British Democratic Party

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The British Democratic Party was a short-lived far-right political party in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1979 when the Leicester branch of the National Front broke away from the main party under the leadership of Anthony Reed Herbert. Initially called the British Peoples Party, the name was quickly changed in order to avoid association with a pre-war splinter group from the British Union of Fascists. A British Democratic Party had also already existed in 1930s. It was a minor right wing anti-communist group.

Initially splitting from the NF over the leadership of John Tyndall, the BDP soon developed a fairly strong presence in Leicester where Reed Herbert was a respected lawyer. The British Movement's Ray Hill also became involved and worked alongside the leader to build up the organisational side of the party, although by this time Hill was working for Searchlight magazine.

During his work with the BDP, Hill secretly took part in a World in Action documentary about the party, during the course of which Reed Herbert and other leading members were put in touch with an American (who was also working with the show) from whom they could buy guns. When the show aired, the BDP were left badly discredited and John Grand Scrutton, a young member who was blamed for the incident, was forced to go on the run in the Republic of Ireland. (Ultimately, when he returned to Britain, no charges were laid). The incident forced the BDP to virtually cease operations, and it came as little surprise when they were brought to a conclusion in 1982 by re-joining Tyndall as founder members of the British National Party.

[edit] Reference

  • R. Hill & A. Bell, The Other Face of Terror- Inside Europe’s Neo-Nazi Network, London: Collins, 1988


The far right in the United Kingdom
Pre-1945 political parties and groups:

Anglo-German Fellowship | British Brothers League | British Fascists | British Peoples Party | The Britons | Imperial Fascist League | The Link | National Fascisti | National Socialist League

Post-1945 defunct political parties and groups:

British Democratic Party | British Empire Party | British Movement | British National Party | Column 88 | Constitutional Movement | Flag Group | Greater Britain Movement | League of Empire Loyalists | National Democratic Party | National Fellowship | National Independence Party | National Labour Party | National Party | National Socialist Action Party | National Socialist Movement | Official National Front | One Nation | Patriotic Party | Racial Preservation Society | Union Movement | White Defence League | White Nationalist Party

Active political parties and groups:

British National Party | British Peoples Party | Combat 18 | England First Party | Freedom Party | International Third Position | League of Saint George | National Democrats | National Front | National Socialist Movement | Nationalist Alliance | New Britain Party | New Nationalist Party | Northern League | November 9th Society | Racial Volunteer Force

Pre-1945 people:

John Amery | A. F. X. Baron | Henry Hamilton Beamish | John Beckett | Hastings Russell, 12th Duke of Bedford | Barry Domvile | William Evans-Gordon | Robert Forgan | Neil Francis Hawkins | J. F. C. Fuller | William Joyce | Arnold Leese | Rotha Lintorn-Orman | Diana Mitford | Unity Mitford | Lady Cynthia Mosley | Oswald Mosley | Alexander Raven Thomson | Henry Williamson

Post-1945 people

Ian Anderson | John Bean | Jane Birdwood | Andrew Brons | A. K. Chesterton | David Copeland | Mark Cotterill | Sharon Ebanks | Richard Edmonds | Andrew Fountaine | Nick Griffin | Jeffrey Hamm | Anthony Hancock | Patrick Harrington | Derek Holland | Colin Jordan | John Kingsley Read | Michael McLaughlin | Eddy Morrison | David Myatt | John O'Brien | Denis Pirie | Kevin Quinn | Anthony Reed Herbert | Robert Relf | Charlie Sargent | Simon Sheppard | Troy Southgate | Keith Thompson | John Tyndall | Richard Verrall | Martin Webster | Martin Wingfield | John Graeme Wood

Related articles:

Battle of Cable Street | British National Front election results | British National Party election results | British nationalism | Europe a Nation | List of British fascist parties | National Party of Europe | Political Soldier | World Union of National Socialists