During the first ten days following a disastrous drubbing for the entire far right at England’s local elections, each of the fractious PA factions has interpreted these results as a vindication.
Alek Yerbury’s barmy army took the results as confirmation that traditional politics offer no hope for fascist politics. All the usual reasons apply. The system is rigged, sinister forces are in control behind the scenes. Anyone reading Searchlight at any point during the past fifty years would be able to predict the street gang leader’s analysis, almost word for word.
Kenny Smith’s Homeland Party and Mark Collett’s remaining PA podcasters argue that low turnout in these elections proves public disillusionment with the system. Homeland add the extra twist that PA let their fellow racists down by failing to register as a political party.
In a late boost for Homeland, one of Collett’s online stars – Barkley Walsh from Norwich – has quit PA to join Kenny Smith’s rebels.
Since the age of 13, Walsh has been one of Collett’s acolytes, and was promoted as a rising ‘talent’, speaking at PA conferences and regularly appearing as a guest in online streams as part of the group’s leadership cadre.
But during the past year Walsh became disillusioned with the man he once hero-worshipped, and he has now publicly denounced Collett.
He told followers of his online stream Renew Britannia that “I no longer have faith that PA is the vehicle to drive the serious change we need in this country to save our people. Frankly I am disgusted by the behaviour of the PA leadership over the past week. Specifically, but not limited to, in regard to the unrelenting untruths propagated by them to save the face of their now doomed organisation. The smearing of decent and hardworking people who I have known for years is unforgivable.”
Walsh concluded: “The damage which has happened within the organisation and the direction the leadership will take it, means it simply cannot return to a healthy state with longevity; it is unsalvageable. …The PA leadership damage control and spin can only cover up the gaping holes for so long.”
Walsh’s attack is especially pertinent when readers bear in mind that his regional organiser is Steve Blake, one of Collett’s main allies in the “smearing” of his old ally Kenny Smith and Co.
Conspiracy theorists on the British fascist scene are already speculating that Blake might be playing a double game, and that Walsh will act as a bridge for Blake’s own eventual public defection to PA.
Collett’s deputy Laura Towler has joined in the “smears” by implying that people close to the top of Homeland have been leaking information to Searchlight. In an online stream last week she wondered why we had such detailed advance knowledge of the developing split.
Naturally, we can’t confirm or deny the sources of our information. But if Laura wishes to keep informed about the next defections from her own party, she should keep reading Searchlight
