Patrick Harrington

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

Education

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

Political trajectory

National Front 1979-1989

Patrick Harrington joined the National Front (NF) in 1979 and it was because of this that, in 1984, 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."

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'."

In 1983 a coup within the National Front expelled the old guard, then dominated by Martin Webster, from the organisation. The coup was staged by a group of National Front members which included Patrick Harrington and Nick Griffin. They referred to themselves as 'revolutionaries' and 'political soldiers'.

Political soldier faction

The Poliical Soldier faction then split again over the question of anti-semitism. In 1989 Derek Holland broke with Patrick Harrington and joined Michael Fishwick in following Nick Griffin and Roberto Fiore into the International Third Position (ITP) after Harrington had contacted The Jewish Chronicle with regards to opening dialogue. According to Searchlight: 'Harrington had gone to the Jewish Chronicle and said the NF was no longer anti-Jewish and wanted to seek a rapprochement with the Jewish community.' This was enough to have him expelled from the NF - an action in which Nick Griffin is said to have been 'instrumental'. Harrington's faction, founded in 1990, was known as Third Way

Third Way 1990-present

Patrick Harrington helped found Third Way in 1990. Third Way describes itself as:

"...a think-tank dedicated to creating a society based on Justice, Community and Individual freedom against one that is based on Greed, Globalisation and Tyranny.

Third Way stands against all forms of social injustice, racism and religious bigotry. Third Way is for everyone. We promote positive ideas and apart from this website also publish printed material. We advocate Direct Democracy along Swiss lines using referenda and citizens’ initiatives.

We support small business and co-operative ownership.

We also support organisations that promote these ideals in other areas."

Despite such assertions, critics of Third Way, such as George Monbiot and Andrew Gilligan, state it to be a far-right organisation. In an article for The Guardian, Monbiot himself states:

"Third Way, which was founded in 1990 by the front's former chairman and vice-chairman, claims to reject "racism and the politics of hate". But it believes that cultures should, for their own good, be kept apart, and defended from "mass immigration". Globalisation, the splinter group claims, "reduces us to a rootless, transient population disconnected from its history", precipitating ecological crisis and encouraging migration. According to Searchlight magazine, the party's chairman, Patrick Harrington, has stayed in touch with the far right Italian terrorists Massimo Morsello and Roberto Fiore. He has also made contact with the black separatist Nation of Islam and orthodox Jews pursuing "separate development". Third Way, like many far-right groups, has abandoned overt racist aggression in favour of cultural isolation."

A profile of Third Way, published in The Guardian in 2002, highlighted initial co-operation between Harrington and Nick Griffin in establishing the organisation. However a fallout over policy on Jewish people led to them parting company, with Harrington being in favour of allowing Jewish people to join Third Way.

Both Third Way and Solidarity - The Union for British Workers, for whom Patrick Harrington is General Secretary, share the same postal address: Room 407, 12 South Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1DD.

Expelled from the RMT - 2003

On 27 June 2003 Patrick Harrington was expelled from the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) for serious misconduct. General Secretary Bob Crow said: "It is quite clear that Mr Harrington never signed up to the aims and objectives of the union - an organisation which stands quite clearly against racism in any way, shape or form." Harrington was charged as having deceived the union by applying for membership under a false name.

Harrington insisted that he had applied for RMT membership using his married name and a complaint was made against The Guardian after an article it published repeated the claim that he had applied for RMT membership under a false name. An addition was made to the article stating "Mr Harrington states that he joined the RMT using his married name. He denies deceiving the union and will be challenging the expulsion."

In August 2006 Harrington's appeal against his expulsion was rejected. An RMT statement read:

The Assistant Certification Officer yesterday dismissed three complaints that the union had breached its rules as having been brought out of time.

The union's Annual General Meeting in June 2005 had unanimously upheld the June 2003 decision by an RMT disciplinary hearing that Mr Harrington had deceived the union by applying for membership under a false name.

"Mr Harrington was dealt with fairly and squarely under the union's rules and we are pleased that the Assistant Certification Officer has upheld our view that his complaints were inadmissable," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.