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| Colin Jordan, played by Rory Kinnear, at a neo-Nazi rally in Trafalgar Square |
Behind this bed of roses, as it was seen, the rise of Neo-Nazism in Britain was on the rise. Equally the anti-fascists opposed this evil ideology with more success, despite the police generally taking the fascist side, than failures combatting fascism in the sixties.
John Colin Campbell Jordan (known simply as Colin Jordan) in 1962 formed the National Socialist Movement (NSM), an organisation based on Hitler's NSDAP, Nazi Party in Germany. This was less than twenty years after World War Two ended and Jordan, assisted by his first lieutenant, John Tyndall, operated quite legally and, to a large extent, enjoyed the protection of the law. In confrontations with anti-fascists it was those, not the Nazis, who the police targeted. What an insult to those who fought fascism between 1939 and 1945.
Recently the BBC produced a very interesting drama based on actual events, a serialised drama titled Ridley Road. It told the story of a young Jewish girl, a hairdresser, who went down to London from Manchester to escape an arranged marriage. She was looking for her former partner and stayed with relatives who were involved in the anti-fascist movement. Her former partner, Jack, a fictional character, had infiltrated Jordan's gang which Vivien, the girl, was unaware of. When she was caught up in a fracas at Trafalgar Square where anti-fascists were out preventing, successfully, Colin Jordan's anti-Semitic rally. To her astonishment and, initial disgust, Jack using a pseudo name of Peter, was on the platform waving the “union flag” defending Jordan. In reality Jack had successfully infiltrated the NSM and was passing his findings to the “62 Group”, a broad based anti-fascist organisation formed by Jewish people in 1962 to oppose the Nazis. The NSM itself was formed in 1962 on 20th April, the anniversary of Hitler's birthday. Colin Jordan saw himself in Hitler's image and was known simply as “Leader” - Fuhrer in German!
John Colin Campbell Jordan (known simply as Colin Jordan) in 1962 formed the National Socialist Movement (NSM), an organisation based on Hitler's NSDAP, Nazi Party in Germany. This was less than twenty years after World War Two ended and Jordan, assisted by his first lieutenant, John Tyndall, operated quite legally and, to a large extent, enjoyed the protection of the law. In confrontations with anti-fascists it was those, not the Nazis, who the police targeted. What an insult to those who fought fascism between 1939 and 1945.
Recently the BBC produced a very interesting drama based on actual events, a serialised drama titled Ridley Road. It told the story of a young Jewish girl, a hairdresser, who went down to London from Manchester to escape an arranged marriage. She was looking for her former partner and stayed with relatives who were involved in the anti-fascist movement. Her former partner, Jack, a fictional character, had infiltrated Jordan's gang which Vivien, the girl, was unaware of. When she was caught up in a fracas at Trafalgar Square where anti-fascists were out preventing, successfully, Colin Jordan's anti-Semitic rally. To her astonishment and, initial disgust, Jack using a pseudo name of Peter, was on the platform waving the “union flag” defending Jordan. In reality Jack had successfully infiltrated the NSM and was passing his findings to the “62 Group”, a broad based anti-fascist organisation formed by Jewish people in 1962 to oppose the Nazis. The NSM itself was formed in 1962 on 20th April, the anniversary of Hitler's birthday. Colin Jordan saw himself in Hitler's image and was known simply as “Leader” - Fuhrer in German!
The 62 Group was a coalition of anti-fascists who passed their finding, in the series, to an unsympathetic police force who refused to act. This was pretty close to the attitude of the British police who then, as now, hold, to a greater and lesser degree, more sympathies with the fascists than their anti-fascist opponents.
Vivien, AKA Jane in the series, joins Jack, AKA Peter, as far as Jordan knew in infiltrating the NSM. Leading US Fascist, George Lincoln Rockwell, was in close contact with Jordan and paid him visits in England. This is not fiction but, like the Trafalgar Square racist and anti-Semite rally, actually occurred. Jane (Vivien) finds much information on Jordan, his paramilitary training camp at the home of a leading aristocrat and funds from the USA raised by Rockwell. These were/are two countries, the USA and UK, who along with the USSR fought against fascism in the war allowing such organisations to operate on their streets. It begs the question, in the case of Britain and the USA, were they really fighting fascism as an ideology or just a resurgent aggressive Germany?
