Today the University of Northampton publishes its new study The EDL: Britain’s ‘New Far Right’ Social Movement.

You can download it here.

I’ll try to do a review of this later, but in the meantime I would recommend Chapter 4, “The English Defence League’s leaders and followers”, by Mark Pitchford. Its conclusion is spot on:

“First, the EDL is unarguably connected to the BNP and other far‐right groups, whether by previous association or by shared interest. Secondly, some of these far‐right individuals have possessed significant weaponry that identifies them as potential ‘lone wolf’ terrorists. Thirdly, EDL leaders and followers have engaged in criminality, especially racially aggravated incidents. Fourthly, the EDL engages in double-speak that powerfully questions their claim to be a single‐issue, non‐racist movement.”

Perhaps someone should send a copy of this chapter to Adrian Tudway.