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| The '''Western Goals Institute''' (WGI) was a |
The '''Western Goals Institute''' (WGI) was a right-wing pressure group in ], formed at the beginning of 1989 from ] (formed in 1985). It was best known for its ] and for its opposition to non-white ] into Britain. | ||
| Its leading patrons were General Sir ], KCB, CBE, DSO, former ] Chief of Staff, Major-General ] from the ], US Military Intelligence, and Major ], MC, VRD, RM. In 1989 its list of Vice-Presidents included Professor ], Professor Tryggvi McDonald, Rev.], M.P., The 7th ], Dr. ], former head of the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation (today the ]), Colonel Barry Turner, the Rev. Basil Watson, OBE, MA, RN (Retd), and ] of the ]. | Its leading patrons were General Sir ], KCB, CBE, DSO, former ] Chief of Staff, Major-General ] from the ], US Military Intelligence, and Major ], MC, VRD, RM. In 1989 its list of Vice-Presidents included Professor ], Professor Tryggvi McDonald, Rev.], M.P., The 7th ], Dr. ], former head of the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation (today the ]), Colonel Barry Turner, the Rev. Basil Watson, OBE, MA, RN (Retd), and ] of the ]. | ||
| Because of its links with Le Pen, the '']'' newspaper stated that the WGI had ties to foreign neo-fascist parties (''Independent'', 28 November 1992), although Roger Griffin states that the ''Front National'' is "basically non-fascist". '']'' later accused the WGI of attempting "to infiltrate fascists into the ]" (''Guardian'', 18 August 1993). These claims were disputed by the WGI. | |||
| ⚫ | The '']'' reported on 25th September 1992 that Marc Gordon, director of the libertarian ''International Freedom Foundation'' urged the Conservative Party to expel members of Western Goals, and in the same newspaper on 2nd October Julian Lewis (now a M.P.), then deputy |
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| In a circular letter to supporters in late 1993, they stated that "the WGI remains opposed to a non-traditional Britain, and Europe, and we condemn the slide into general degeneracy visible everywhere. We condemn unacceptable numbers of immigrants, whether born here or not. We object to our economies being run by multi-nationals whose first consideration will never be the national good, but internationalism and profit." | In a circular letter to supporters in late 1993, they stated that "the WGI remains opposed to a non-traditional Britain, and Europe, and we condemn the slide into general degeneracy visible everywhere. We condemn unacceptable numbers of immigrants, whether born here or not. We object to our economies being run by multi-nationals whose first consideration will never be the national good, but internationalism and profit." | ||
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| On the ] ] ] chaired a Western Goals dinner at ] for ]'s President, ], and his inner cabinet. The guest list included figures such as Sir ] - policy advisor to ], Lord ], Professor ], ], Dr.], Colonel Barry Turner,R.E.(Retd)., ], ], W.], and Dr.]. ]'' and '']'', Court & Social Columns, ], 89]. | On the ] ] ] chaired a Western Goals dinner at ] for ]'s President, ], and his inner cabinet. The guest list included figures such as Sir ] - policy advisor to ], Lord ], Professor ], ], Dr.], Colonel Barry Turner,R.E.(Retd)., ], ], W.], and Dr.]. ]'' and '']'', Court & Social Columns, ], 89]. | ||
| In ], Western Goals gave their open support to the French ']', the political party led by ]. On ] ] WGI hosted a controversial fringe meeting at the ] Conference in ], addressed by ] MEP, ]. |
In ], Western Goals gave their open support to the French ']', the populist political party led by ]. On ] ] WGI hosted a controversial fringe meeting at the ] Conference in ], addressed by ] MEP, ]. Western Goals also examined the possibility of links with the right-wing party, ], which in 1989 had six members in the European Parliament. It was led by ], a TV presenter in ]. They also supported the '] e.V.' led by another media personality, ], now a parliamentarian in ]. | ||
| The group hosted social events including an Annual Dinner at the Grosvenor Hotel at Victoria on ] ] when the guest of honour was ], who spoke out against non-European ] immigration into ] and ]. On the ] ] they hosted the ] Memorial Dinner, commemorating the anniversary of his death. This was also chaired by ]. A WGI notice in "The Times" argued that the late ruler of ] was "remembered as a hero against communism". | The group hosted social events including an Annual Dinner at the Grosvenor Hotel at Victoria on ] ] when the guest of honour was ], who spoke out against non-European ] immigration into ] and ]. On the ] ] they hosted the ] Memorial Dinner, commemorating the anniversary of his death. This was also chaired by ]. A WGI notice in "The Times" argued that the late ruler of ] was "remembered as a hero against communism". | ||
