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{{Short description|British politician}}
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'''John Kingsley Read''' (1937–1985) was chairman of the [[National Front (United Kingdom)|British National Front]] (NF) from 1974 to 1976 and a founder of the [[National Party (UK, 1976)|National Party]].
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
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'''John Kingsley Read''' (18 April 1936 – 18 September 1985) was a British [[fascist]] politician and [[Holocaust denier]]. He was chairman of the [[National Front (UK)|National Front]] (NF) from 1974 until 1976, when he founded the [[National Party (UK, 1976)|National Party]].


A former member of the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] and chairman of the [[Blackburn]] [[Young Conservatives (UK)|Young Conservatives]], Read left to join the NF in 1973 having addressed a rally against the arrival of [[Ugandan Asians]] in Britain earlier that same year in [[Blackburn]].<ref>Martin Walker, ''The National Front'', Glasgow: Fontana Collins, 1977, p. 136</ref>
A former member of the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] and chairman of the [[Blackburn]] [[Young Conservatives (UK)|Young Conservatives]], Read left to join the NF in 1973 having addressed a rally against the arrival of [[Ugandan Asians]] in Britain earlier that same year in [[Blackburn]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Walker |first=Martin |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/3547295 |title=The National Front |date=1977-01-23 |publisher=Fontana |isbn=0-00-634824-6 |location=London |page=136 |oclc=3547295}}</ref>


A strong orator, Read rose quickly through the NF ranks, his style drawing comparisons to American politician [[George Wallace]], to whom he also bore a passing physical resemblance.<ref>M. Walker,'' The National Front'', Fontana Collins, Revised Edition 1978, pp. 176</ref> Read was later denounced as a drunkard by [[Andrew Fountaine]].<ref>J. Bean, ''Many Shades of Black - Inside Britain's far Right'', p. 217</ref>
A strong orator, Read rose quickly through the NF ranks, his style drawing comparisons to American politician [[George Wallace]], to whom he also bore a passing physical resemblance.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Walker |first=Martin J |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/271034322 |title=The National Front |date=1978 |publisher=Fontana |edition=2nd rev. |location=London |page=176 |oclc=271034322}}</ref> Read was later denounced as a drunkard by [[Andrew Fountaine]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bean |first=John |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/45906334 |title=Many shades of black |date=1999 |publisher=New Millennium |isbn=1-85845-256-2 |location=London |page=217 |oclc=45906334}}</ref>


After securing the support of potential rival [[Roy Painter]], Read was elected Chairman of the National Front in 1974, with the neo-imperialist [[John Tyndall (politician)|John Tyndall]] his deputy chairman, in what was regarded as a vote by the '[[populism|populist]]' or [[Strasserism|Strasserite]] wing of the party against the authoritarian Tyndall.<ref>M. Walker, ''The National Front'', Fontana Collins, Revised Edition 1978pp 175-177</ref>
After securing the support of potential rival [[Roy Painter]], Read was elected chairman of the National Front in 1974, with the neo-imperialist [[John Tyndall (far-right activist)|John Tyndall]] his deputy chairman, in what was regarded as a vote by the "[[populism|populist]]" or [[Strasserism|Strasserite]] wing of the party against the authoritarian Tyndall.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Walker |first=Martin J |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/271034322 |title=The National Front |date=1978 |publisher=Fontana |edition=2nd rev. |location=London |pages=175–177 |oclc=271034322}}</ref>


Later Read himself "drifted" into the populist camp but was only narrowly re-elected as Chairman in 1975.<ref>M. Walker, ''The National Front'', Fontana Collins, Revised Edition 1978 p186, 188</ref> He tried to expel Tyndall from the party but Read's decision was overturned at the High Court.
Later, Read himself "drifted" into the populist camp but was only narrowly re-elected as chairman in 1975.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Walker |first=Martin J |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/271034322 |title=The National Front |date=1978 |publisher=Fontana |edition=2nd rev. |location=London |pages=186, 188 |oclc=271034322}}</ref> He tried to expel Tyndall from the party but Read's decision was overturned at the High Court.


Read then quit the NF along with many of his followers to establish the [[National Party (UK, 1976)|National Party]] (NP), which won two seats on [[Blackburn Council]], one of them held by Read, but their other councillor was disqualified for election irregularities.
In 1976, Read left the NF along with many of his followers to establish the [[National Party (UK, 1976)|National Party]] (NP), which won two seats on [[Blackburn Council]], one of them held by Read, but their other councillor was disqualified for election irregularities.


