English Defence League filling vacuum left by mainstream politics

Via Global Guerrillas

Mainstream political parties must tackle far-right groups through doorstep "hearts and minds" campaigns that tackle anti-Muslim sentiments at local level, according to two reports on challenging extremists.

The rise of career politicians, and the fall of grassroots activists, has left a vacuum across Europe for populist anti-establishment groups, warns the paper Right Response, published by the international affairs thinktank Chatham House. These groups now tapped into voters' feeling of being "disenfranchised" by out-of-touch politicians.

Muslims are increasingly the focus of anti-immigration and anti-minority group activity, says the report, and it means growing public hostility to settled Muslim communities.

The second report, EDL: Britain's New Far-Right Social Movement, published by Northampton University's radicalism and new media research group, charts the rise of the English Defence League.

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