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Nigel Farage's Reform Party is the biggest far-right political threat to Britain, according to a report by Britain's leading anti-fascist group.
HOPE not hate's State of Hate 2025 report , billed as the "most comprehensive and analytical guide to the far-right in Britain today", comes in the wake of last summer's riots and waves of extremist sentiment being stirred up by media personalities and billionaires, like Elon Musk.
The report, Reform Rising and Racist Riots, highlights a stark change in the far-right landscape from 2024, which focused on an increasingly radicalised Conservative Party. With the Conservatives sidelined, and right wing politicians having lost their seats or defected to Reform, the focus has shifted onto more pressing threats, split into three prominent areas.
First, the rise of Reform as a political force, from securing five parliamentary seats at the last General Election, which would have been inconceivable just a few weeks earlier, before Farage decided to take the helm. Then, there's the support it is likely to receive from malign actors with undue influence, like Musk.
After securing 4.1 million votes, 14% of the total, Reform's results represent the biggest win for a far-right party ever at the ballot box. The Party also came in second in 98 constituencies (89 of which were secured by Labour) and secured over 20% of the vote in 148, all despite lacking any real political infrastructure or informed data-led insights.
Since the election, the party has been establishing hundreds of local branches, and increasing its activists on-the-ground. It now claims to have over 219,000 members and is recruiting more seasoned campaigners to fight the upcoming local and mayoral elections. The Party is also regularly topping opinion polls, and according to HOPE not hate polling, could secure 169 seats if a General Election was held today.
Going forward, the party is likely, the report explains, to also receive the backing of Musk, either directly through donations or via his manipulation of the algorithm on X to favour the party, part of a trend of his weaponising influence to promote far-right parties across Europe.
It remains to be seen, however, how this will affect Reform, as the majority of the country dislikes Musk and disapproves of him meddling in our politics.
The report also highlights the return of currently incarcerated far-right agitator Stephen Lennon (AKA Tommy Robinson), who Musk has also been championing. In July 2024, Lennon held the largest far-right demonstration seen in the UK for decades in central London, attended by as many as 30,000 people and watched by 500,000 over livestream. During the event, he thanked Musk for restoring his X account, where his extremist content reaches millions.
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Tommy Robinson Supporters Network Has Links to Neo-Nazi Groups and a Library of Terrorism Manuals
A Byline Times investigation finds members have access to an online library of bomb-making manuals, and instructions for assembling home-made firearms
Katherine Denkinson
In January, it was reported that Musk was to start funding Lennon, as he called for his release from prison, triggering a backlash from parliamentarians. The move caused a rift between Musk and Farage, who was forced to distance himself from the comments, causing the billionaire to, for a time, call for Farage's replacement as Reform leader.
Lennon, who is currently serving time for contempt of court, is due to be released as soon as this summer.
HOPE not hate's report also reflects on how the riots - which erupted across 18 towns and cities across England in July and Augus...
To support its work, subscribe to the monthly Byline Times print edition, packed with exclusive investigations, news, and analysis.
Help us build the better media Britain deserves
Nigel Farage's Reform Party is the biggest far-right political threat to Britain, according to a report by Britain's leading anti-fascist group.
HOPE not hate's State of Hate 2025 report , billed as the "most comprehensive and analytical guide to the far-right in Britain today", comes in the wake of last summer's riots and waves of extremist sentiment being stirred up by media personalities and billionaires, like Elon Musk.
The report, Reform Rising and Racist Riots, highlights a stark change in the far-right landscape from 2024, which focused on an increasingly radicalised Conservative Party. With the Conservatives sidelined, and right wing politicians having lost their seats or defected to Reform, the focus has shifted onto more pressing threats, split into three prominent areas.
First, the rise of Reform as a political force, from securing five parliamentary seats at the last General Election, which would have been inconceivable just a few weeks earlier, before Farage decided to take the helm. Then, there's the support it is likely to receive from malign actors with undue influence, like Musk.
After securing 4.1 million votes, 14% of the total, Reform's results represent the biggest win for a far-right party ever at the ballot box. The Party also came in second in 98 constituencies (89 of which were secured by Labour) and secured over 20% of the vote in 148, all despite lacking any real political infrastructure or informed data-led insights.
Since the election, the party has been establishing hundreds of local branches, and increasing its activists on-the-ground. It now claims to have over 219,000 members and is recruiting more seasoned campaigners to fight the upcoming local and mayoral elections. The Party is also regularly topping opinion polls, and according to HOPE not hate polling, could secure 169 seats if a General Election was held today.
Going forward, the party is likely, the report explains, to also receive the backing of Musk, either directly through donations or via his manipulation of the algorithm on X to favour the party, part of a trend of his weaponising influence to promote far-right parties across Europe.
It remains to be seen, however, how this will affect Reform, as the majority of the country dislikes Musk and disapproves of him meddling in our politics.
The report also highlights the return of currently incarcerated far-right agitator Stephen Lennon (AKA Tommy Robinson), who Musk has also been championing. In July 2024, Lennon held the largest far-right demonstration seen in the UK for decades in central London, attended by as many as 30,000 people and watched by 500,000 over livestream. During the event, he thanked Musk for restoring his X account, where his extremist content reaches millions.
EXCLUSIVE
Tommy Robinson Supporters Network Has Links to Neo-Nazi Groups and a Library of Terrorism Manuals
A Byline Times investigation finds members have access to an online library of bomb-making manuals, and instructions for assembling home-made firearms
Katherine Denkinson
In January, it was reported that Musk was to start funding Lennon, as he called for his release from prison, triggering a backlash from parliamentarians. The move caused a rift between Musk and Farage, who was forced to distance himself from the comments, causing the billionaire to, for a time, call for Farage's replacement as Reform leader.
Lennon, who is currently serving time for contempt of court, is due to be released as soon as this summer.
HOPE not hate's report also reflects on how the riots - which erupted across 18 towns and cities across England in July and Augus...