Britain has had many flirtations with fascist organisations dating back to the British Union of Fascists (BUF) during the 1930s to Colin Jordan's NSM in the 1960s, the National Front in the 1970s, the British National Party in the 1980s-90s along with Combat 18 (named after the first and eighth letter of the alphabet, AH, Adolf Hitler) and today in the 21st century groups like “Britain First” a party greatly admired by former US President, Donald Trump, and the English Defence League which is vehemently anti-Islam.
Vivien, AKA Jane in the series, joins Jack, AKA Peter, as far as Jordan knew in infiltrating the NSM. Leading US Fascist, George Lincoln Rockwell, was in close contact with Jordan and paid him visits in England. This is not fiction but, like the Trafalgar Square racist and anti-Semite rally, actually occurred. Jane (Vivien) finds much information on Jordan, his paramilitary training camp at the home of a leading aristocrat and funds from the USA raised by Rockwell. These were/are two countries, the USA and UK, who along with the USSR fought against fascism in the war allowing such organisations to operate on their streets. It begs the question, in the case of Britain and the USA, were they really fighting fascism as an ideology or just a resurgent aggressive Germany?
Britain has had many flirtations with fascist organisations dating back to the British Union of Fascists (BUF) during the 1930s to Colin Jordan's NSM in the 1960s, the National Front in the 1970s, the British National Party in the 1980s-90s along with Combat 18 (named after the first and eighth letter of the alphabet, AH, Adolf Hitler) and today in the 21st century groups like “Britain First” a party greatly admired by former US President, Donald Trump, and the English Defence League which is vehemently anti-Islam.
The EDL's former leader, Stephen Christopher Yaxley Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson, was once the chief Political Advisor to the UKIP leader, Gerrard Batten, which should tell us something about the United Kingdom Independence Party apart from being anti EU! Dating back to the BUF and Oswald Moseley these fascist organisations have had a broad class membership ranging from the most dispossessed members of society to the aristocracy. Needless to say, the lower down the class pecking order one is the more chance of being cannon fodder, disposable in times of conflict.
Just as the BUF were stopped by anti-fascists at Cable Street, East London, in 1936 their modern inheritor have also being successfully opposed by anti-fascists, groups like Anti-Fascist Action (AFA), in more recent times. Britain’s flirtation with fascism is more popular than the establishment like to admit. Fortunately so too are the anti-fascist groups opposing them. The modern “Britain First” party has close links to North of Ireland loyalist paramilitary groups and are strong supporters of the loyalist cause. They are anti-Islam and anti-Jewish which on the surface makes no logic. In reality they believe the Middle East belongs to neither Jew or Arab (both I might add are Semite peoples) but Britain! This includes modern Israel, though this is never published as it may be a little complex for their mutton headed membership to take in all at once. Best to stick to one subject at a time before attempting anything a little more ambitious!
Fascism today and, indeed, far-right politics generally, are perhaps greater than at any time since the 1930s. Anti-fascist groups must continue opposing such organisations and never rely on the police to be impartial. As in the series, Ridley Road, an effective but highly dangerous way of combatting fascism is through infiltration. Couple this with counter demonstrations on the streets and a clear strategy begins to show in opposing the far-right. What the infiltrators do with their priceless information is very much down to the organisation doing the infiltrating. Some, as in the BBC series, may pass their findings on to Special Branch, others may use it to further infiltrate and, knowing the venues, physically disrupt fascist meetings and gatherings. Either way it is highly dangerous because, and be under no illusion, these Neo-Nazi groups are extremely violent and could kill the infiltrator if they were to be unmasked.
The BBC must be commended for this brilliant four-part dramatization of the fight against Colin Jordans Neo-Nazi NSM during the sixties. Though many characters are fictitious the events, like the failed Trafalgar Square rally which Jordan organised, are factual. The 62 Group formed to oppose the NSM did exist and did fight. Many of their members were veterans of the “Battle of Cable Street” (no pasaran - they shall not pass) of 1936 when Mosely’s “Black Shirts” were stopped in their tracks. The anti-fascist mobilisation for that series of events, culminating in the Battle of Cable Street, in the 1930s was a huge success and consisted of communists, socialists, Jewish groups, trade unionists, the Labour Party and even some liberals.
