The rise of Restore Britain, a new far-right party founded by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe and backed by Elon Musk, is reshaping UK politics. The party advocates for the deportation of undocumented migrants and legally resident foreign nationals in social housing or on benefits, with Lowe calling for 'millions and millions' to leave. Its supporters include individuals linked to neo-Nazis who promote 'total remigration' of non-white Britons.
Restore Britain claims 130,000 members, potentially surpassing the Conservatives. Labour canvassers in the Makerfield by-election report the party is gaining traction. While it may split the right-wing vote and help Labour's Andy Burnham, experts warn against complacency, viewing it as part of a broader normalisation of far-right ideas across the West.
Historically, a post-WWII consensus barred far-right parties from mainstream politics, but this has eroded. Austria's Freedom Party entered government in 2000, and similar parties have since gained power in the Netherlands and Spain. Centre-right parties increasingly adopt anti-migrant agendas, while the US Republican Party has been overtaken by far-right elements, normalising rhetoric that would once have ended careers.
In the UK, Nigel Farage now speaks of 'anti-white prejudice', and Reform UK advocates deporting lawful foreign residents. As Restore Britain pressures Reform from the right, the Conservatives shift further right to compete. The old guardrails of UK politics have collapsed, with far-right policies entering the mainstream.
