News is breaking that John Tyndall former leader of the National Front and later founder of the British National Party has died at the age of 72. Tyndalls old fashion middle-class nazism led to him being dubbed Captain Mainwaring by anti-fascists

Tyndall was reported dead by his wife this morning and appears to have died in his sleep at the family home in Hove.

It is believed that the on-going spat between him and Nick Griffin which had led to Tyndall being banned from speaking on behalf of the BNP contributed to his death.

Tyndall had sought legal advice about being 'gagged' as he saw it and felt aggrieved that the "mistakes" of his past where held against him while other more serious criminals were still trusted BNP officials. The threat of legal action obviously ended with Tyndall's death.

Tyndall was born on 17th July 1934 attending Penge and Beckenham Grammar School where he gained 3 o levels. He later became a sales man.

Tyndall's involvement in the far-right started with membership of the League of Empire Loyalist. In 1957 he and Colin Jordan set up the National Labour party, later renamed the first version of the British National Party. Unsatisfied both men left to form the National Socialist Movement and a secret para-military organisation called Spearhead in 1962.

Unlucky in Love as in politics: Jordan 'stole' Tyndall's girl friend Francoise Dior in 1964 and the two fell-out. Tyndall taking most of the NSM membership into Greater Britain Movement.

In 1967 an umbrella group was formed called the National Front which Tyndall merged the GBM into and of which he later became leader. In 1982 Nick Griffin led a coup against Tyndall and he left to found the BNP mark II which was overtly neo-Nazi. Tyndall was sent to prison 3 times in 1986 for incitement to racial hatred.

In 1999 Nick Griffin again ousted Tyndall as leader of the BNP and in 2002 had him expelled from the party. Court action by Tyndall forced his reinstatement in 2004 only to be expelled again, the friction between Tyndall and Griffin continued up till his death.

In December 2004 Tyndall was again arrested for incitement to racial hatred and was awaiting trial when he died.

Tyndall continued to fight his corner through Spearhead whilst Griffin's supporters have now closed the anti-Tyndall web-site as a mark of respect , something they did not extend to him during his life time.

Details of the funeral have not yet been made public but will undoubtedly include the great and the not-so-good of the far-right.