Searchlight (magazine)
Encyclopedia
Searchlight is a British anti-fascist magazine
, founded in 1975 by Gerry Gable, which publishes exposés
about racism
, antisemitism, and fascism
in the UK.
Searchlights main focus is on the British National Party
(BNP), Combat 18
, the English Defence League
(EDL) and other sections of the far right
. The magazine is published by Gerry Gable
and edited by Nick Lowles, and was founded by Maurice Ludmer
.
Members of Parliament Reg Freeson and Joan Lestor
with Gerry Gable as "research director". It ceased publication in 1967, but Gable, Ludmer and others stayed together as Searchlight Associates before re-launching a regular journal. The pilot issue of the new Searchlight appeared in February 1975, with Maurice Ludmer as its editor.
Ludmer and Gable were also amongst the first sponsors of the Anti-Nazi League
, with Ludmer sitting on its first steering group.
In the Ludmer years, Searchlight had a close relationship with CARF, the Campaign Against Racism and Fascism
, whose magazine was published as an insert from 1979.
After Ludmer's early death in 1981, British academic Vron Ware
briefly took over the editorial role until 1983.
. His leaked 1977 London Weekend Television
Memo stated that he had "given names I have acquired to be checked out by British/French security services". A 1987 profile referred to Gable's "wide range of contacts, including people in the secret services."
of England and Wales as a result of a complaint that claimed that the Educational Trust had been engaging in political activity incompatible with its charitable status.
The Commission's report stated that, in its opinion, the Searchlight Educational Trust had gone beyond the Commission's guidelines on political activities, and found there was a need for a greater distinction between the public activities of Searchlight Magazine and the educational trust. No action was taken as the charity agreed to follow the Commission's recommendations.
Searchlight is now divided into three main bodies; Searchlight magazine, the monthly anti-fascist and anti-racist magazine, Searchlight Information Services, a research and investigatory body which briefs governments, politicians, journalists and the police, and finally Searchlight Educational Trust, a charity devoted to teaching the dangers of racism and fascism.
, but resigned their position after differences over tactics.
Despite this however, Searchlight magazine maintains friendly relationships with other groups, such as Australia's FightDemBack and some other groups.
Its most famous defectors have been Ray Hill
and Sonia Hochfelder. Most of its material, however, comes from informers, who do so because of feuds with their fellow right-wingers and not from any conviction of Searchlight's cause.
has received endorsement and national publicity from the Daily Mirror newspaper, and revolves around an annual two week bus tour in the run-up to local elections.
In the 2010 general election campaign Searchlight spent in excess of £319,000, primarily targeting the BNP.
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
, founded in 1975 by Gerry Gable, which publishes exposés
Investigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Investigative journalism...
about racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, antisemitism, and fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
in the UK.
Searchlights main focus is on the 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...
(BNP), Combat 18
Combat 18
Combat 18 is a violent neo-Nazi organisation associated with Blood and Honour. It originated in the United Kingdom, but has since spread to other countries. Members of Combat 18 have been suspected in numerous deaths of immigrants, non-whites, and other C18 members...
, the English Defence League
English Defence League
The English Defence League is a far-right street protest movement which opposes what it considers to be a spread of Islamism, Sharia law and Islamic extremism in the UK. The EDL uses street marches to protest against Islamic extremism...
(EDL) and other sections of the 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...
. The magazine is published by Gerry Gable
Gerry Gable
Gerry Gable is a British political activist. He was a long-serving editor of the anti-fascist Searchlight magazine.-Background:...
and edited by Nick Lowles, and was founded by Maurice Ludmer
Maurice Ludmer
Maurice Ludmer was a British anti-fascist activist and journalist. His father was a Salford hairdresser and mother a teacher of Hebrew. His family moved to Birmingham in 1939. As a young man he was interested in sport and joined the Young Communist League. During the Second World War he served in...
.
Early history
The current Searchlight magazine was preceded in the early 1960s by a magazine of the same name, edited by left-wing Labour PartyLabour 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...
Members of Parliament Reg Freeson and Joan Lestor
Joan Lestor
Joan Lestor, Baroness Lestor of Eccles was a British Labour politician.Lestor was educated at Blaenavon Secondary School, Monmouth; William Morris High School, Walthamstow and the University of London. She became a nursery school teacher and a member of the Socialist Party of Great Britain, but...
with Gerry Gable as "research director". It ceased publication in 1967, but Gable, Ludmer and others stayed together as Searchlight Associates before re-launching a regular journal. The pilot issue of the new Searchlight appeared in February 1975, with Maurice Ludmer as its editor.
Ludmer and Gable were also amongst the first sponsors of the Anti-Nazi League
Anti-Nazi League
The Anti-Nazi League was an organisation set up in 1977 on the initiative of the Socialist Workers Party with sponsorship from some trade unions and the endorsement of a list of prominent people to oppose the rise of far-right groups in the United Kingdom. It was wound down in 1981...
, with Ludmer sitting on its first steering group.
In the Ludmer years, Searchlight had a close relationship with CARF, the Campaign Against Racism and Fascism
Campaign Against Racism and Fascism
The Campaign Against Racism and Fascism is an anti-racist group based in London with a history going back to the mid-nineteen-seventies...
, whose magazine was published as an insert from 1979.
After Ludmer's early death in 1981, British academic Vron Ware
Vron Ware
Vron Ware is a British academic with the Open University, married to the Guyanese-British academic Paul Gilroy. She is known for her theories of anti-racism....
briefly took over the editorial role until 1983.
State Links
Publisher Gerry Gable is known to have links with MI5MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
. His leaked 1977 London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
Memo stated that he had "given names I have acquired to be checked out by British/French security services". A 1987 profile referred to Gable's "wide range of contacts, including people in the secret services."
