Conservatives urged to clamp down on ‘far-right entryism’ after Britain First tells members to join Britain First is encouraging its members to join the Conservative Party to show support for its ‘hardline approach’

A far-right group claims that its members are joining the Conservative Party to support Boris Johnson and encourage an anti-Islam stance.

Britain First, an offshoot of the British National Party, encouraged its members to sign up to the Conservatives as part of a drive to pull the party further to the right.

Spokesperson Ashlea Simon told The Observer: “We will support a party that is willing to take a firm stance against radical Islam and it looks like the Tories are willing to do that… the majority of our followers appreciate [Home Secretary] Priti Patel’s and Boris Johnson’s hardline approach.”

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Britain First claims that 5,000 of its supporters have joined the Conservatives – though the size of the group is disputed, and extremism watchdog Hope Not Hate estimates that it has just 1,000 members.

The far-right group originally amassed more than two million followers on Facebook, but its reach declined significantly in March 2018 when it was banned from the platform for “inciting animosity and hatred against minority groups.”

The group’s leaders were also banned from Twitter in 2017, weeks after US President Donald Trump retweeted three of its anti-Muslim videos.

Hard right entryists

Responding to The Observer‘s report, prospective Labour leadership hopeful David Lammy wrote: “Hard right entryists have turned the Conservative party into a revolutionary sect.

“They are rewarded with Knighthoods and celebrated as the best of British. In truth, they are an abhorrent stain our increasingly fragile democracy.”

London Assembly Member Tom Copley added: “This is deeply disturbing. The Tories must take swift action to expel anyone who is or has been a member of Britain First – a bunch of racist, fascist thugs.”

i has contacted the Conservative Party for comment.

Islamophobia probe

Conservative Party chair James Cleverly issued an apology for Islamophobia in the party earlier this month, after a string of revelations about Tory candidates making anti-Muslim remarks.

Boris Johnson had committed to holding an inquiry into Islamophobia while running to become Conservative leader, but later went back on the pledge – instead promising a probe of “all types of prejudice.”

The party’s former chair Baroness Warsi said at the time: “There is a gulf between the rhetoric of tackling Islamophobia in my party and my party actually tackling it.

“Time and time again we see those accused of anti-Muslim racism face no penalty and no consequence.

“They continue to be embraced by the party leadership and this sends a clear message that there is a culture of impunity on the issue of Islamophobia in the Conservative party.”