From anti-immigration to Islamophobia; Britain's far-right on the path to a new fascism
In recent years, the far-right movement in Britain, relying on ethnic nationalism and a discourse against immigrants and minorities, has gradually moved from the margins to become an influential current in the country's formal political arena.
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In recent years, signs of the expansion of far-right currents in Britain have become more visible than ever – a movement that, according to Jake Wallis Simons, a writer for The Telegraph, can no longer be considered merely a fringe phenomenon. This current is now gradually moving into the formal political arena, benefiting from rising nationalism, anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, and anti-Jewish discourse, as well as the increasing influence of extremist American ideologies through social media.
Simons, in his note, argues that what is emerging in Britain today is not necessarily the classical European fascism, but in some of its foundations – such as race, national identity, and the concept of societal "purity" – it bears similarities to past fascist movements.
From opposing immigration to a racial definition of identity
According to this writer, the discourse of some far-right currents in Britain is no longer limited to opposition to immigration, but has moved towards providing a stricter definition of "British identity" – one in which ancestry and religion play a decisive role.
Simons refers to the statements of "Downes," who described Britain as a "country with people of genuine British roots and Christian faith." In his view, such rhetoric, when combined with concepts like "the demographic security of the white British population," approaches the historical discourses of European nationalism and fascism.
Simons believes this type of view ultimately raises a dangerous question: who is a "real British" person, and who has the right to consider themselves as belonging to this country?
This question is not limited to Muslims. According to Simons, some positions put forward by the "Reclaim Britain Party" have even targeted Jewish and Muslim religious rites, with proposals to ban halal and kosher slaughter. At the same time, the idea of "reverse migration" or the "return of immigrants" is also being proposed as a solution to expel millions of people from the country.
At one far-right gathering in Britain, slogans such as "Take back our country" were chanted – a slogan that clearly reflects this current's effort to turn the issue of immigration into a broader project to redefine the demographic composition of British society.
When immigration becomes an identity issue
From the author's perspective, such policies indicate the far-right discourse has moved beyond demands for immigration control towards a political project to change the demographic structure of society.
Simons acknowledges that Britain indeed faces challenges in areas such as immigration, extremism, and social integration, and believes there are also problems in some parts of the country's Muslim community. However, he warns that these problems should not be generalized to all of Islam and Muslims.
According to him, such generalization is not only incorrect, but also targets millions of British Muslims who consider themselves as belonging to Britain and regard this country as their home and homeland.
Britain's history is incompatible with "racial purity"
To refute the notion that British identity is based on "racial purity," Simons refers to his own personal experience. He says his mother is Jewish and his father has partial Burmese ancestry; yet both were born in Britain, and his grandparents served in the Royal Air Force during World War II.
He also mentions Winston Churchill's mother, who was born outside Britain, and concludes from this fact that even Britain's political and social history is incompatible with a simplistic and racial definition of citizenship and national belonging.
Therefore, British identity cannot be defined solely based on skin color, ancestry, or place of birth, because the country's own history shows that British national identity has always been diverse and multi-layered.
The growing influence of the American extremist model
Simons believes that one of the most concerning developments is the changing nature of the far-right in Britain. This movement is no longer merely reminiscent of traditional British racism, which was mainly present on the margins of society, but has gradually become more ideological in nature and is influenced by extremist currents in America.
Social media also plays a significant role in this. According to him, these platforms enable the rapid transmission of the ideas of American far-right figures and even neo-Nazi currents to Britain – ideas that find ready audiences in times of public concern about immigration and demographic changes.
This trend shows that geographical borders are no longer a serious barrier to the spread of extremist ideologies, and social media can turn a marginal discourse into part of a country's political and social space in a short period of time.
"Britishness" is beyond race and religion
In an important part of his note, Simons attempts to redefine the meaning of belonging to Britain. In his view, Britishness cannot be reduced to skin color, religion, or place of birth; rather, this concept is primarily related to the values an individual believes in, their sense of belonging to British society and culture, and their respect for the country's institutions and structures.
On this basis, a person of Jewish, Asian, or immigrant background can be just as "British" as someone from a family with centuries of history in Britain.
This perspective stands against narratives that try to turn national belonging into a racial or religious trait, creating boundaries among citizens based on ancestry and family roots.
The danger begins when extremism enters the power structure
What Simons finds most concerning is not merely the existence of extremist currents on the political margins; the main danger arises when this discourse can transform into a political movement with parliamentary representation, influencing official decision-making and public opinion.
European historical experience has shown that many extremist currents become more dangerous when they move from the margins of society into the formal power structure. In such circumstances, discourses that were once considered extremist and unacceptable may gradually become part of normal political discourse.
For this reason, warnings about the emergence of "new fascism" in Britain should not be regarded merely as a theoretical or political discussion. The main issue is whether British society can draw a clear line between genuinely addressing the challenges of immigration and social integration, on one hand, and turning immigration and identity into a tool for racial and religious hate-mongering, on the other.
If the answer to this question is negative, what is now on the margins of British politics may become part of the mainstream power structure tomorrow – a movement that would not only target Muslims and immigrants, but also Jews, and even the historical and multicultural definition of British society itself.