Charitable status
At the insistence of the British National Party, Searchlight and the associated Searchlight Educational Trust were investigated by the British Charity CommissionCharity Commission
The Charity Commission for England and Wales is the non-ministerial government department that regulates registered charities in England and Wales....
of England and Wales as a result of a complaint that claimed that the Educational Trust had been engaging in political activity incompatible with its charitable status.
The Commission's report stated that, in its opinion, the Searchlight Educational Trust had gone beyond the Commission's guidelines on political activities, and found there was a need for a greater distinction between the public activities of Searchlight Magazine and the educational trust. No action was taken as the charity agreed to follow the Commission's recommendations.
Searchlight is now divided into three main bodies; Searchlight magazine, the monthly anti-fascist and anti-racist magazine, Searchlight Information Services, a research and investigatory body which briefs governments, politicians, journalists and the police, and finally Searchlight Educational Trust, a charity devoted to teaching the dangers of racism and fascism.
Relations with other anti-fascist groups
The magazine has hostile relations with some other anti-fascist groups in Britain. The magazine group was original part of the steering committee of Unite Against FascismUnite Against Fascism
Unite Against Fascism is an anti-fascist pressure group in the United Kingdom, with support from politicians of all mainstream UK political parties...
, but resigned their position after differences over tactics.
Despite this however, Searchlight magazine maintains friendly relationships with other groups, such as Australia's FightDemBack and some other groups.
Informants
Searchlight relies for its material on those involved in the far-right. This includes a range of infiltrators, defectors and casual informers.Its most famous defectors have been Ray Hill
Ray Hill
Ray Hill was a leading figure in the British far right who went on to become a well-known informant.Born in Lancashire, he spent three years in the army before making his first steps in the far right with the Racial Preservation Society in Leicester in the late 1960s...
and Sonia Hochfelder. Most of its material, however, comes from informers, who do so because of feuds with their fellow right-wingers and not from any conviction of Searchlight's cause.
Campaigns
In the early years of the 21st century, Searchlight launched two interlinked anti-BNP and anti-racism campaigns, Stop the BNP and Hope not Hate. Hope not HateHope not Hate
Hope not Hate is an anti-fascism and anti-racism campaign in the United Kingdom organised by Searchlight. It has campaigned against the nationalist and far-right British National Party. and have presented a 90,000 person petition to the European Parliament protesting against the election of Nick...
has received endorsement and national publicity from the Daily Mirror newspaper, and revolves around an annual two week bus tour in the run-up to local elections.
In the 2010 general election campaign Searchlight spent in excess of £319,000, primarily targeting the BNP.
See also
- Anti-racismAnti-racismAnti-racism includes beliefs, actions, movements, and policies adopted or developed to oppose racism. In general, anti-racism is intended to promote an egalitarian society in which people do not face discrimination on the basis of their race, however defined...
- Anti-Defamation LeagueAnti-Defamation LeagueThe Anti-Defamation League is an international non-governmental organization based in the United States. Describing itself as "the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency", the ADL states that it "fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects...
- Maurice LudmerMaurice LudmerMaurice Ludmer was a British anti-fascist activist and journalist. His father was a Salford hairdresser and mother a teacher of Hebrew. His family moved to Birmingham in 1939. As a young man he was interested in sport and joined the Young Communist League. During the Second World War he served in...
- Southern Poverty Law CenterSouthern Poverty Law CenterThe Southern Poverty Law Center is an American nonprofit civil rights organization noted for its legal victories against white supremacist groups; legal representation for victims of hate groups; monitoring of alleged hate groups, militias and extremist organizations; and educational programs that...
Further reading
- White Noise by Nick Lowles, 96 pages (November 13, 1998), Publisher: Searchlight Magazine Ltd. ISBN 0-9522038-3-9.
- Searchlight for Beginners by Larry O'Hara, 30 pages (June 1996), Publisher: Phoenix Press. ISBN 0-948984-33-3.
- From Cable Street to Oldham-70 Years of Community Resistance edited by Nick Lowles, 165 pages (October 2007), Publisher: Searchlight Magazine Ltd. ISBN 0-9522038-7-1.
External links
- Searchlight magazine website
- Searchlight Information Services Press Pack
- Stop the BNP Searchlight's anti-BNP website
- Operation Wedge: Protecting and educating youth against racism
- The fight against Racism:Searchlight Article on Searchlight by the Connections history project.
Public statements
- Select Committee on Religious Offences in England and Wales Written Evidence Submission from Searchlight Information Services by Gerry Gable, vice chair of the Independent Advisory Group to the Diversity Directorate of the Metropolitan Police Service at Scotland Yard.
Anti-fascist criticism of Searchlight
- An article critical of Searchlight from the magazine Green AnarchistGreen AnarchistThe magazine Green Anarchist was for a while the principal voice in the UK advocating green anarchism, an explicit fusion of libertarian socialist and ecological thinking.-Early years:...
- Searchlight and the State, Anarchy 36, 1983 - the first article alleging Searchlight editor Gerry Gable's links with British intelligence (also reprinted in KSL Bulletin 28, 2001)
- Albert MeltzerAlbert MeltzerAlbert Meltzer was an anarcho-communist activist and writer.-Early life:Meltzer was born in London, and attracted to anarchism at the age of fifteen as a direct result of taking boxing lessons . The Labour MP for Edmonton, Edith Summerskill was virulently anti-boxing and his school governors at...
"Two Fascisms; Anti-Fascist Fascism" in I Couldn't Paint Golden Angels, AK Press