The Growth of the British Far Right

I thought I'd start a new TL around British politics in the mid-20th Century, I did kind of get the idea from Cumbria who's now banned. Also as a side note to the readers of my other 2 TLs I'm (obviously) having a break from them for now, writers block for them and all.

~~The British Far-Right; A Story~~

Throughout the year of ’67 the British National Party had been flirting with the idea of merging with either the League of Empire Loyalists led by A. K. Chesterton or the National Democratic Party led by Dr D. Brown, the BNP leader J. Bean eventually made his choice and the small BNP was merged with the growing NDP [1]. One of the, if not the main policy of the NDP was heavily opposing non-white immigration into Britain that had been increasing ever since the post-war period…

Not long after the merger many members of the League of Empire Loyalists left the pressure-group and joined the popular NDP, the amount of members leaving has since been estimated at 75% of the members which was a large boost for the NDP and its popularity…

Incidentally it must be said that the NDP rapidly created a ban on all open Fascists and Nazi’s in order to halt extremism from infecting the party [2]…

- The Story of the National Democratic Party

Not long after the NDP and BNP merger the National Party (previously National Fellowship) also made inquiries into a possible merger between the parties…

The NP had been launched in 1962 by E. Martell, and in its first by-election had performed well with 19% of the vote. However in 1964 the party had supported Conservative candidates rather than actually place any of its own, then Martell couldn’t pay back many of the loans he’d previously been given and by 1967 he was close to bankruptcy…

Luckily for Martell the NDP accepted the merging of the National Party into its fold, thus helping him with both his ailing party and also his own debts that he could now focus on rather than the running of a whole party…

- History of the British Far-Right

SPEAKER LOSES SEAT IN SOUTHAMPTON ITCHEN


In an unprecedented move by voters the Speaker of the House of Commons has been unseated in last nights general election. In the constituency of Southampton Itchen the National Democratic Party candidate Edwin Bray secured 39% of the vote. The Speaker whom had been expected to win in fact saw his vote plummet with an independent Labour candidate standing splitting the vote [3]…

It’s been reported that already Edward Heath has contacted Horace King with the possibility of creating a life-peerage for him while the Father of the House Robin Turton take the chair as the Commons choose a candidate to elect as the new Speaker…

- The Times, 19th June 1970

The popularity and membership of the League of Empire Loyalists actually stayed at around the same level as it had been since the mass movement of members to the National Democratic Party; while its native memberships had been continuing to slowly decrease it had been propped up with numerous members of the Greater Britain Movement joining individually…

By the month of February 1971 around 60% of the LEL membership also held membership with the GBM and in March of that year the membership was pressing A. K. Chesterton to lift the ban on GBM members. Chesterton couldn’t risk a fracture within his party however when he attempted to contact Dr D. Brown of the NDP Brown refused flatly, Chesterton was informed by a random member that this refusal came only due to Dr D. Brown’s personal dislike of him…

Not long after this John Tyndall challenged the leadership of Chesterton and due to the influx of GBM members he won the challenge and Tyndall won the case for the ban on GBM members to join the LEL…

- History of the Great Britain Party

Far-Right results in by-elections between 1970-1971 [4]

St Marleybone, 1970
National Democratic Party: 931 votes (5.5%)

Enfield West, 1970
National Democratic Party: 1589 votes (5.9%)

Macclesfield, 1971
National Democratic Party: 1486 votes (2.6%)


[1] - IOTL the BNP joined the LEL and following the merger the National Front was created.
[2] - The same ban existed within the LEL.
[3] - IOTL the Speaker won the election, however the NDP candidate Edwin Bray gained 21.9% of the vote. Also Horace King was a Labour MP before becoming Speaker, thus a lot of left-wing voters would still wish to have their voices heard which explains the split-vote.
[4] - The increased votes for the NDP/far-right groups is due to the NDP's larger support not only from the NDP-BNP merger but also due to it gaining an MP.
 
NEW SPEAKER ELECTED TO THE COMMONS

Yesterday the House of Commons voted on a new Speaker and though there had been some previous confusion as to whom the candidates would be the Conservative MP for Wirral, Selwyn Lloyd won the election [1]…

-
The Times, 24th June 1970

The NDP continued to grow when in 1972 the National Independence Party led by J. Davis was absorbed by the NDP after discussions with the NDP member J. O’Brien…


However not long after this merger O’Brien was kicked out of the party by the leadership as he had been discussing mergers with other groups such as the Union Movement [2], an openly fascist group that in fact argued for a United Europe and led by the infamous fascist O. Mosley…


The leadership didn’t wish to have the NDP associated with pro-European and openly fascist parties thus they saw fit to kick out the member whom was trying to do this, O’Brien proceeded to join the LEL…


-
The Story of the National Democratic Party

While many of the LEL members had been leaving anyway and joining the NDP this was sped up after the official merger of the LEL and GBM which Colin Jordan and John Tyndall pioneered…


The merging of these two parties to create the Greater Britain Party was the final straw for the members who were more “Colonel Blimpish… than fascist” [3], thus a substantial amount of the membership joined the NDP in July of 1972 when the merger occurred…


A. K. Chesterton attempted to keep the remainder of the party united however the size and power of the GBM took over and soon he was voted out as leader of his own party and Colin Jordan soon took over the remainders of the GBP…


After C. Jordan took over his other party the British Movement was absorbed by the larger GBP...


-
History of the Great Britain Party

Far-Right results in by-elections between 1971-1974


Kingston-upon-Thames, 1972

National Democratic Party: 6.9%

Rochdale, 1972

Independent, supported by NDP: 10.2%

Sutton and Cheam, 1972

National Democratic Party: 3.1%

Uxbridge, 1972

National Democratic Party: 12.5%
Union Movement: 2.6%

West Bromwich, 1972
[4]
National Democratic Party: 18.9%
Greater Britain Party: 1.2%

Hove, 1973

National Democratic Party: 5.6%
Greater Britain Party: 1.6%

[1] - Same as OTL.

[2] - O'Brien wished for overall far-right unity in the UK, IOTL he developed contacts with the UM but didn't go farther. As he succeeded in having a party absorbed ITTL he was willing to go farther, however a step too far.
[3] - Actual quote from Roger Eatwell about the parties members.
[4] - The success of the NDP here is due to Powell refusing to endorse the Conservative candidate which he didn't do IOTL either. The vote percentage is higher due to the NDP being more popular than the NF ITTL.
 
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