Racial Preservation Society

The Racial Preservation Society was a right-wing pressure group opposed to immigration and in favour of white supremacy in the United Kingdom in the 1960s. The movement was led by a number of former members of the British Union of Fascists, including Ted Budden, Alan Hancock and Jimmy Doyle, and functioned as a propaganda group without branching into politics (although individual members were free to join political parties). Initially one of a number of such groups, it brought many local anti-immigration societies under its umbrella in 1966, with British National Party member Ray Bamford influential in this process. [M. Walker, "The National Front", Glasgow: Fontana Collins, 1977, pp. 59-60] As well as publishing a number of books and pamphlets, the RPS also produced a regular newspaper, "The Southern News", generally filled with horror stories about immigrants. The group was prosecuted under the Race Relations Act in 1968 at Lewes crown court but won the case. Prior to this, in 1967, the RPS had been a founding part of the British National Front, although it maintained an independent existence as a valuable resource for publishing ideas. [S. Taylor, "The National Front in English Politics", London: Macmillan, 1982, p. 18] Eventually, however, the movement faded as the NF became more well-known and the RPS was ultimately absorbed.

David Brown, the leading member during the merger, had not supported the formation of the NF and instead set up his own rival party, the National Democratic Party. The NDP incorporated a number of RPS members and affiliated groups, although the majority of the movement joined the NF.

References

Bibliography

* M. Walker, "The National Front", Glasgow: Fontana Collins, 1977