Read designed the front cover motif for the British edition of [[Arthur Butz]]'s [[holocaust denial]] book ''[[The Hoax of the Twentieth Century]]''<ref>Ray Hill & Andrew Bell, ''The Other Face of Terror'', Grafton, 1988, pp. 235</ref> which was circulated by the NP. After the murder of a young Sikh man in a suspected racist attack, Read remarked during a speech at an NP meeting, "One down, a million to go", which effectively ended his presentation of a more 'moderate' stance. Read was later acquitted for making the statement in a decision which aroused "furious controversy".<ref>M. Walker, ''The National Front'', Fontana Collins, Revised Edition 1978, pp. 234</ref>
Read designed the front cover motif for the British edition of [[Arthur Butz]]'s [[Holocaust denial]] book, ''[[The Hoax of the Twentieth Century]]'',<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Hill |first1=Ray |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/59237605 |title=The other face of terror : inside Europe's neo-Nazi network |last2=Bell |first2=Andrew |date=1988 |publisher=Grafton |isbn=0-586-06935-6 |location=London |page=235 |oclc=59237605}}</ref> which was circulated by the NP. After the murder of a young Sikh man, Gurdip Singh Chaggar, in a suspected racist attack, Read remarked during a speech at an NP meeting, "One down, a million to go," which effectively ended his presentation of a more "moderate" stance. Read was later acquitted of making the statement in a decision which aroused "furious controversy".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Walker |first=Martin J |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/271034322 |title=The National Front |date=1978 |publisher=Fontana |edition=2nd rev. |location=London |page=234 |oclc=271034322}}</ref>


Following Read's death in 1985, [[Nick Griffin]] asserted that Kingsley Read had been working with the knowledge of other leading members of the NF to feed false information to ''[[Searchlight magazine|Searchlight]]'' magazine, although John Tyndall was convinced that Kingsley Read had been a double agent.<ref>J. Tyndall, 'An Enemy Agent is "Exonerated"', ''[[Spearhead (magazine)|Spearhead]]'', August 2002, p. 11</ref> ''Searchlight'' stated that Read had supplied them with the entire membership list of the National Party.<ref>''Searchlight'' magazine 327 September 2002</ref>
Following Read's death in 1985, [[Nick Griffin]] asserted that Kingsley Read had been working with the knowledge of other leading members of the NF to feed false information to ''[[Searchlight (magazine)|Searchlight]]'' magazine, although John Tyndall was convinced that Read had been a double agent.<ref>{{cite journal |author=J. Tyndall |title=An Enemy Agent is "Exonerated" |journal=[[Spearhead (magazine)|Spearhead]] |date=August 2002 |page=11}}</ref> ''Searchlight'' stated that Read had supplied them with the entire membership list of the National Party.<ref>''Searchlight'', September 2002</ref>

In 1984, Read appeared in ''The Other Face of Terror'', a British documentary about far-right groups. Read openly admitted designing and helping to distribute Holocaust denial material.<ref>{{Citation |title=British Far Right documentary 1984 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzEG1njUfH0 |access-date=2022-03-29 |via=YouTube}}</ref>


==Elections contested==
==Elections contested==
{{unreferenced|section|date=April 2024}}
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Date of election !! Constituency !! Party !! Votes !! %
! Date of election !! Constituency !! Party !! Votes !! %
|-
|-
| [[United Kingdom general election, February 1974|February 1974]] || [[Blackburn (UK Parliament constituency)|Blackburn]] || [[British National Front|NF]] || 1778 || 4.2
| [[February 1974 United Kingdom general election|February 1974]] || [[Blackburn (UK Parliament constituency)|Blackburn]] || [[British National Front|NF]] || 1,778 || 4.2
|-
|-
| [[United Kingdom general election, October 1974|October 1974]] || [[Blackburn (UK Parliament constituency)|Blackburn]] || NF || 1758 || 4.4
| [[October 1974 United Kingdom general election|October 1974]] || [[Blackburn (UK Parliament constituency)|Blackburn]] || NF || 1,758 || 4.4
|-
|-
| 4 March 1976 || [[Coventry North West (UK Parliament constituency)|Coventry NW]] || [[National Party (UK, 1976)|NP]] || 208 || 0.6
| 4 March 1976 || [[Coventry North West (UK Parliament constituency)|Coventry NW]] || [[National Party (UK, 1976)|NP]] || 208 || 0.6
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{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Read, John Kingsley}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Read, John Kingsley}}
[[Category:1937 births]]
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:1985 deaths]]
[[Category:1985 deaths]]
[[Category:Leaders of the National Front (UK)]]
[[Category:British Holocaust deniers]]
[[Category:Councillors in Lancashire]]
[[Category:Councillors in Lancashire]]
[[Category:English far-right politicians]]
[[Category:English far-right politicians]]
[[Category:Far-right politics in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Leaders of the National Front (UK)]]
[[Category:English Holocaust deniers]]

