Introduction

This chapter provides a contextual setting which incorporates the legal culture of England and Wales and, its common law system, discussing the unity of England and Wales as one legal system. It explores the phenomenon of the far-right in the UK, referring to the key characteristics of this movement and groups present therein, through an analysis of political parties, non-party groups and the subculture milieu. The chapter examines the development of the political activity of the far-right movement in the UK, providing information regarding the performance of far-right political parties in general elections and European elections. The British National Party was founded in 1982, predominantly by members of the National Front and was initially led by John Tyndall, who remained leader until 1999. Since the revised 2011 Prevent Strategy, the government defines extremism as ‘vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs’.