National Fellowship
Encyclopedia
The National Fellowship was a minor far right
political party
in the United Kingdom
.
The party was launched under Chairman Edward Martell
on 1 January 1962, with full page advertisements in national broadsheets. The advert referred to the organisation as part of a movement spearheaded by The New Daily newspaper. They claimed that they would mostly attract supporters from the Conservative Party
, but attacked Iain MacLeod
as "inclined to a mild sort of socialism
". The initial policies listed included opposition to many trade union
activities, anti-communism
, cuts to government expenditure and welfare and more restrictions on immigration. The associated advisory committee included former Chairman of the Liberal Party
Lord Moynihan
, Conservative MPs Donald Johnson
and Henry Kerby
and former Liberal MP Don Bennett
. Moynihan's support to the party led to his removal as a vice-president of the Yorkshire Area Liberal Federation.
The advert also gave details of an Establishment Committee. This prompted Peter Cook
and Nicholas Luard
to write to The Guardian
noting that this was unconnected with their recently created club, The Establishment
, but that they hoped it would provide them with material for their comedy shows.
The party planned to stand a candidate in the Leicester North East by-election, 1962. The Conservative candidate, Robin Marlar
, attended a meeting they organised, but left as soon as he was invited to speak, stating that he had "nothing but contempt" for their plans. Despite this, the Fellowship decided not to put up a candidate. In early 1963, Martell joined the Conservative Party, but maintained the Fellowship.
The Fellowship's first candidacy was at the Bristol South East by-election, 1963
. A 1961 by-election
in the constituency was won by Labour Party
politician Tony Benn
, but he was disqualified by reason of his peerage, and the seat was instead awarded to second-placed Conservative Malcolm St Clair
. As the law had been changed, permitting Benn to renounce his peerage, St Clair agreed to stand down and the Conservatives did not run a candidate in the by-election. Martell attempted to persuade either of two local businessmen to stand for the Fellowship against Benn, but both refused. Instead, Martell stood himself. The Fellowship was Benn's main challenger from the right. Martell took a distant second place, with 19% of the vote, becoming the first independent candidate in 17 years to hold his deposit.
The party spent most of its funds supporting favoured Conservatives at the 1964 UK general election, and Martell wrote to all previous donors, asking for personal loans, repayable on 14 days notice. He soon proved unable to repay these loans, prompting questions in Parliament. In July 1966, he merged the Fellowship with other campaigns he had run, including the "Freedom Group", into the National Party. The new party announced their intention to contest at least the next five by-elections, but ultimately their only candidate was Bennett, who took last place in the Nuneaton by-election, 1967
. Martell was declared bankrupt in 1968, after which the party disappeared.
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...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The party was launched under Chairman Edward Martell
Edward Martell (politician)
Edward Drewett Martell was a British politician and libertarian activist.-Family and education:Martell was the eldest son of E E Martell and Ethel Horwood. He was educated at St. George's School, Harpenden. In 1932 he married Ethel Maud Beverley. They had one son.-Journalism:Martell worked in the...
on 1 January 1962, with full page advertisements in national broadsheets. The advert referred to the organisation as part of a movement spearheaded by The New Daily newspaper. They claimed that they would mostly attract supporters from the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, but attacked Iain MacLeod
Iain Macleod
Iain Norman Macleod was a British Conservative Party politician and government minister.-Early life:...
as "inclined to a mild sort of socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
". The initial policies listed included opposition to many trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
activities, anti-communism
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
, cuts to government expenditure and welfare and more restrictions on immigration. The associated advisory committee included former Chairman of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
Lord Moynihan
Patrick Berkeley Moynihan, 2nd Baron Moynihan
Patrick Berkeley Moynihan was a British politician and noble.Moynihan studied law and became a barrister at Lincoln's Inn. He then became a stockbroker, moving to New York, where he was active during the Wall Street Crash, then joined the New York Stock Exchange in 1932. In 1931, he married...
