International Third Position

International Third Position (ITP) was a group formed by Roberto Fiore, Nick Griffin and Derek Holland and as a continuation of the Political Soldier movement that originated in the right-wing British National Front in the early 1980s. With a very small membership the ITP preached a form of revolutionary nationalism that attacked capitalism and looked to the Strasser brothers and Distributist writers like Hilaire Belloc and G.K. Chesterton for inspiration.

International Third Position is also the name of an ideology (after which the British ITP was named) that combines nationalist and social elements, drawing from the early 20th Century Distributists, Social Creditors, Guild Socialists and other "radical patriots". As a variation of national socialism, critics on the left tend to see International Third Position ideology as a form of neofascism, while others see it as displaying characteristics of a leftwing ideology.

Initially the ITP distanced itself from traditional Fascism and Nazism, promoting "racial separatism" rather than crude racism. The International Third Position operated more as an "elite cadre" than a mass movement. It sought to become an umbrella organisation for various national revolutionary parties throughout Europe and the world.

Though a key formulator of the Third Positionist platform, Nick Griffin left a year or so after the ITP's formation. After circa 4 years he threw his lot in with the British National Party, which he later took control of by attacking and undermining the BNP founder John Tyndall. Derek Holland, though appearing at nationalist functions as late as 2002, appears to have retired from active political involvement.

The ITP changed its name to England First in 2001 and has since become a part of the European National Front with groups such as the German NPD, Spanish Falange, Italian Forza Nuova, Romanian Noua Dreaptă, Polish NOP and others.

The most recent ITP/ENF gathering in central London in April 2005 drew 150 supporters. Overall membership is estimated by Searchlight magazine to be somewhat lower than this, although the ITP maintains a relatively strong publishing presence as well as its network of international contacts.

Publications supporting the ITP in the UK are Final Conflict, The Voice of St George and Candour (which was previously published by A. K. Chesterton and is the longest running far-right publication in Britain). The movement also publishes a number of reprint books connected to its ideology.

This tendency, although sometimes referred to as following a "third way", should not be confused with either the political party in the U.K. calling itself Third Way (although this group also has its roots in the defunct Official National Front), nor with the centre-right Third Way electoral movement.