| Major-General Singlaub visited London and had several meetings with the directorate of Western Goals in May 1991. |
Major-General Singlaub, who remained a Patron of the WGI, visited London and had several meetings with the directorate of Western Goals in May 1991. The WGI was anxious to damage the communist-controlled ], and following Singlaub's lobbying the ] reversed their grant-aid to the South African ] in June. The Institute was also affiliated to the ], and sent a delegation to the 22nd ] Conference in ] in July 1990. | ||
| Western Goals subsequently hosted a dinner for ] and his team at the ] in the Strand, London, at the beginning of December 1991 which was widely reported, with an exclusive appearing in "]" on ]. There was a large demonstration against the meeting outside the hotel and some damage to property took place, notably the hotel's front doors and surroundings, which were smashed. | Western Goals subsequently hosted a dinner for ] and his team at the ] in the Strand, London, at the beginning of December 1991 which was widely reported, with an exclusive appearing in "]" on ]. There was a large demonstration against the meeting outside the hotel and some damage to property took place, notably the hotel's front doors and surroundings, which were smashed. | ||
| ⚫ | The '']'' reported on 25th September 1992 that Marc Gordon, director of the libertarian ''International Freedom Foundation'' urged the Conservative Party to expel members of Western Goals, and in the same newspaper on 2nd October Julian Lewis (now a M.P.), then deputy-head of Conservative Central Office's Research Department, said he would strongly advise local associations that Western Goals was hostile to conservative objectives. Gordon's attack was replied to by the WGI in a letter dated 25th September to the ''Jewish Chronicle'', which they failed to publish. | ||
| Activities diminished and lack of finance reduced any subsequent campaigning to occasional Policy Papers, the glossy newsletter, and letters to editors, such as that by WGI Vice-President, ], which appeared in "]" in October 1994, opposing constitutional ]. Another letter by Lauder-Frost, writing again as Vice-President, appeared in the London '']'' on ] ] which called for "witch-hunts" of traditionalists within the Conservative Party to cease, and for "the party to return to its original philosophies". | Activities diminished and lack of finance reduced any subsequent campaigning to occasional Policy Papers, the glossy newsletter, and letters to editors, such as that by WGI Vice-President, ], which appeared in "]" in October 1994, opposing constitutional ]. Another letter by Lauder-Frost, writing again as Vice-President, appeared in the London '']'' on ] ] which called for "witch-hunts" of traditionalists within the Conservative Party to cease, and for "the party to return to its original philosophies". | ||
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| * Various newspapers and TV programmes. | * Various newspapers and TV programmes. | ||
| * Griffin, Roger, ''The Nature of Fascism'', London, 1991, ISBN 0-86187-112X | |||
| == Some WGI publications == | == Some WGI publications == | ||
Revision as of 09:40, 22 December 2005
The Western Goals Institute (WGI) was a right-wing pressure group in Britain, formed at the beginning of 1989 from Western Goals (UK) (formed in 1985). It was best known for its anti-communism and for its opposition to non-white immigration into Britain.
Its leading patrons were General Sir Walter Walker, KCB, CBE, DSO, former NATO Chief of Staff, Major-General John K. Singlaub from the World Anti-Communist League, US Military Intelligence, and Major Patrick Wall, MC, VRD, RM. In 1989 its list of Vice-Presidents included Professor Antony Flew, Professor Tryggvi McDonald, Rev.Martin Smyth, M.P., The 7th Baron Sudeley, Dr. Harvey Ward, former head of the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation (today the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation), Colonel Barry Turner, the Rev. Basil Watson, OBE, MA, RN (Retd), and Gregory Lauder-Frost of the Conservative Monday Club.
Because of its links with Le Pen, the Independent newspaper stated that the WGI had ties to foreign neo-fascist parties (Independent, 28 November 1992), although Roger Griffin states that the Front National is "basically non-fascist". The Guardian later accused the WGI of attempting "to infiltrate fascists into the Conservative Party" (Guardian, 18 August 1993). These claims were disputed by the WGI.
In a circular letter to supporters in late 1993, they stated that "the WGI remains opposed to a non-traditional Britain, and Europe, and we condemn the slide into general degeneracy visible everywhere. We condemn unacceptable numbers of immigrants, whether born here or not. We object to our economies being run by multi-nationals whose first consideration will never be the national good, but internationalism and profit."