, Conservative MPs Donald Johnson
Donald McIntosh Johnson
Dr Donald McIntosh Johnson was a British general practitioner, author and politician who was a Member of Parliament for nine years...
and Henry Kerby
Henry Kerby
Henry Briton Kerby was a British Conservative Member of Parliament for Arundel and Shoreham. He won the seat in a 1954 by-election, and served until his death at the age of 56 in Chichester in 1971. For a time he was associated with the National Fellowship group.Before joining the Conservative...
and former Liberal MP Don Bennett
Don Bennett
Air Vice Marshal Donald Clifford Tyndall Bennett CB CBE DSO RAF was an Australian aviation pioneer and bomber pilot who rose to be the youngest Air Vice-Marshal in the Royal Air Force. He led the "Pathfinder Force" from 1942 to the end of the Second World War in 1945...
. Moynihan's support to the party led to his removal as a vice-president of the Yorkshire Area Liberal Federation.
The advert also gave details of an Establishment Committee. This prompted Peter Cook
Peter Cook
Peter Edward Cook was an English satirist, writer and comedian. An extremely influential figure in modern British comedy, he is regarded as the leading light of the British satire boom of the 1960s. He has been described by Stephen Fry as "the funniest man who ever drew breath," although Cook's...
and Nicholas Luard
Nicholas Luard
Nicholas Lamert Luard was a writer and politician, but is perhaps best known for his activities in the early 1960s: co-founding The Establishment with Peter Cook and being one of the Lords Gnome of Private Eye....
to write to The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
noting that this was unconnected with their recently created club, The Establishment
The Establishment (club)
The Establishment was a London nightclub which opened in October 1961, at 18 Greek Street, Soho and was famous in retrospect for satire although actually more notable at the time for jazz and other events. It was founded by Peter Cook and Nicholas Luard, both of whom were also important in the...
, but that they hoped it would provide them with material for their comedy shows.
The party planned to stand a candidate in the Leicester North East by-election, 1962. The Conservative candidate, Robin Marlar
Robin Marlar
Robin Geoffrey Marlar is an English cricketer and cricket journalist. He was educated at Harrow and Cambridge....
, attended a meeting they organised, but left as soon as he was invited to speak, stating that he had "nothing but contempt" for their plans. Despite this, the Fellowship decided not to put up a candidate. In early 1963, Martell joined the Conservative Party, but maintained the Fellowship.
The Fellowship's first candidacy was at the Bristol South East by-election, 1963
Bristol South East by-election, 1963
The Bristol South East by-election, 1963 was a by-election held on 20 August 1963 for the British House of Commons constituency of Bristol South East in the city of Bristol....
. A 1961 by-election
Bristol South East by-election, 1961
The Bristol South East by-election, 1961 was a by-election held on 4 May 1961 for the British House of Commons constituency of Bristol South East in the city of Bristol....
in the constituency was won by Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician Tony Benn
Tony Benn
Anthony Neil Wedgwood "Tony" Benn, PC is a British Labour Party politician and a former MP and Cabinet Minister.His successful campaign to renounce his hereditary peerage was instrumental in the creation of the Peerage Act 1963...
, but he was disqualified by reason of his peerage, and the seat was instead awarded to second-placed Conservative Malcolm St Clair
Malcolm St. Clair (UK politician)
Malcolm Archibald James St. Clair was a British Conservative Party politician.He was the son of Major-General G.P. St Clair CB CBE DSO, and was educated at Eton College....
. As the law had been changed, permitting Benn to renounce his peerage, St Clair agreed to stand down and the Conservatives did not run a candidate in the by-election. Martell attempted to persuade either of two local businessmen to stand for the Fellowship against Benn, but both refused. Instead, Martell stood himself. The Fellowship was Benn's main challenger from the right. Martell took a distant second place, with 19% of the vote, becoming the first independent candidate in 17 years to hold his deposit.
The party spent most of its funds supporting favoured Conservatives at the 1964 UK general election, and Martell wrote to all previous donors, asking for personal loans, repayable on 14 days notice. He soon proved unable to repay these loans, prompting questions in Parliament. In July 1966, he merged the Fellowship with other campaigns he had run, including the "Freedom Group", into the National Party. The new party announced their intention to contest at least the next five by-elections, but ultimately their only candidate was Bennett, who took last place in the Nuneaton by-election, 1967
Nuneaton by-election, 1967
The Nuneaton by-election of 16 December 1966 was held after the resignation of Labour MP Frank Cousins:The seat was safe, having been won by Labour at the United Kingdom general election, 1966 by over 11,000 votes-Candidates:...
. Martell was declared bankrupt in 1968, after which the party disappeared.