Anybody who missed the series I strongly recommend viewing at your first opportunity. It was graphically accurate, though no reference was made to Jordan's first lieutenant, John Tyndall which was perhaps its only flaw, if that is what it was. It may have been a deliberate omission. It highlights just how close we are to fascism and then, as now, it is forever present. Even as recently as Donald Trump in the USA, an admirer of the fascist “Britain First” organisation, who was arguably for his Presidency the most powerful man on earth! How close were we to fascism taking serious root? Food for thought and not very tasty!!
Just as the BUF were stopped by anti-fascists at Cable Street, East London, in 1936 their modern inheritor have also being successfully opposed by anti-fascists, groups like Anti-Fascist Action (AFA), in more recent times. Britain’s flirtation with fascism is more popular than the establishment like to admit. Fortunately so too are the anti-fascist groups opposing them. The modern “Britain First” party has close links to North of Ireland loyalist paramilitary groups and are strong supporters of the loyalist cause. They are anti-Islam and anti-Jewish which on the surface makes no logic. In reality they believe the Middle East belongs to neither Jew or Arab (both I might add are Semite peoples) but Britain! This includes modern Israel, though this is never published as it may be a little complex for their mutton headed membership to take in all at once. Best to stick to one subject at a time before attempting anything a little more ambitious!
Fascism today and, indeed, far-right politics generally, are perhaps greater than at any time since the 1930s. Anti-fascist groups must continue opposing such organisations and never rely on the police to be impartial. As in the series, Ridley Road, an effective but highly dangerous way of combatting fascism is through infiltration. Couple this with counter demonstrations on the streets and a clear strategy begins to show in opposing the far-right. What the infiltrators do with their priceless information is very much down to the organisation doing the infiltrating. Some, as in the BBC series, may pass their findings on to Special Branch, others may use it to further infiltrate and, knowing the venues, physically disrupt fascist meetings and gatherings. Either way it is highly dangerous because, and be under no illusion, these Neo-Nazi groups are extremely violent and could kill the infiltrator if they were to be unmasked.
The BBC must be commended for this brilliant four-part dramatization of the fight against Colin Jordans Neo-Nazi NSM during the sixties. Though many characters are fictitious the events, like the failed Trafalgar Square rally which Jordan organised, are factual. The 62 Group formed to oppose the NSM did exist and did fight. Many of their members were veterans of the “Battle of Cable Street” (no pasaran - they shall not pass) of 1936 when Mosely’s “Black Shirts” were stopped in their tracks. The anti-fascist mobilisation for that series of events, culminating in the Battle of Cable Street, in the 1930s was a huge success and consisted of communists, socialists, Jewish groups, trade unionists, the Labour Party and even some liberals.
Anybody who missed the series I strongly recommend viewing at your first opportunity. It was graphically accurate, though no reference was made to Jordan's first lieutenant, John Tyndall which was perhaps its only flaw, if that is what it was. It may have been a deliberate omission. It highlights just how close we are to fascism and then, as now, it is forever present. Even as recently as Donald Trump in the USA, an admirer of the fascist “Britain First” organisation, who was arguably for his Presidency the most powerful man on earth! How close were we to fascism taking serious root? Food for thought and not very tasty!!
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Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent Socialist Republican and Marxist |
Caoimhin - this is one we have planned to view. Now,that you recommend it as brilliant, I am even more enthused. I remember Tyndall and Martin Webster in the 70s.
ReplyDeleteThats right Anthony, Webster was in charge of the NF before it began splitting. Another active Nazi was John Kingsley-Reid in the seventies.
ReplyDeleteThe series is definately worth a look at. Anti-fascist work is very important, will discuss when we meet over a pint.
Caoimhin O'Muraile
Tense & riveting drama.
ReplyDeleteCaoimhín's review calls it right.