The threat of the BNP and how to fight it

The British national party led by its current leader Nick Griffin are the most successful fascist group this country has ever known. As of today it has around 50 odd county/borough/parish councillors in town halls in places like Burnley, Stoke on trent etc. It has around 10,000 members though only a few thousand are politically active. It also has an elected GLA member in London Richard barnbrook, and are possibly on the verge of winning seats in the European elections. Compare this with the old National front of the 1970's/1980's it is easy to see why they are easily the most successful fascist party in britain ever. The reasons for this are varied but include:

The tory party move to the centre of british politics especialy under Cameron

The labour party utter contempt for the working class especially the white working class.

The improvement in the BNP organisation and image

The utter complacent attitude of the media

The Left being in utter denial

Lack of credible fascist rivals

Political climate regarding concerns over imigration, asylum seekers, terrorism

So what should we do and not do

Give the appaling situation that anti fascists find themselves in it would be advisable if the left drop the nazi stereotyping of the BNP. The BNP is not a Nazi party it is a postmodern fascist party. The BNP have jewish people in the party for a start plus they dont wear swastikas and jack boots regardless of what certain individuals in that party do in private and may still think in private. Fascism is a mutating ideology and we have to recognise that they have changed in that respect.

We need to take the BNP seriously and not keep assuming that they will fade away and then the left will have its time, aka 1933 germany.

We also need to exploit the tensions that undoubtedly exist in the BNP between the postmodern fascists and the rump nuckleheads who still hang on in there.

We need to exploit the tensions between those who still believe in the streets approach to building the BNP and those who wish to focus on electoral methods

We need to focus on the BNP's populist and contradictory message. As it tries to build the coalition of the white working class, the Tory middle class and petit bourgeoisie, those contradictions will emerge even more clearly. Like all fascists they will find it hard to reconcile policies which please both classes.

We also need to reject any co-operation with the Searchlight magazine a magazine with dubious links to the state. Any co-operation with them is not in the interests of the left/anarchists in general despite its appearance as an anti fascist magazine. The left does not require help from the british state to defeat fascism. Indeed the state regard the left and the right as essentially the same.

Finally opposition to fascism is not enough we need to outline a new vision of how society should look based on decentralisation and enpowering working class communities written of by the chattering PC middle classes and the rotten stinking Labour party.

The BNP is growing and spreading its poisonous message. The current tactics on how to deal with them are clearly not working. We need new militant ideas not picnics in the park with dolly mixtures and fizzy pop and listening to middle class wankers like pete doherty. Some of the ideas outlined above have a better chance of suceeding than the UAF strategy of picnics in the park. The situation is serious and there are no easy answers to this problem but we need to do something urgently before it is too late.

These is a broad outline of the state we are in regarding the BNP. I look forward to a discussion of what i have outlined.

Simon the anti fascist