George Soros-funded ‘anti-racist’ group Hope Not Hate (HNH) have revealed plans to campaign against UKIP in the general election, personally threatening former party donor Arron Banks.
The group promised on Twitter to make “Clacton its top priority” in the general election, threatening to go “all out to stop” Mr. Banks, who has promised to stand in the seat, unless he backs down.
“Not sure he will want the campaign we have planned. We need to ensure he loses and loses badly,” threated HNH boss Nick Lowles, claiming to have “helped defeat [former UKIP leader Nigel Farage] politically in Thanet” in the 2015 general election.
Despite his threats to mobilise significant resources against Mr. Banks, and allegations of violent “anti-fascist” mobs commanded by HNH, Mr. Lowles later published a blog post claiming they were the ones being threatened.
“We intend to oppose the divisive intimidation tactics of [Andy] Wigmore and Banks in Clacton with a positive message of unity, to ensure that hate does not triumph over hope on 8 June,” they wrote.
“Now [Nigel Farage] isn’t standing, [South Thanet] is no longer the top priority but still somewhere we will be working hard,” Mr. Knowles also revealed, listing other UKIP strongholds as targets.
The “other top priorities” included Thurrock, Hartlepool, Dagenham and Rainham, Heywood and Middleton, Stoke-on-Trent North, Grimsby, Dudley North, and Rotherham.
Mr. Lowles denied organising protests, including one when Mr. Farage’s children were assaulted, but added: “As many UKIP candidates have found in the past, our campaigns will be targeted, leaflets hard hitting and all purely political.”
Mr. Lowles also claimed Mr. Farage “wants to see [UKIP] crushed” and “wants UKIP to fail in order to set up new party” with Mr. Banks.
HNH have been campaigning against UKIP since 2013, most recently in the Stoke-on-Trent by-election where the “anti-racist” group chose to focus on issues such as the ivory trade and climate change.
The organisation was described as “Orwellian bigots” by leading Muslim reformer Dr. Zuhdi Jasser after they labelled liberal Muslims “Islamophobic”, exposing them to jihadist reprisal. They were also revealed by the Economist for grossly exaggerating statistics in a report to further their agenda.
One of their most senior activists even described their work as intentionally “dirty, underhand[ed], low down, unscrupulous”.
Despite this, they threatened to sue former UKIP leader Nigel Farage when he linked their tactics with extremism.