Paul Golding

Paul Golding
Leader of Britain First
Assumed office
2014
Deputy Jayda Fransen
Personal details
Political party Britain First (2014–present)
BNP (until 2014)
National Front (previously)

Paul Golding is the leader of Britain First, an organisation described as a "fascist paramilitary group"[1] He is a former British National Party (BNP) Sevenoaks District councillor for Swanley[2] from 2009 to 2011 and was also the BNP's Communications Officer. He will stand as a candidate in the London mayoral election in 2016, with his Deputy Jayda Fransen stating that Britain First wants to hang its opponents.[3]

Golding was a member of the neo-Nazi National Front, and once attended the Cenotaph in London on Remembrance Sunday while drunk and wearing women's underwear on his head.[4]

In May 2014, Golding was arrested for criminal damage and breach of the peace during a protest outside the Indian Embassy in London.[5] In July 2014, he tried to have himself arrested at Bexleyheath police station over an incident at Crayford Mosque, but failed, an act widely considered to be a fund-raising publicity stunt.[6] In March 2015, he was arrested on suspicion of assault during a Britain First march in Derby, as was an opponent who Golding had claimed assaulted him.[7] In May 2015, Golding threatened to bury a pig at the site of proposed mosque in Dudley, mistakenly believing this would contaminate the site and render it unsuitable.[8]

Also in 2015, Golding was convicted of harassing a woman after mistakenly arriving at her home instead of that of a man allegedly linked to the 2005 London bombings. He was also found guilty of wearing a political uniform, an offence under the Public Order Act 1936. A restraining order was issued against Golding and he was fined for both offences.[9] During a visit to Northern Ireland in 2015, Golding and other supporters of Britain First mistook Newtownards Town Hall for a mosque.[10] At the Britain First Annual Conference in November 2015, Golding and Fransen led the meeting which agreed a number of policies including banning the media from using the word 'racism' and abolishing the BBC.[11]

He stood as British National Party candidate for Sevenoaks in the 2010 United Kingdom general election, receiving 2.8% of the vote.[12] He stood as a Britain First lead candidate in the 2014 European Parliamentary election for Wales; the party received 0.9% of the vote.[13]

Elections contested

UK general elections

Date of election Constituency Party Votes %
2010 Sevenoaks BNP 1,384 2.8[12]

European Parliament elections

Year Region Party Votes % Result Notes
2014 Wales Britain First 6,633 0.9 Not elected[13] Multi member constituencies; party list

References

  1. ↑ Adam Bienkov, "Britain First: The violent new face of British fascism", politics.co.uk, 19 June 2014
    - Willard Foxton, "The loathsome Britain First are trying to hijack the poppy – don’t let them", The Daily Telegraph, 4 November 2014
    - "Controversial group Britain First to march in Luton next month". Luton on Sunday. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  2. ↑ "Ex-Sevenoaks BNP councillor behind military campaign". Sevenoaks Chronicle. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  3. ↑ York, Chris (27 September 2015). "Britain First's Paul Golding To Stand In London Mayoral Election". Huffington Post. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
    - Mogule, Priyanka (27 September 2015). "Britain First leader Paul Golding to run for London mayor: Wants to hang opponents". International Business Times. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  4. ↑ "Britain First: inside the extremist group targeting mosques", Channel 4 News, 19 June 2014
    - "The shame of Paul Golding", Hope not hate website, 26 April 2014
    - "Far-right leader turned up to Cenotaph with knickers on his head", Political Scrapbook, 10 November 2014
  5. ↑ Matthew Collins (9 May 2014). "The Insider’s blog: Outside the Indian Embassy now..". www.hopenothate.org.uk. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  6. ↑ Tim MacFarlan (17 July 2014). "Far right leader Paul Golding tries to give himself up for arrest – and fails". News Shopper. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  7. ↑ Zena Hawley (9 March 2015). "I'll be back, says Britain First party leader Paul Golding after claiming he was attacked in Derby". Derby Telegraph. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  8. ↑ Chris York (10 May 2015). "Britain First Leader Threatens To Bury Pig At Site Of Planned Mosque". The Huffington Post UK. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  9. ↑ Sam Balls, "Britain First leader Paul Golding found guilty of harassment and wearing a political uniform", Essex Chronicle, 6 January 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  10. ↑ Steven Hopkins (3 September 2015). "Britain First Mistake Town Hall For Mosque On Trip To Northern Ireland To Warn About Muslims". The Huffington Post UK. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
    - John Monaghan (29 August 2015). "Far right activists investigated after photo outside Islamic prayer centre". The Irish News. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  11. ↑ Steven Hopkins (17 November 2015). "Britain First: Public Can't Stop Laughing Over Far-Right Party's Plans To 'Ban Racism'". The Huffington Post UK. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  12. 1 2 Sevenoaks, BBC News Election 2010
  13. 1 2 Vote 2014 - Wales, BBC News


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