Robert Relf
Encyclopedia
Robert Relf is a far right
British
'race martyr' who briefly became a cause célèbre
for the tabloid
press in the 1970s.
Relf first came to national attention in 1976 when he advertised his house in Leamington Spa
as being 'For Sale - to an English family only'. Relf was found to be in breach of the Race Relations Act and was jailed for contempt of court
when he refused to take it down. Relf's plight was taken up by the tabloid press as an example of the supposedly draconian nature of race legislation and there was an outcry that Relf was imprisoned for his actions. However fervour for Relf's cause soon died after articles about his background began to appear in the Sunday Times
, revealing that Relf had been a member of the British Movement
and had served as a bodyguard to Colin Jordan
as well as attempting to organise a UK branch of the Ku Klux Klan
.
Relf was released from prison the same year, although by now much of the popular support that he had gathered had died away. He would go on to rejoin the British Movement, although he left due to his dissatisfaction with the leadership of Michael McLaughlin
and instead devoted much of his energies to the World Union of National Socialists
, at the time led by Povl Riis-Knudsen
. He also been associated with the National Front
and it became his main area of domestic activity after he left the BM (although he had also been courted by the National Party
who, along with the NF and BM, played a leading role in the campaign for his release).
Having gained notoriety Relf continued to perform publicity stunts, notably in September 1978 when he was handed a £10 fine for refusing to wear a motorcycle helmet
in protest at the legal exemption from the requirement for Sikhs. Relf was jailed soon afterwards for publishing racial hatred materials, and immediately went on hunger strike, sparking another NF led campaign for his release. He helped to set up White Nationalist Crusade, an attempt to create an umbrella movement for the far right in Britain, although this proved unsuccessful and he briefly led his own White Power Movement the following year.
Relf largely disappeared from public life until 1991 when he again became involved in controversy, this time over a letter sent to the Conservative Party
in Cheltenham
. In the letter Relf attacked local Tories for their decision to endorse John Taylor
, a black man and current member of the House of Lords
, as their candidate for the 1992 general election
. Relf suggested that those who had chosen Taylor should be 'strung up' because Taylor wanted 'a nation of half breeds'. Taylor failed to win the traditionally Conservative seat of Cheltenham in the 1992 election, losing to Nigel Jones
of the Liberal Democrats
.
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...
British
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...
'race martyr' who briefly became a cause célèbre
Cause célèbre
A is an issue or incident arousing widespread controversy, outside campaigning and heated public debate. The term is particularly used in connection with celebrated legal cases. It is a French phrase in common English use...
for the tabloid
Tabloid journalism
Tabloid journalism tends to emphasize topics such as sensational crime stories, astrology, gossip columns about the personal lives of celebrities and sports stars, and junk food news...
press in the 1970s.
Relf first came to national attention in 1976 when he advertised his house in Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
as being 'For Sale - to an English family only'. Relf was found to be in breach of the Race Relations Act and was jailed for contempt of court
Contempt of court
Contempt of court is a court order which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, declares a person or organization to have disobeyed or been disrespectful of the court's authority...
when he refused to take it down. Relf's plight was taken up by the tabloid press as an example of the supposedly draconian nature of race legislation and there was an outcry that Relf was imprisoned for his actions. However fervour for Relf's cause soon died after articles about his background began to appear in the Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
, revealing that Relf had been a member of the British Movement
British Movement
The British Movement , later called the British National Socialist Movement , is a British neo-Nazi organisation founded by Colin Jordan in 1968. It grew out of the National Socialist Movement , which was founded in 1962...
and had served as a bodyguard to Colin Jordan
Colin Jordan
John Colin Campbell Jordan was a leading figure in postwar Neo-Nazism in Britain. In the far-right nationalist circles of the 1960s, Jordan represented the most explicitly 'Nazi' inclination in his open use of the styles and symbols of the Third Reich.Through organisations such as the National...
as well as attempting to organise a UK branch of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
.
Relf was released from prison the same year, although by now much of the popular support that he had gathered had died away. He would go on to rejoin the British Movement, although he left due to his dissatisfaction with the leadership of Michael McLaughlin
Michael McLaughlin
Michael McLaughlin was, for a time, a leading figure on the British far right.Born in Liverpool, he was the son of an Irish republican and socialist who was a veteran of the International Brigades....
and instead devoted much of his energies to the World Union of National Socialists
World Union of National Socialists
The World Union of National Socialists is an organisation founded in 1962 as an umbrella group for neo-Nazi organisations across the globe.-Formation:...
, at the time led by Povl Riis-Knudsen
Povl Riis-Knudsen
Povl Heinrich Riis-Knudsen is a prominent Danish Neo-Nazi.Riis-Knudsen is best known as the author of the articles National Socialism: A Left Wing Movement and National Socialism: The Biological World View .-Life and ideas:...
. He also been associated with the 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 ....
and it became his main area of domestic activity after he left the BM (although he had also been courted by the National Party
National Party (UK, 1976)
The National Party was a short-lived British far right political party formed on 6 January 1976 and which dissolved before the 1979 general election...
who, along with the NF and BM, played a leading role in the campaign for his release).
Having gained notoriety Relf continued to perform publicity stunts, notably in September 1978 when he was handed a £10 fine for refusing to wear a motorcycle helmet
Motorcycle helmet
A motorcycle helmet is a type of protective headgear used by motorcycle riders. The primary goal of a motorcycle helmet is motorcycle safety - to protect the rider's head during impact, thus preventing or reducing head injury or saving the rider's life...
in protest at the legal exemption from the requirement for Sikhs. Relf was jailed soon afterwards for publishing racial hatred materials, and immediately went on hunger strike, sparking another NF led campaign for his release. He helped to set up White Nationalist Crusade, an attempt to create an umbrella movement for the far right in Britain, although this proved unsuccessful and he briefly led his own White Power Movement the following year.
Relf largely disappeared from public life until 1991 when he again became involved in controversy, this time over a letter sent to 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...
in Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
. In the letter Relf attacked local Tories for their decision to endorse John Taylor
John Taylor, Baron Taylor of Warwick
John David Beckett, Baron Taylor of Warwick is a British member of the House of Lords who became the first black Conservative peer in 1996, after unsuccessfully standing as their parliamentary candidate in Cheltenham in the 1992 general election. Taylor initially practised as a barrister and has...
, a black man and current member of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, as their candidate for the 1992 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
. Relf suggested that those who had chosen Taylor should be 'strung up' because Taylor wanted 'a nation of half breeds'. Taylor failed to win the traditionally Conservative seat of Cheltenham in the 1992 election, losing to Nigel Jones
Nigel Jones, Baron Jones of Cheltenham
Nigel David Jones, Baron Jones of Cheltenham is a Liberal Democrat politician in the United Kingdom.-Early life:...
of the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
.