Well, populism took another level this weekend with The Daily Mail rightly copping a load of stick for once again returning to its roots and demonstrating the fascist instincts that are entrenched on the DNA of its proprietors.

Whatever you political persuasion or your thoughts on the EU referendum, The Mail have used the divisions across the country to once again promote the ideology of fascism. They have done this in an almost identical way to how they threw their support behind Oswald Mosley in the 1930’s. The same owners, same rhetoric; at least they are consistent.

I think it is time that we as a society, spoke more about the ideology of fascism and confronted it in a more open and grown up manner. That way, those who are unaware of its origins can tell the necessary signs when it is creeping into the mindset via media outlets such as The Mail, who in fairness are not the only guilty party, they are just audacious enough to shove it in our faces.

I say this because I know quite a few people who, whilst they are not fascists and would be appalled to be described as one, do carry the trademarks of individuals who could be drawn into the madness of its ideology, even as they wear their poppies this week in memory of those who fought it.

These are people who like me, have seen their incomes stagnate, prices rise and public services falter under the fiscal intensity of governments who have bailed out neoliberal organisations who are at the core of the establishment. These are generally organisations who have maneuvered themselves into a position where they are too big to fail, coming predominantly from the banking and privatised public services industries.

Now, I am going to hold my hands up here and tell you that since neoliberalism is something of hidden ideology, my knowledge of it is not broad enough to dictate its theories to you. However, if you need to know more, on the link below is an excellent piece I read today. There is no political agenda as such, it is just an assessment of where we are at with neoliberalism.

Click Here

Neoliberalism has failed and someone has to pay. Unless you are a plutocrat reading this, you are one of those people and even if you just about escape its collapse, your children probably will not. The only choice the neoliberals have left, is to steal from the less well off and blame it on the even less well off and immigrants.

Basically, they are turning us on each other in what is, in effect, the first seeds sown for a political vacuum and the comeback of fascism. This will end in riots on our streets as those trying to halt its rise, clash with extreme right-wing organisations; it is as predictable a snowy day in Greenland.

This was exactly what happened in between the wars in fascist Germany, with a stranglehold on the media. Fascist propaganda aimed at Jews, gypsies, immigrants, the work shy, the disabled, and others who didn’t fit the criteria of a strong German national.

Fascism starts with patriotic fervour and plays a hopeful tune to those who have been directly affected by economic collapse, alienation and unemployment. These people look for strong leadership and hope; it is only when it is too late that individuals begin to understand the consequences of the ideology they have attached themselves too.

The problem with Fascism is that once you have signed up to it, there is no turning back. Nazis with regrets couldn’t turn to Hitler and say “Sorry Adolf old chap, I can’t do this gassing stuff, it’s going a bit too far don’t you think?”

They can’t stop because they would be put in the queue for the chamber…once you embraced a fascist ideology, you can’t just give up your membership like you would if you were leaving the local golf club. That should be a good enough warning to anyone fancying get involved with a fascist group because they have been undercut by a Polish plumber.

The reason why we are not seeing stiffer government criticism aimed at The Daily Mail and the Murdoch Empire, is simply because at the current time, it is okay to let them pick on the poor, immigration, or those implementing the law (as with the ruling on Brexit last week) as it distracts from the collapse of neoliberalism.

To add to the problem further, no-one has come up with a politically viable alternative to neoliberalism that may just offer a credible and popular challenge to the status quo. This has left a vacuum for fascists like UKIP, allowing them to prey on those who have been damaged most by its effects.

Billionaire non doms such as Murdoch, the Rothermere’s and Richard Desmond have a lot to lose.  They the are the plutocrats with a lot to protect, so they cannot afford to allow a new viable political ideology to emerge from its death. As a consequence, they will happily play with democracy, attempt to be law makers and allow fascism to fester; the Rothermere’s are experts at it.

The rest of us need to learn and prepare ourselves for the 21st Century equivalent of Cable Street or Olympia. Nigel Farage is spoiling for it and almost salivating at the prospect of a fight as he tries to galvanise a march in December. We also need to convince our friends and family who are tempted by nationalism to think harder about what they are advocating.

The real news is that tax evaders and land subsidy claimants from The Mail, The Express and News Group International are not British patriots; they really couldn’t be further from it.