Formed in 1982, the British National Party (BNP) is still the most successful extreme right political party in British history, once boasting dozens of councillors, two MEPs and fielding hundreds of parliamentary candidates. The party has collapsed, however, and continues to exist purely for the financial benefit of leader Adam Walker and treasurer Clive Jefferson.

Since former leader Nick Griffin lost his seat in the European Parliament in 2014, the proverbial nail has been in the BNP’s coffin. However, the party remains cash rich, principally funded by death-bed bequests, as Griffin largely spent his final years as leader getting elderly people to pledge their fortunes to the party. 

There are still sporadic attempts by former members and staffers to wrestle the party out of the hands of Walker and Jefferson – the two criminals that now own the BNP – but the time to rescue both the party and its household name has long passed. 

The current leadership no longer even bothers to field candidates, having little discernible interest in keeping up a pretence the party is functioning – except for a website where the obligatory attempts to solicit donations continue. 

Those who cut their teeth in the BNP have flitted between various minor parties and groups for years, but the largest contingent have found a home in the British Democrats, led by the former BNP councillor Jim Lewthwaite and MEP Andrew Brons.