Today in Focus How to defeat Britain’s far right
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Sep 29, 2025 Nick Lowles, founder of the anti-fascist organization Hope Not Hate, has dedicated decades to fighting far-right extremism. He shares his journey from encountering the National Front in his youth to infiltrating groups like Combat 18 to gather vital intelligence. Lowles discusses crucial successes, including preventing violence in Oldham and the role his organization played in convicting Tommy Robinson. He stresses the importance of community resilience and offers strategic advice for countering far-right narratives while highlighting the changing tactics of online radicalization.
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Van Surveillance In Oldham
- Nick Lowles and a colleague sat in a van outside a BNP meeting in Oldham, surveilling far-right activity despite personal risk.
- They feared exposure from neo-Nazis who peered into the pub, illustrating the dangers of undercover monitoring.
Far Right Has Become Mainstream
- Lowles warns the far right is now mainstream and politicians sometimes follow it rather than lead.
- He views recent national silence as alarming and unprecedented in his decades of experience.
Infiltrating Combat 18 To Stop Bombings
- Lowles described infiltrating Combat 18 and turning members, notably Darren Wells, to prevent bomb campaigns.
- Those infiltrations directly stopped extreme violence and terrorism plots in the 1990s–2000s.
