If the British hard right are known for anything, other than trying to kick out migrants and ranting about “woke”, it’s promoting a justice system that throws as many lawbreakers as possible into a cell, preferably indefinitely, in as gruesome circumstances as possible. Yet when it comes to far-right extremists who rampaged in English and Northern Irish towns and cities this summer, attempting to burn refugees alive, smashing up homes and businesses believed to be owned by migrants, and physically attacking people of colour in the streets, a different approach is now being sung.
Take the Reform party MP Richard Tice. When Just Stop Oil protesters who peacefully blocked the M25 were handed prison sentences, Tice posted “GREAT NEWS” in jubilant capitals, followed by two clapping emojis, adding his wish that “they serve full 4 and 5 year jail terms”. When riots broke out in Leeds in July after Roma children were taken into care, Tice demanded “the full force of the law must be applied” with British citizens “punished” and non-Britons “deported never to be allowed to return”. But during August’s far-right insurgency, while Tice was careful to condemn “the riots and violence”, he demanded the mayhem should trigger a debate on “mass immigration and two tier policing”.
