Foreign friends and British fascism: understanding the American Friends of the British National Party

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article explores the first British National Party effort to establish a branch in a foreign country with the purpose of furthering political objectives in Great Britain. Specifically, it examines the American Friends of the British National Party by exploring its origins and activities as well as assessing its impact on contemporary British fascism. Using author interviews, United States government documents, tax returns and access to scarce publications, it finds the American Friends was instrumental in establishing social links across the Atlantic and raising key individuals’ profiles even though its financial contributions and actual membership were marginal.