Suspicions that the takeover of the British Freedom Party (BFP) by a new group of ex UKIP led by Paul Weston was merely a dumbing down exercise to white wash over the party’s extreme links have been confirmed with news that high level talks between the English Defence League (EDL) and BFP have taken place at a secret West Midlands location.
It was always the outgoing chairman’s, Peter Mullins, wish to forge close links with the EDL as he saw them as a potential work horse for the BFP’s activism and a potential voter base. As a softener the BFP web master, Simon Bennett designed the EDL’s new web site for them “on the cheap” .
However with the BFP already tarnished with BNP links, for the EDL to merge, the BFP would have to cleanse itself of any former BNP members, and so it was that all the ex BNP executive council stepped down into the background with such excuses as “to write my novels” or “concentrate on my career”. One even claimed to have gone back to the BNP but is still a regular contributor to the BFP internet forum. Of course they are still there, just not so visible now to any outsider looking in.
Is this a wise move politically for either side? From the outset the EDL was targeted by left wing organisations such as Unite Against Fascism (UAF) and Searchlight for being a far right neo Nazi outfit with close links to The National Front and BNP. Whether it is or isn’t is immaterial, the mere accusation is enough to turn away any moderate thinking citizen concerned at the state of the country.
For a political party with serious aspirations of gaining wide spread popular support such a move would be political suicide. The move may be of more benefit to the EDL than the BFP so long as the latter can keep it’s ex BNP former officials under cover.
The Freedom Democrats were formed by founder members of the BFP concerned that it was taking a path into political extremism. It appears now that their fears were not unfounded.
Sorry for so many TLA's. (Three letter abbreviations!)
Corsham town councillor and former parliamentary candidate for the Chippenham constituency. The voice of moderate nationalism in the south west. Putting the nice back into Nationalism.
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