike Stallard
Labour is right on the EU.
Keep in the Common Market (EEA).
Leave the European Union with Article 50.
To remain in the EEA, we will have to join EFTA – and we can.
Nick Clegg, Nicola Sturgeon are allies too.
Keep saying it!
Mrs May is on a hiding to nothing and it could end in wrecking the British economy with a sudden shut down of trade like a huge general strike.
Robert Levy
Has this site imported the readership of the Daily Express or Daily Mail ? How on earth can a paper/site such as that of the Daily Express be said to stand up for the British people ? The Express is anti union ,anti NHS ,anti progressive taxation ,racist and overall extremely backwards .The paper consistently backs policies which exacerbate poverty (including child poverty ) and undermine communities .
The Express is the mouthpiece of one very selfish ,greedy man whose ambition is based around his own self interests and contrary to that of the mass of British people .The Express is also viciously anti EU ..and pro Brexit .That whole thing has not gone too well has it !?