The Fascist Peak and the Fascist Decline, 2005–2016

Abstract

Detailing continued election victories, the electoral peak of the BNP culminated in two seats in European Parliament. Shaffer describes the party’s election strategy and how it hoped to turn local gains into national influence. Though the BNP election results surpassed the NF’s most successful national election vote total, the raised expectations and infighting resulted in a demoralized and disappointed party. At the same time, the BNP leadership increasingly focused on European matters to the anger of the party’s rank-and-file and its opposition to the European Union. A membership exodus continued and Griffin was eventually expelled from the party, leading him to focus on developing a transnational alliance with like-minded foreign radicals concerned about international events.