Four far-right activists from the nazi Patriotic Alternative group are standing for the nationalist English Democrats in the forthcoming General Election, after a secret deal between the two groups
Patriotic Alternative (PA) is the largest fascist organisation in the UK, but it has been lurching from one crisis to another over the last year. The group has been struggling to retain activists, many of whom have lapsed into inactivity or defected to other vehicles. Others have been forced out amid bitter disputes, often with the leader Mark Collett.
One source of embarrassment and discontent has been PA’s continued failure to successfully register with the Electoral Commission, which has frustrated activists and robbed them of a clear and meaningful metric for success. Some members have complained about a sense of aimlessness and many have tired of PA’s endless social events and questioned the utility of the lucrative online livestreams to which Collett and Towler dedicate much time.
These problems were made more acute when the PA splinter groups Homeland and the National Rebirth Party both managed to successfully register with the Electoral Commission. This has not gone unnoticed among Collett’s increasingly frustrated followers.
The Deal
The secret electoral deal was struck between PA leader Collett and English Democrats leader Robin Tilbrook and was revealed by HOPE not hate on social media last Saturday.
The two have a long relationship with Collett doing design work for Tillbrook in exchange for legal advice. Collett sees the deal as a way to placate his frustrated supporters by offering an opportunity for electoral activism while for Tilbrook it offers additional candidates for his tiny party.
However, the English Democrats are already supposed to be in an electoral pact with their fellow far-right minnows at UKIP. In September 2023 the two parties announced a merger with both planning to appear on ballot papers as the “Patriots Alliance”.
Just two candidates at the forthcoming general election appear to have used the name. What UKIP think about Tilbrook making a secret pact with an explicitly nazi group is yet to emerge.
The Candidates
After HOPE not hate exposed the deal and the PA candidates on social media last week Patriotic Alternative, confirmed our report via a post on Telegram stating that they are “proud to announce that four of our activists are standing as candidates for the English Democrats”.
Interestingly, despite not being officially registered as a non-party campaigner for the elections they have put a PA imprint on election material for the candidates which could be a breach of electoral law.
These are the four PA candidates:
Matthew Darrington is a former English Defence League activist standing in his hometown of Newark-on-Trent. He became PA’s regional organiser for the East Midlands following the defection of much of the branch to Homeland last year.
Thomas Bryer is based in the North West and is standing in Makerfield. He has been a speaker at a PA demonstration in Standish and attended a flash demo in Cannock.
Craig Buckley is standing in Leigh and Atherton in the North West of England and has been active with PA as part of their anti-migrant work in Wigan.
Patrick McGrath is standing in Bolton West. As well as PA he is a member of the Devil’s Diciples biker group.
When voters go to the polls on July 4th, they will choose between a record number of candidates. This year, 4,515 people are contesting parliamentary…
