English nationalism vs. the BNP

At the English nationalist site Steadfast can be found a 2004 article by Tony Linsell with some interesting criticism of the British National Party, or at any rate of many of its members (see jpegs of the scanned article here and here). He claims that the BNP has been backing what he sees as a dying horse in the form of British nationalism, which is based on an artificial British political identity, as opposed to English nationalism, which arises out of a true ethnic identity. "Britishness" has become identified with a multicultural society holding little appeal to Scottish, Welsh or English nationalists, while English nationalist feelings seem to be on the rise. BNP-style British nationalism appears, meanwhile, to be linked to a sense of White racial identity which Linsell rejects as "shallow and contrived".

. . . . I suspect that although many British nationalists, both within the BNP and elsewhere, have been alarmed by the rapid rise in the expression of English [as opposed to British] nationalism, others have seen it as an opportunity to adopt a positive approach to politics—to be for the promotion of English interests and perhaps even for an English Parliament, or is that too big a leap for them? To what extent any change is sincere rather than opportunist, I do not know. Whatever the case, it must be evident to all but the politically blind that nothing is to be gained from appealing to a dying British identity . . . .

The main problem for the BNP is its political ancestry and the image that hangs over it and many of its members. Nick Griffin has worked hard to change that image and to attract more middleclass and professional people to the party but such is the media propaganda (and perhaps the reality) that many are reluctant to join . . . .

The growth in English nationalism has had a similar effect on the BNP as on UKIP in that it looks to be stuck in a 1980s time warp with an outdated flag and British identity. However, during the past few years it has been moving towards an acceptance of, and adjustment to, the new political situation. A problem for those seeking this shift in position is that many long-standing members of the BNP are wedded to a White and a British identity. Like their Black counterparts, their worldview is centred on race. When I have had conversations with some of these people it has soon become evident that they see English nationalism as divisive, something that should not be encouraged; a few are extremely hostile to it and its advocates. I have been told that Englishness is a petty consideration when the White race is threatened with extinction—we should all stand together as White people. Why should I, an Englishman, with a rich national identity, abandon it and adopt a While racial identity that is a pale imitation [sic] of the equally shallow and contrived Black identity—a device used to unite people who have no national culture. Black-Africans do not answer to that call because they have their tribal/national identity. A Black identity is not for Black-Africans, it is for Black-Americans, and others like them, who through no fault of their own have lost their rich national identity and have to make do with something far less substantial. My Englishness is my core identity, which towers above all others. Beyond that I feel part of a European identity, which is also a White identity. These natural identities are far more important to me than the contrived political identities that come and go, such as British or EU citizen.

States demand my loyalty but I instinctively and freely give it to those identities that are my birthright. For this reason, nationalists believe that the foundation for democracy is a self-governing national community, i.e. a nation-state. The nearest we English can get to this is through the creation of an English Parliament, which is a practical political objective. For this reason I not only want but demand such a parliament, and feel no loyalty whatsover to a Scottish dominated government which is denying that right. I couldn't care less that Blair, Brown, Prescott (Welsh) and the others are White, for me they are foreigners who are destroying England and the English way-of-life. I want rid of them.

. . . . In short, UKIP and the BNP are doomed to failure unless they embrace English, Scottish, and Welsh nationalism, and the pressure for devolution. The set of historical circumstances that gave birth to the UK have gone and much older suppressed interests and feeling[s] of identity have revived. It is necessary to move forward to a new and better constitutional settlement that serves the interests of all the countries and indigenous nations of the United Kingdom.

A 2005 article by BNP leader Nick Griffin states that the BNP has, in fact, embraced "the pressure for devolution" since about 2000, favouring the continuation of Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish national assemblies alongside an English parliament. (The latter would represent only the ethnic English, not any remaining immigrant population, who would apparently be left unrepresented; this seems to be the big point of contention between the BNP and those more moderate groups which are also advocating an English parliament.) But there is a suggestion in the same article that he aims to exploit the rising popularity of English nationalism opportunistically: "we are making vigorous efforts to turn the massive grass-roots growth in English national sentiment into a positive force for radical political change and genuine white ethno-nationalism."

This is all fairly confusing. One thing I am struck by is the seeming inability even by someone as close to the nationalist scene as Tony Linsell to determine whether the BNP means what it says about adopting a more "positive" approach to politics. Another point is that English nationalism certainly does not preclude racism, any more than British nationalism does. However, since English nationalism emphasizes the English cultural heritage, it would presumably not be out of the question for English nationalists to accept assimilated non-whites into the English community. (Intermarriage would seem to be important aspect of assimilation here.) Such acceptance is not possible for the BNP brand of nationalism, for which race is fundamental. On the other hand, there may be some substance to the BNP's claim that "bourgeois" English nationalists are simply scared to face up to the issue of non-English minorities living in England.

Finally, Tony Linsell's English nationalism relies on the preservation of a rich English culture. If their culture is allowed to wither away, nationalists will be left with an exclusively racial or biological identity. Without English culture, English nationalism may find itself as "shallow and contrived" as White nationalism, with no inherent advantage over it. And so far, it is the coarse race-nationalists of the BNP who have been showing political energy.