The second in our series looking at some of the bigger names in UK fascism in 2025. We started with the new kid on the block Great British National Protest, so today we're going to checkout the more wizened Britain First (BF).
Led by ex-NF and BNP activist Paul Golding since its founding in 2011, BF tends to push fundamentalist Christianity in much of its messaging. This religious foregrounding isn’t that surprising, given they were secretly funded by former BNP money man and Protestant nutcase Rev. Jim Dowson. Jim was the brains and cash behind the throne in the early days, but he has since left to get involved in increasingly esoteric fascist movements in the UK, Ireland, and eastern europe.
Jim’s public reason for resigning from BF was his disapproval of Paul’s antics, saying BF was "being
overrun with racists and extremists." Ostracisation by his
fellow travellers is a running theme for Golding who was (somehow) kicked out of the BNP for being too violently racist, oversaw an exodus of
supporters after failing to cover-up sexual assault allegations
against him, and was recorded admitting to violently abusing his
former deputy and (briefly) partner Jayda Fransen.
Paul Golding admitting beating Jayda Fransen and one other woman
Despite all these setbacks and their leader’s repeated criminal convictions, BF have soldiered on to become one of Britain’s longer lasting fascist movements. Presumably, this is because the only way Paul can fund his penchant for pin-striped suits is milking donations from his dwindling pool of supporters.
