Patrick Harrington

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Patrick "Pat" Harrington (born 24 May 1964) is a former member of the National Front, [1], one of the original founders of Third Way[2] (UK) and is currently General Secretary of the far right trade union, Solidarity - The Union for British Workers.[3]

Education

Harrington attended Pimlico Comprehensive and later Archbishop Tenison’s Grammar School.[4]

Political trajectory

National Front 1979-1989

Patrick Harrington joined the National Front in 1979[5] and it was because of this that he was the target of protests whilst studying philosophy at the Polytechnic of North London. An article in The Guardian stated:

"The Polytechnic of North London students demonstrated against the presence of National Front activist Patrick Harrington, who insisted on his right to study there. A series of divisive court actions and a great deal of damaging publicity resulted. NUS president Phil Woollas, now a Labour MP, said the polytechnic was "simply not functioning any more," with students barred from certain buildings and refusing to attend lectures with Mr Harrington , and lecturers defying the courts by refusing to give names of students on demonstrations outside the college."[6]

British Conservative philosopher Roger Scruton defended Harrington's right to education stating "One does not have to be a National Front sympathizer to wonder who, in this encounter, is the 'fascist'."[7]

Political soldier faction

Third Way 1990-present

Expelled from the RMT - 2003

BNP connections

General Secretary of 'Solidarity' -

Notes

  1. Andrew Moncur, Education Staff 'NF student faces class isolation / Patrick Harrington at the Polytechnic of North London', The Guardian (London), January 29, 1985.
  2. Andrew Gilligan 'Stealthy march of the far-right; Margaret Hodge has warned of the rise of the BNP, but a far more insidious threat is posed by the 'Trojan Horse' parties', The Evening Standard (London) April 18, 2006 Tuesday, SECTION: A Pg. 18
  3. Copyright statement, Solidarity website
  4. 'Biographies', Third Way website
  5. 'Biographies', Third Way website
  6. Donald MacLeod, 'Rows and right wingers', The Guardian, 2 June 2003
  7. Marcus Eliason, 'Activist's College Studies Stir Furor', The Associated Press, 30 May 1984