British Democratic Party

:"This article refers to the far right group. For other parties with a similar name see Democratic Party (UK)."

The British Democratic Party was a short-lived far-right political party in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1979 when the Leicester branch of the National Front broke away from the main party under the leadership of Anthony Reed Herbert. Initially called the British Peoples Party, the name was quickly changed in order to avoid association with a pre-war splinter group from the British Union of Fascists. [S. Taylor, "The National Front in English Politics", London: Macmillan, 1982, p. 91] A British Democratic Party had also already existed in 1930s. It was a minor right wing anti-communist group.

Initially splitting from the NF over the leadership of John Tyndall, the BDP soon developed a fairly strong presence in Leicester where Reed Herbert was a respected lawyer. The British Movement's Ray Hill also became involved and worked alongside the leader to build up the organisational side of the party, although by this time Hill was working for Searchlight magazine.

During his work with the BDP, Hill secretly took part in a "World in Action" documentary about the party, during the course of which Reed Herbert and other leading members were put in touch with an American (who was also working with the show) from whom they could buy guns. When the show aired, the BDP were left badly discredited and John Grand Scrutton, a young member who was blamed for the incident, was forced to go on the run in the Republic of Ireland. (Ultimately, when he returned to Britain, no charges were laid). The incident forced the BDP to virtually cease operations, and it came as little surprise when they were brought to a conclusion in 1982 by re-joining Tyndall as founder members of the British National Party.

References

Bibliograpy

*R. Hill & A. Bell, "The Other Face of Terror- Inside Europe’s Neo-Nazi Network", London: Collins, 1988