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Authoritative to authoritarian: rightwing radicalisation is blurring the Conservatives’ political red lines | Andy Beckett
The article argues that the traditional notion of British political moderation, particularly within the rightwing, has eroded. While acknowledging past controversial figures and statements, it highlights a historical assumption that the mainstream British right maintained certain limits. These supposed limits included avoiding overt appeals to prejudice, discouraging political violence, refraining from alliances with the far right, and not advocating authoritarianism. The text suggests that events like Enoch Powell's "rivers of blood" speech or Keith Joseph's eugenics comments, though extreme, were met with significant backlash. The author implies that contemporary discourse surrounding immigration, multiculturalism, and press freedom now features inflammatory language. This shift indicates that the previously accepted "red lines" for British conservatism may no longer be in place. The piece contrasts this with democracies like interwar Germany, suggesting a unique historical restraint in British politics. However, it strongly implies this restraint is now absent, marking a significant departure from the past. The erosion of this moderation is presented as a concerning trend.
