Home Office report labels concerns about mass migration ‘right-wing extremist’

The paper warned that: “right-wing extremist narratives (particularly around immigration and policing) are in some cases 'leaking' into mainstream debates.”

“Claims of 'two-tier' policing, where two groups are allegedly treated differently after similar behaviour is a recent example,” the report continued.

It was circulated across Whitehall in October and outlined different forms of "extremism" in Britain.

However, a source distanced the Government from the controversial report. They said: “This paper was not approved by Home Office Ministers.

“Many of the points it makes are completely wrong and do not reflect the views of the Government."

The source continued: “The Government has said many times that it shares the very legitimate concerns people across the country have on immigration and small boat crossings. This is why we recently announced an additional £150 million of investment in border security and have committed to cut net migration from record levels under the Tories.”

The memo was authored by the Research, Information and Communications Unit (RICU), an organisation focussed on terrorism and extremism, which is based in the Home Office.

Suella Braverman, the Conservative MP and former Home Secretary, told GB News: “This sensational document shows what the Labour Government really thinks about millions of hardworking British people.

“They are labelling opponents with all sorts of names to silence them.

“During my time as Home Secretary, RICU rightly dealt with Islamist terror as well as threats from genuine, far right extremists."

She stressed that “to say those who want to protect our borders are ‘ring-wing extremists’ is beyond disgraceful”.

“The truth is millions of British people worry about what is happening to their country.

“They don’t want to see the fabric of their society be changed by migration on a massive scale, to paint them as racists, as ‘fruit cakes and looneys’ as ‘conspiracy theorists’ is reprehensible."

The Home Office report claimed that ”hate fuelled narratives” are “often shared under the veil of free expression” by extreme right-wing people online.

Reform Party Deputy Leader Richard Tice told GB News: “Right-wing extremism barely exists in the UK.

“The Government is trying to shut down legitimate debate around mass migration by labelling mainstream views extremist.

“Describing concerns around immigration by using phrases such as 'the veil of free expression', 'cultural nationalism' and grievance narratives' are chillingly authoritarian.

“The Government is censoring concerns from patriotic, socially conservative Brits, including Reform voters, by falsely calling them extremist.”

RICU’s report warned that extreme Right-Wing narratives “can spark violent public disorder” and cited the anti-immigration protests and riots following the Southport attack in July.

The RICU report on extremism claimed that “ERW [Extreme Right-Wing] ideology often manifests through grievance narratives”.

Recent themes used by the right-wing extremists cited by RICU include: “anti-immigration, anti-LGBTQ+, anti-communism/left-wing, anti-Muslim, antisemitism, anti-feminism, and demographic change.”

It went on: "This is usually foregrounded by a sense of crisis and decline in society; society is presented as degenerating and heading toward an abyss.”

In 2023 then Conservative minister Lord Sharpe said in response to a parliamentary question that RICU was founded “to understand and counter terrorist and extremist ideologies to reduce the risk to the UK, its citizens, and its interests overseas”.

He continued: “RICU provides analysis on terrorist use of propaganda and exploitation of the internet to inform the UK’s counter-terrorism system”.

RICU stressed that right-wing extremism “can extend to include other conspiracy theories including those featuring allegations of state hypocrisy or bias.”

Robert Bates, Research Director and founder of the Centre for Migration Control, said: “To define cultural nationalism, a made up term, as extremist, is an attempt to demonise a mainstream, sensible, centrist position on the impact that mass migration is having on our society.”

“There is no doubt that open borders are eroding British culture, it is inevitable when assimilation has become impossible.

“One need look no further than the race riots in Leicester, the grooming gangs, and the reemergence of demonic antisemitism, to realise that massive demographic changes in Britain in the last two decades have introduced traits that are fundamentally Un-British."

He added: "The self-flagellation of the West by the political class is unlike anything seen before.”

“Cultural relativism denigrates the unique contributions that Britain has made. The very same people who condemned the fictitious demon of British cultural nationalism are the same people who would defend to the hilt the unique nature of Native American, Tibetan, or Taiwanese culture, for example.”

Mr Bates continued: “To label such beliefs extremist is a desperate attempt to gaslight the British people, we aren’t falling for it anymore.

“This Labour Government’s attempt to paint its enemies as extremists will have a chilling effect on freedom of speech.”

The Government source added: “Keeping the public safe is the first duty of any Government and we take the threat from violent extremism very seriously.

“The majority of this is Islamist extremism, followed by far right extremism and other violent fixations with growing threats and radicalisation among teenagers.

“We are looking at ways to ensure the Government is better prepared to respond where public safety is at risk.”