This last sentence would seem to set the WGI against the theories of free-market economics promoted by Thatcherism; ironically, most people on the WGI's wing of politics had enthusiastically supported Margaret Thatcher during the 1970s and for much of the 1980s.
The group published numerous policy papers, as well as a short-lived newspaper called European Dawn (1989). It supported the apartheid regime of South Africa, and hosted a visit to the UK, in June 1989, by the hierarchy of the far-right Conservative Party of South Africa a hard-line breakaway from the National Party of South Africa which, at the time, held a third of the seats in the Republic of South Africa's parliament, including its leader Dr.Andries Treurnicht. A press conference was held for the delegation in a committee room of the House of Lords on 5 June. Conservative Party of South Africa MP Clive Derby-Lewis was made an honourary vice-president of the WGI. Derby-Lewis would later be tried and convicted for his role in the assassination of Chris Hani of the South African Communist Party.
On the 25 September 1989 Baron Sudeley chaired a Western Goals dinner at Simpsons-in-the-Strand for El Salvador's President, Alfredo Cristiani, and his inner cabinet. The guest list included figures such as Sir Alfred Sherman - policy advisor to Margaret Thatcher, Lord Nicholas Hervey, Professor Antony Flew, Andrew V R Smith, Dr.Zigmunt Szkopiak, Colonel Barry Turner,R.E.(Retd)., Sam Swerling, Gregory Lauder-Frost, W.Denis Walker, and Dr.Harvey Ward. .
In Europe, Western Goals gave their open support to the French 'Front National', the populist political party led by Jean-Marie Le Pen. On 12 October 1989 WGI hosted a controversial fringe meeting at the Conservative Party Conference in Blackpool, addressed by Front National MEP, Pierre Ceyrac. Western Goals also examined the possibility of links with the right-wing party, The Republicans (Germany), which in 1989 had six members in the European Parliament. It was led by Franz Shoenhuber, a TV presenter in Bavaria. They also supported the 'Die Deutschen Konservativen e.V.' led by another media personality, Joachim Siegerist, now a parliamentarian in Riga.
The group hosted social events including an Annual Dinner at the Grosvenor Hotel at Victoria on 24 November 1989 when the guest of honour was Kenneth Griffith, who spoke out against non-European Third World immigration into Britain and Europe. On the 20 November 1990 they hosted the General Franco Memorial Dinner, commemorating the anniversary of his death. This was also chaired by Baron Sudeley. A WGI notice in "The Times" argued that the late ruler of Spain was "remembered as a hero against communism".
Major-General Singlaub, who remained a Patron of the WGI, visited London and had several meetings with the directorate of Western Goals in May 1991. The WGI was anxious to damage the communist-controlled ANC, and following Singlaub's lobbying the US Congress reversed their grant-aid to the South African ANC in June. The Institute was also affiliated to the World Anti-Communist League, and sent a delegation to the 22nd World Anti-Communist League Conference in Brussels in July 1990.
Western Goals subsequently hosted a dinner for Jean-Marie Le Pen and his team at the Charing Cross Hotel in the Strand, London, at the beginning of December 1991 which was widely reported, with an exclusive appearing in "The Mail on Sunday" on 8 December. There was a large demonstration against the meeting outside the hotel and some damage to property took place, notably the hotel's front doors and surroundings, which were smashed.
The Jewish Chronicle reported on 25th September 1992 that Marc Gordon, director of the libertarian International Freedom Foundation urged the Conservative Party to expel members of Western Goals, and in the same newspaper on 2nd October Julian Lewis (now a M.P.), then deputy-head of Conservative Central Office's Research Department, said he would strongly advise local associations that Western Goals was hostile to conservative objectives. Gordon's attack was replied to by the WGI in a letter dated 25th September to the Jewish Chronicle, which they failed to publish.
Activities diminished and lack of finance reduced any subsequent campaigning to occasional Policy Papers, the glossy newsletter, and letters to editors, such as that by WGI Vice-President, Gregory Lauder-Frost, which appeared in "The Scotsman" in October 1994, opposing constitutional devolution. Another letter by Lauder-Frost, writing again as Vice-President, appeared in the London Evening Standard on 4 January 1995 which called for "witch-hunts" of traditionalists within the Conservative Party to cease, and for "the party to return to its original philosophies".
