Renowned anti-fascist campaigner and Searchlight founder Gerry Gable dies aged 88

Tributes have poured in following the death of Gerry Gable, a towering figure in Britain’s anti-fascist movement and the founder of Searchlight magazine.

Gable passed away peacefully at the age of 88 over the weekend, following a period of declining health.

A statement from Searchlight confirmed, “It is with the greatest sadness that we have to announce that Searchlight’s founder, Gerry Gable, has died at the age of 88. He had been in frail health for some time, but a recent hospital admission proved too much, and he died peacefully last night. Gerry was one of the most important figures in post-war anti-fascism, not just in this country but also internationally.”

Gable was instrumental in shaping Britain’s anti-fascist landscape. In 1975, he relaunched Searchlight magazine, which became a leading voice in exposing and documenting the activities of far-right groups and individuals.

He edited the publication for much of its existence, steering it through its transition to an online-only format last year.

Gable is remembered as a relentless campaigner whose investigative work and advocacy shaped the fight against fascism in Britain and beyond.

Born in London’s East End to a Jewish mother and Anglican father, Gable spoke of his pride at being Jewish throughout his life.

After leaving the Communist Party due to its anti-Israel stance, he became active in the 62 Group in the 1960s, renowned for infiltrating and confronting far-right and neo-Nazi organisations.

The hugely influential 62 Group’s formal membership, led by figures like Harry Bidney and Gable was funded partly by the Jewish Aid Committee.

His investigative work frequently targeted Holocaust denier David Irving, including a notable incident in which Gable and another activist posed as General Post Office engineers to gain access to Irving’s flat.

In 1964, Gable was convicted alongside Manny Carpel and fined for activities connected to their anti-fascist work.

Despite these legal challenges and frequent threats—including bomb and death threats—Gable remained undeterred in his efforts.

Under his leadership, Searchlight collaborated with BBC TV on a groundbreaking investigation into the British National Party, culminating in the programme “Spy Story,” which led to the arrest of eight BNP members.

For his lifetime’s work defending liberal democracy and combating racism and fascism, Gable was awarded an honorary doctorate by Northampton University in 2011.

The university also houses Searchlight’s extensive archive as a digital research resource.

Gable’s influence extended beyond journalism.

He served as an independent adviser to the Metropolitan Police’s Hate Crime Independent Advisory Group and sat on the London board of Tell Mama, an organisation dedicated to combating anti-Muslim hatred.

Communal organisations and leaders were among those who paid tribute to Gable’s legacy.

The Community Security Trust described him as “a towering figure in the fight against fascism, racism and the far right in Britain,” adding, “May his memory be a blessing.”

Jeremy Newmark, leader of Hertsmere Council, called Gable a “legendary figure in the fight against fascism and neo-nazism,” while Paul Nowak, general secretary of the TUC, praised Gable’s pivotal role in exposing the tactics and funding of far-right groups.

Reflecting on his career in a final article for Searchlight last March, Gable wrote, “When I sat down with a couple of former 62 Group leaders in 1975 to discuss possibly relaunching Searchlight, the anti-fascist newspaper we had published in the mid-60s, I had no idea that it would set a course for me for the rest of my life… and yet, here we are now, celebrating half a century of continuous publication, of service to the anti-fascist and anti-racist movement, and of visiting exposure and disruption on the forces of racism and right-wing extremism both in the UK and abroad.”

Mark Gardner, chief executive of the Community Security Trust, previously described Gable as having made “an utterly unique contribution to the fight against fascism, racism and antisemitism. His impact is an enduring one, because he has not only undermined the far right at every turn to all our benefits, but his research also underpins our knowledge of this entire political area.”