Comment on the recent Lewisham East by election has mainly been concerned with the voting patterns and proportions relating to the Brexit/Remain factors. The Lib Dems are desperate to justify their positioning as the political strand committed to reversing the referendum result. At least they now have a clearer distinguishing political stance considering that many voters have generally been at a loss to define what the Lib Dems stand for. I would be surprised if this will pay off. The tuition fees debacle is still remembered by their younger voters who are now older and wiser. However, how the minor parties win or lose votes to and from Labour and Conservative will be important. All of this is uncertain for various reasons. Will Theresa May's EU plan fail? Will Farage return to UKIP? Will Corbyn alter his position on the EU after years of seeing it as a capitalists' club?
Relatively unnoticed among the minor parties is the emergence of For Britain. Originating as a UKIP offshoot formed by Anne Marie Waters, For Britain is an example of the civilisationist parties which are becoming more and more successful throughout Europe. The civilisation referred to is of course Western civilisation in the generally accepted sense. This involves the acceptance of a Karl Popper defined open society, democratic institutions and free press, the rule of law with an independent judiciary. Another feature is the tendency of the population to reject those political currents that advocate violence or propose revolutionary activity. It is possible to argue that Christian doctrine (or at least some of it) plays a part but Greek philosophy and secularist principles may be just as or more influential. What the civilisationist parties are opposed to is relatively clear. Those cultures which have elements of active opposition to western society, that consider others to be inferior, that demand special privilege and avoid integration are at the forefront of civilisationist policies. At the top of the list are those migrants from areas where Islam is the dominant culture.
Anne Marie Waters political experience has almost certainly been shaped by her work with Sharia Watch and the One Law For All campaign(which she left in 2013) but her stand against islamic privilege was probably too much for her UKIP colleagues. Ignorant analysis tends to categorise civilisationist parties as 'far right racist' or 'fascist' but these labels have little value and are usually just used as a derogatory slur. Closer examination shows that civilisationist parties can be anti-authoritarian and even economically socialist. It is also inaccurate to assume they are strongly nationalist though they are invariably pro European Enlightenment. There is a possibility that antisemites could try to infiltrate and unless they had a careful recruitment policy any bad publicity would seriously inhibit membership growth. A good model is Geert Wilder's Freedom Party which is very pro Israel and has been particularly good at vetting its membership.
Only 238 votes at Lewisham East, faced with often violent opposition and the resulting difficulties in campaigning it will be a struggle for For Britain to take off, but if nothing else, Waters is very determined.
Relatively unnoticed among the minor parties is the emergence of For Britain. Originating as a UKIP offshoot formed by Anne Marie Waters, For Britain is an example of the civilisationist parties which are becoming more and more successful throughout Europe. The civilisation referred to is of course Western civilisation in the generally accepted sense. This involves the acceptance of a Karl Popper defined open society, democratic institutions and free press, the rule of law with an independent judiciary. Another feature is the tendency of the population to reject those political currents that advocate violence or propose revolutionary activity. It is possible to argue that Christian doctrine (or at least some of it) plays a part but Greek philosophy and secularist principles may be just as or more influential. What the civilisationist parties are opposed to is relatively clear. Those cultures which have elements of active opposition to western society, that consider others to be inferior, that demand special privilege and avoid integration are at the forefront of civilisationist policies. At the top of the list are those migrants from areas where Islam is the dominant culture.
Anne Marie Waters political experience has almost certainly been shaped by her work with Sharia Watch and the One Law For All campaign(which she left in 2013) but her stand against islamic privilege was probably too much for her UKIP colleagues. Ignorant analysis tends to categorise civilisationist parties as 'far right racist' or 'fascist' but these labels have little value and are usually just used as a derogatory slur. Closer examination shows that civilisationist parties can be anti-authoritarian and even economically socialist. It is also inaccurate to assume they are strongly nationalist though they are invariably pro European Enlightenment. There is a possibility that antisemites could try to infiltrate and unless they had a careful recruitment policy any bad publicity would seriously inhibit membership growth. A good model is Geert Wilder's Freedom Party which is very pro Israel and has been particularly good at vetting its membership.
Only 238 votes at Lewisham East, faced with often violent opposition and the resulting difficulties in campaigning it will be a struggle for For Britain to take off, but if nothing else, Waters is very determined.
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