Yorkshire-based Anthony Murphy, who had been a prominent local Conservative in Bradford, and Chairman of the Yorkshire branch of the Monday Club, became the Secretary from 1993 - 1996. The group sent representatives to The Right Conference in London on 21 May 1994. In March 1995 the guest-of-honour at the Western Goals Annual Dinner, chaired by Gregory Lauder-Frost and held at the Grosvenor Hotel in Victoria, was Ulster Democratic Unionist Party M.P., Peter Robinson.
In January and February 1996 WGI issued two 'opinion papers' as a Press Statements, headed "The Monarchy in Crisis - Our Opinion", and "Crush the IRA" calling for the army's SAS to be deployed in Ulster, for Sinn Fein to be proscribed, and for a formal declaration by the British government that Ulster will remain an integral part of the United Kingdom in perpetuity.
The group's secretary had a letter in the London Evening Standard on 10 September 1996 supporting the right of Holocaust deniers to be heard. In July 1997, Western Goals formally complained by letter to the BBC's Director-General that the BBC was "promoting minorities and minority opinion at the expense of the majority population" and that they had an institutionalised left-wing bias. Also in July 1997 Lauder-Frost, writing on behalf of the WGI, made a formal complaint to British Airways opposing the abolition of their traditional logo on plane tails, to be replaced by a logo which, in their response, BA said "represents a willingness to embrace different cultures".
On the 4 February, 1998 Western Goals sent a letter to the Evening Standard over their headline "Britain attacks Iraq Arsenal". The letter asked "what was the United Nations doing when the Soviet Union had all these weapons of mass destruction"? It called for Iraq's sovereignty to be respected. On the 1 March that year several of the 'Old Guard' from Western Goals went on the first Countryside Alliance march through London, followed by a luncheon at the Lansdowne Club.
In January 1999 the group wrote to the Daily Telegraph on two occasions, on the 21st attacking Margaret Beckett's 'instructions' to the hereditary peerage not to obstruct the legislation which would remove them from the House of Lords, and on the 28th, when they commented on the report of that day that Islamic terrorists were now living and training in Britain, and called for a halt to immigration. Their last sentence said "the alternative will be a disaster-in-waiting for all of us."
Their December 1999 mailing carried a personal letter from General Walker on WGI notepaper, calling for vigilance against 'the enemies within' and saluting Western Goals' 15 years of activity in Great Britain.
The organisation folded in 2001 following Walker's death.
References
- The Traditional Britain Group archives, BCM Box 9045, London, WC1N 3XX.
- Various newspapers and TV programmes.
- Griffin, Roger, The Nature of Fascism, London, 1991, ISBN 0-86187-112X
Some WGI publications
- "European Dawn" short-lived tabloid newspaper on quality paper. July 1989 edition carried headlines on EEC Elections and "Reds to come clean over 1940?" Page 6 carries an article: "outcry grows over Hong Kong sell-out" and on page 7 there is a Tribute to Senator Joseph McCarthy. The September 1989 edition carries the headline "AIDS Crisis Deepens" with quotes by Jean Marie le Pen. Another front-page article states "Drugs Menace Crosses Atlantic". Page 4 carries a full-page article by Gregory Lauder-Frost entitled "Legacy of Betrayal" on supposed Western appeasement to communism. Page 6 carried a picture and article ont he visit to Britain of Dr.Andries Treurnicht, and page 7 carries an article entitled "Communist Tactics in Chile".
- "Family Protection Scoreboard" magazine - Special full edition on "Liberation Theology", , editor David W. Balsiger, published by the National Citizens Action Network, Costa Mesa, CA92627, USA.,1989.
- "Hit-job on Margaret Thatcher" WGI Viewpoint Paper, by John Wilkes. n/d but probably 1990.
- "The Mandela Myth" WGI Viewpoint Paper, by James Gibb Stuart. June 1990.
- "The Finance Factor" WGI Viewpoint Paper, by James Gibb-Stuart. n/d, but probably 1991.
- "The Conservative Ethic" by James Gibb Stuart, April 1994, .
- "Western Goals Political Briefing Papers" - glossy 4-page bi-annual editions. Editor: Gregory Lauder-Frost. Special 1997 General Election edition headlined "Britain: Province or Nation?. September 1998 edition headline: "New Labour and the New Face of Conservatism" with an inside article attacking the unveiling of 'left-wing' statues at Westminster Abbey. February 1999 edition headline states: "NO to Blair, NO to the Euro", with inside articles on "The Death of Free Speech" and "Nationalism". The Winter 1999 edition was headlined "The lies, the shame, the betrayal of Ulster" with an inside editorial attacking the the "Conservative Party", and another "Withdraw from the EU NOW!"