Far-right For Britain Movement candidate standing in East Barnet

A candidate from the far-right For Britain Movement political party is standing in next month’s by-election in East Barnet.

Alex Merola is representing the party founded by the anti-Islam activist Anne Marie Waters, and whose manifesto calls for a ban on kosher and halal meat practices

JCoSS school is located in the East Barnet ward, which is also home to a sizable Jewish community.

After it was founded in 2018, For Britain Movement leader Waters said the party would “speak to the forgotten people.”

She had previously been a member of UKIP but left after she and her supporters were described as “Nazis and racists” by the party’s former leaders Henry Bolton and Nigel Farage.

Some former BNP figures who are unable to join UKIP have headed For Britain meetings, including former councillors and the expelled former election chief Eddy Butler.

In September 2018 writer and political commentator Ingrid Carlqvist who has been accused of Holocaust denialspoke at For Britain’s conference.

The East Barnet ballot is taking place after Labour’s Cllr Jo Cooper stepped down as East Barnet ward councillor due to work commitments in the NHS

It will be held on Thursday, May 6 – the same day as the Mayor of London and London Assembly elections.

The Conservatives, Greens, Labour and the Liberal Democrats are all fielding candidates.

Jewish News approached Merola for comment.