Next Saturday, tens of thousands of anti-immigration protesters are expected to march through the streets of London under the banner 'Unite the Kingdom.'
The march is led by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson, a Luton-born anti-Islam activist who consistently rejects the 'far-right' label. He describes himself as a defender of free speech and patriotism.
Robinson’s supporters have turned this denial into their own slogan, often carrying placards reading 'We are not far right, we are just right.'
However, scholars who have spent years studying the structures of far-right movements and organizations — such as HOPE not hate, which closely monitors the far right — tell a different story.
Their argument is not simply about Robinson; it is about the term 'far right' itself, which is not a precise classification. Its meaning shifts depending on who uses it, and this ambiguity is something figures like Robinson have learned to exploit.
Experts say it is crucial to understand the label before using it. Applying it loosely to moderate opinions risks 'whitewashing' the far right. And when figures who meet the academic definition successfully reject the label, their politics can appear more acceptable than they really are.
While current debates often revolve around figures like Robinson, the modern use of the term 'far right' has deep roots in European political history.
