Searchlight poll finds huge support for far right ‘if they gave up violence’

Level of far-right support could outstrip that in France or Holland, says poll for Searchlight

From The Guardian:

    ‘Large numbers’ would support a far-right party if it was not linked to violence. ‘Large numbers’ would support a far-right party, if it was not linked to violence. Photograph: KeystoneUSA-Zuma/Rex Features

    Huge numbers of Britons would support an anti-immigration English nationalist party if it was not associated with violence and fascist imagery, according to the largest survey into identity and extremism conducted in the UK.

    A Populus poll found that 48% of the population would consider supporting a new anti-immigration party committed to challenging Islamist extremism, and would support policies to make it statutory for all public buildings to fly the flag of St George or the union flag.

    Anti-racism campaigners said the findings suggested Britain’s mainstream parties were losing touch with public opinion on issues of identity and race.

    The poll suggests that the level of backing for a far-right party could equal or even outstrip that in countries such as France, the Netherlands and Austria. France’s National Front party hopes to secure 20% in the first round of the presidential vote next year. The Dutch anti-Islam party led by Geert Wilders attracted 15.5% of the vote in last year’s parliamentary elections.

    Anti-fascist groups said the poll’s findings challenged the belief that Britons were more tolerant than other Europeans. “This is not because British people are more moderate, but simply because their views have not found a political articulation,” said a report by the Searchlight Educational Trust, the anti-fascist charity that commissioned the poll.

    According to the survey, 39% of Asian Britons, 34% of white Britons and 21% of black Britons wanted all immigration into the UK to be stopped permanently, or at least until the economy improved. And 43% of Asian Britons, 63% of white Britons and 17% of black Britons agreed with the statement that “immigration into Britain has been a bad thing for the country”. Just over half of respondents – 52% – agreed with the proposition that “Muslims create problems in the UK”.

    Jon Cruddas, the Labour MP who fought a successful campaign against the British National party in his Dagenham and Rainham constituency in east London, said that the findings pointed to a “very real threat of a new potent political constituency built around an assertive English nationalism”. The report identified a resurgence of English identity, with 39% preferring to call themselves English rather than British. Just 5% labelled themselves European.

    Earlier this month David Cameron delivered a controversial speech on the failings of “state multiculturalism”. The speech was seized on by the anti-Islamic English Defence League, which said that the prime minister was “coming round” to its way of thinking. BNP leader Nick Griffin also welcomed the speech as a sign that his party’s ideas were entering “the political mainstream”.

    The poll also identified a majority keen to be allowed to openly criticise religion, with 60% believing they “should be allowed to say whatever they believe about religion”. By contrast, fewer than half – 42% – said “people should be allowed to say whatever they believe about race”.

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

9 Replies to “Searchlight poll finds huge support for far right ‘if they gave up violence’”

  1. While they are at it, how about asking the ‘Asian’ youths the Muslim community to give up violence? Little things like the’ Street Jihad’ , the wolf pack assaults, robberies, muggings, the sexual molestation, exploitation and rapes of non-Muslim women and the street demagoguery by the arrogant Infidel hating Imams.

  2. Very cleverly done. With the cooperation of the Guardian, Searchlight can now label any party that maintains a desire for immigration controls, is patriotic, and is critical of Islamic extremism, as “far-Right”.

  3. ‘Extremism’ my foot. Common sense more like. Anyway, it’s nice to see the guardian beginning to squirm.

  4. “Far Right?”- WTF!

    What violence? How many planes have they hijacked, how many females have they bashed and raped, how many subways and buses have they blown up screaming ‘in God we trust’???

    Since when is it wrong to be right?

    The EDL is English working class, does that make them ‘far right?’

  5. “far right”? That’s sick! The EDL has never been far right or expressed far right views on anything. They are completely libral compared to the BNP or NF. In fact they are more libral than New Labor or LibDems. Just because they don’t sit in expensive wine bars and sing kum ba ya doesn’t mean they aren’t championing libral ideals.

    If the majority of Britains are sympathetic to such groups then it is counter to reason to even refer to them as far right. That the majority of britains support them means they are centrist.

  6. Nick Griffin also welcomed the speech as a sign that his party’s ideas were entering “the political mainstream”.

    Don’t make me laugh. Everyone still despises the BNP and their policies.

    It is because of the EDL and public reactions to official government statements that Cameron made the speach he did. The BNP had nothing to do with it.

  7. “far right” refers to hitler according to the Baha’i Gadrurian… last time I checked, hitler wasn’t a Constitutional American Conservative/Libertarian… According to historical fact, racism is a far left policy that ‘normal’ people have been fighting against since America was founded..

    Euros are friggin idiots who have been stewed in marxism for so long, they don’t know any factual definitions anymore…

  8. Far Right is simply a name for any group that does not fall in with the Leftists at the Guardian.

    Bishop Nazir Ali is far more critical of Islam then EDL, but its difficult for the Guardian to call him Far Right.