John Graeme Wood
Encyclopedia
John Graeme Wood was an English
politician who was prominent on the nationalist scene from the late 1950s until his death.
's Union Movement
and became a Branch Leader. As well as being a member of UM he was also recognised as a personal friend and confidant of Mosley and remained in the UM until 1964, when he joined the British National Party
. Remaining with the BNP, Wood became a founding member of the British National Front
when it was formed in 1967.
Wood left the British far right
not long after this as work commitments took him to the Federal Republic of Germany. While there, he established links with the National Democratic Party.
After returning to Britain, Wood linked up with Eddy Morrison
in Leeds
and followed him into the New National Front. In April 1982 at the Charing Cross
Hotel in London
, Wood was present at the launch of the (third) British National Party
. John Tyndall
and a few others, including Charles Parker
, Tyndall's father-in-Law, wanted the new party to be called the Nationalist Party but Wood, under pressure from a great majority of northern nationalists in Leeds and Manchester
, persuaded Tyndall to adopt the name of the BNP.
Wood remained with the BNP until 1990, when he resigned from the party due to personality clashes with some moderate senior officers. He continued to appear as a guest speaker at party events, fulfilling a similar function for the NF and other groups, without formally participating in any group.
When the White Nationalist Party
was formed in 2002, Wood was offered the position of propaganda
and Training Officer, which he accepted. Later, in 2003, he led the party as National Organiser. He was still in that position when, on June 6, 2005, the WNP dissolved at a meeting of its National Council in Sheffield
and the whole membership was merged into the Nationalist Alliance
. Wood retained the position of National Organiser in the new merger and remained there until September 2005 when, due to irreparable differences with fellow members of the National Executive Council, he resigned along with other senior officers, Eddy Morrison, Kevin Watmough and Sid Williamson. Immediately following his resignation from the NA, the leading figures who had resigned with him created a new party, the British Peoples Party
. Wood became Chairman of the BPP with Morrison as National Organiser.
After internal disagreements, Wood was expelled from the BPP and he decided to distance himself from fringe politics.
From then and until his death, Wood enjoyed a semi-retirement from nationalist politics.
In 2006 he applied to rejoin the BNP, but his application was turned down by the BNP's leadership. Despite this, Wood maintained good relations with his local BNP branch in Sheffield and provided the branch with both advice and financial support in the run up to the UK's 2007 local elections.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
politician who was prominent on the nationalist scene from the late 1950s until his death.
Career
Wood was a member of Sir Oswald MosleyOswald Mosley
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet, of Ancoats, was an English politician, known principally as the founder of the British Union of Fascists...
's Union Movement
Union Movement
The Union Movement was a right-wing political party founded in Britain by Oswald Mosley. Where Mosley had previously been associated with a peculiarly British form of fascism, the Union Movement attempted to redefine the concept by stressing the importance of developing a European nationalism...
and became a Branch Leader. As well as being a member of UM he was also recognised as a personal friend and confidant of Mosley and remained in the UM until 1964, when he joined the British National Party
British National Party (1960s)
The British National Party was a far right political party that operated in the United Kingdom from 1960 to 1967. Led by John Bean the group, which was subject to internal divisions during its brief history, established some areas of local support before helping to form the National Front in...
. Remaining with the BNP, Wood became a founding member of the British National Front
British National Front
The National Front is a far right, white-only political party whose major political activities took place during the 1970s and 1980s. Its popularity peaked in the 1979 general election, when it received 191,719 votes ....
when it was formed in 1967.
Wood left the British far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
not long after this as work commitments took him to the Federal Republic of Germany. While there, he established links with the National Democratic Party.
After returning to Britain, Wood linked up with Eddy Morrison
Eddy Morrison
Eddy Morrison is a far-right wing political figure in Britain, who has been involved in a number of movements throughout his career. He is of Irish, Scottish, English and Wallonian descent and has two adult daughters...
in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and followed him into the New National Front. In April 1982 at the Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
Hotel in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wood was present at the launch of the (third) British National Party
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
. John Tyndall
John Tyndall (politician)
John Hutchyns Tyndall was a British politician who was prominently associated with several fascist/neo-Nazi sects. However, he is best known for leading the National Front in the 1970s and founding the contemporary British National Party in 1982.The most prominent figure in British nationalism...
and a few others, including Charles Parker
Charles Parker (UK politician)
Charles Parker was a leading member of the British National Party in its early years and provided the group with much of its funding.A leading businessman in Brighton, Parker and his wife joined the British National Front in 1975...
, Tyndall's father-in-Law, wanted the new party to be called the Nationalist Party but Wood, under pressure from a great majority of northern nationalists in Leeds and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, persuaded Tyndall to adopt the name of the BNP.
Wood remained with the BNP until 1990, when he resigned from the party due to personality clashes with some moderate senior officers. He continued to appear as a guest speaker at party events, fulfilling a similar function for the NF and other groups, without formally participating in any group.
When the White Nationalist Party
White Nationalist Party
The White Nationalist Party was a neo-fascist British political party, founded in May 2002 as "the British political wing of Aryan Unity"...
was formed in 2002, Wood was offered the position of propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
and Training Officer, which he accepted. Later, in 2003, he led the party as National Organiser. He was still in that position when, on June 6, 2005, the WNP dissolved at a meeting of its National Council in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
and the whole membership was merged into the Nationalist Alliance
Nationalist Alliance
The Nationalist Alliance is a far right movement in British politics, that aims to serve as an umbrella group for the various White nationalist groups in Britain...
. Wood retained the position of National Organiser in the new merger and remained there until September 2005 when, due to irreparable differences with fellow members of the National Executive Council, he resigned along with other senior officers, Eddy Morrison, Kevin Watmough and Sid Williamson. Immediately following his resignation from the NA, the leading figures who had resigned with him created a new party, the British Peoples Party
British Peoples Party (2005)
The British People's Party, also known as "BPP - Putting Britons First" is the third incarnation of a name used by other neo-Nazi political parties in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 18 September 2005 by Kevin Watmough, Eddy Morrison and John G. Wood as a splinter group from the Nationalist...
. Wood became Chairman of the BPP with Morrison as National Organiser.
After internal disagreements, Wood was expelled from the BPP and he decided to distance himself from fringe politics.
From then and until his death, Wood enjoyed a semi-retirement from nationalist politics.
In 2006 he applied to rejoin the BNP, but his application was turned down by the BNP's leadership. Despite this, Wood maintained good relations with his local BNP branch in Sheffield and provided the branch with both advice and financial support in the run up to the UK's 2007 local elections.