Latest revision as of 20:27, 6 May 2024

John Kingsley Read (18 April 1936 – 18 September 1985) was a British fascist politician and Holocaust denier. He was chairman of the National Front (NF) from 1974 until 1976, when he founded the National Party.

A former member of the Conservative Party and chairman of the Blackburn Young Conservatives, Read left to join the NF in 1973 having addressed a rally against the arrival of Ugandan Asians in Britain earlier that same year in Blackburn.[1]

A strong orator, Read rose quickly through the NF ranks, his style drawing comparisons to American politician George Wallace, to whom he also bore a passing physical resemblance.[2] Read was later denounced as a drunkard by Andrew Fountaine.[3]

After securing the support of potential rival Roy Painter, Read was elected chairman of the National Front in 1974, with the neo-imperialist John Tyndall his deputy chairman, in what was regarded as a vote by the "populist" or Strasserite wing of the party against the authoritarian Tyndall.[4]

Later, Read himself "drifted" into the populist camp but was only narrowly re-elected as chairman in 1975.[5] He tried to expel Tyndall from the party but Read's decision was overturned at the High Court.

In 1976, Read left the NF along with many of his followers to establish the National Party (NP), which won two seats on Blackburn Council, one of them held by Read, but their other councillor was disqualified for election irregularities.

Read designed the front cover motif for the British edition of Arthur Butz's Holocaust denial book, The Hoax of the Twentieth Century,[6] which was circulated by the NP. After the murder of a young Sikh man, Gurdip Singh Chaggar, in a suspected racist attack, Read remarked during a speech at an NP meeting, "One down, a million to go," which effectively ended his presentation of a more "moderate" stance. Read was later acquitted of making the statement in a decision which aroused "furious controversy".[7]

Following Read's death in 1985, Nick Griffin asserted that Kingsley Read had been working with the knowledge of other leading members of the NF to feed false information to Searchlight magazine, although John Tyndall was convinced that Read had been a double agent.[8] Searchlight stated that Read had supplied them with the entire membership list of the National Party.[9]

In 1984, Read appeared in The Other Face of Terror, a British documentary about far-right groups. Read openly admitted designing and helping to distribute Holocaust denial material.[10]

Elections contested

[edit]
Date of election Constituency Party Votes %
February 1974 Blackburn NF 1,778 4.2
October 1974 Blackburn NF 1,758 4.4
4 March 1976 Coventry NW NP 208 0.6

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Walker, Martin (23 January 1977). The National Front. London: Fontana. p. 136. ISBN 0-00-634824-6. OCLC 3547295.
  2. ^ Walker, Martin J (1978). The National Front (2nd rev. ed.). London: Fontana. p. 176. OCLC 271034322.
  3. ^ Bean, John (1999). Many shades of black. London: New Millennium. p. 217. ISBN 1-85845-256-2. OCLC 45906334.
  4. ^ Walker, Martin J (1978). The National Front (2nd rev. ed.). London: Fontana. pp. 175–177. OCLC 271034322.
  5. ^ Walker, Martin J (1978). The National Front (2nd rev. ed.). London: Fontana. pp. 186, 188. OCLC 271034322.
  6. ^ Hill, Ray; Bell, Andrew (1988). The other face of terror : inside Europe's neo-Nazi network. London: Grafton. p. 235. ISBN 0-586-06935-6. OCLC 59237605.
  7. ^ Walker, Martin J (1978). The National Front (2nd rev. ed.). London: Fontana. p. 234. OCLC 271034322.
  8. ^ J. Tyndall (August 2002). "An Enemy Agent is "Exonerated"". Spearhead: 11.
  9. ^ Searchlight, September 2002
  10. ^ British Far Right documentary 1984, retrieved 29 March 2022 – via YouTube
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