Conservative councillor accused of supporting far-right Patriotic Alternative resigns from Worthing Council
A councillor for the Conservative Party who had been suspended after being accused of supporting the far-right group Patriotic Alternative has now resigned from Worthing Council.
Tim Wills is alleged to have joined a Patriotic Alternative chat room on the social media platform Telegram in June, where he reportedly posted messages of support.
Patriotic Alternative is known for its efforts to recruit youth to its white nationalist ideology. Previously, the far-right group published an online “alternative” home school curriculum condemned as “poison” and “hateful” and attempted to recruit children as young as twelve through livestreaming events on YouTube, according to The Times.
Earlier this year, the far-right group was found to be using Telegram to create neo-Nazi channels dedicated to sharing vile messages, antisemitic conspiracy theories and images glorifying Hitler.
Hope Not Hate describes Patriotic Alliance is “a racist far-right organisation with antisemitism at its very core. They aim to combat the ‘replacement and displacement’ of white Britons by people who ‘have no right to these lands’.” The group reportedly holds that “it is Jewish elites, particularly, who are orchestrating the ‘replacement’ of white Britons.”
The group is led by the former head of the youth wing of the BNP, Mark Collett, who is reported to have dabbled in Holocaust denial, collaborated with the infamous American antisemite David Duke, and espoused antisemitic and racist views.
A report into Patriotic Alternative published last summer found that several members of the group engaged in Holocaust denial.
On 22nd September, Mr Wills is alleged to have written: “My view is Covid is a loss maker for us, we just need to centre on white genocide […] because many of our white race are convinced about vaccines, but not about our replacement, and need to be informed about this?”
In another message, he is alleged to have encouraged members to “Remember the fourteen words”, likely a reference to the neo-Nazi fourteen-word oath: “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children”, a slogan initially devised by David Lane, a member of the white supremacist terrorist group “The Order” which was responsible for the murder of Jewish radio host Alan Berg.
He also reportedly said that because Patriotic Alternative “have no chance of political power any time soon, sadly”, he viewed the Conservatives as “the best of a rotten lot,” as the group would still have a “right-wing minority who are on side”. He also reportedly said that if it were not for his “sensitive job” as a Conservative councillor, then he would take on the vacant regional organiser position in his local branch.
After the allegations arose in October, Mr Wills was suspended from the Conservative Party. He has now reportedly resigned from the Council as well.
In a statement, Worthing Council said: “Cllr Wills is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Council under its Code of Conduct procedures following remarks he is alleged to have made in an online forum run by an organisation called the Patriotic Alternative. He had already been suspended by the Conservative Party pending an investigation. In accordance with procedures the vacancy on the council will be advertised on this website in due course.”
Campaign Against Antisemitism has been monitoring and acting against the threat from the far-right for years and continues to support the authorities following suit.
