Two weeks ago we held, what we believe, to be an inspirational conference with a fantastic set of speakers. This conference reflects a year of growth and success for the Traditional Britain Group - as it continues to increase its support base and work with influential writers and thinkers from across the traditionalist spectrum.

Following this conference, and having listened to the many ideas that speakers and attendees put forward, the leadership of the group has taken a step back to clarify and outline what we believe should be the future focus and core purpose of the Traditional Britain Group - something radical, but also achievable.

We propose the establishment of a grass roots counter establishment, a local support network - our own institution - that brings together traditionalists of every persuasion. Not a political group - but networks where people can live tradition and experience culture, a genuine community, where individuals can learn, where skills can be shared, where ideas can flow, where leaders can be created, where friends can be made, where resources can be given, where action can be planned, and ultimately where an original, radical and passionate resistance can be built and instilled in our supporters.

Below we outline the premise for this network, and following that we delve into its practical implications.

 

Premise:

 

1. Existing strategies have not been successful and must be abandoned

 

If we aim to see the restoration of traditional conservatism in this country we cannot rely on upon the existing mechanisms, its national politics and its institutions to serve that purpose.

2. The moral belief in egalitarianism as the highest good must be utterly opposed

 

We must unite in a total opposition to liberalism, Marxism, egalitarianism and the view of man as homo economicus. It is the belief in egalitarianism that has castrated discussion and silenced great minds - it is egalitarianism that has prevented the computation of a much needed Traditionalist perspective during this crisis. What we need is a reason to feel righteous, a reason to feel that we are good moral people, whilst putting forward a radical and futuristic argument for Tradition. Only then will we be able to do so openly, with real conviction, and without fear. For that we need a moral critique of egalitarianism – we must discredit the pursuit of equality.

3. We must be united by a core commitment to Tradition, not to detail

 

We must unite, not behind policy proposals and political detail, but rather the eternal truths of European and British Tradition: kinship, family, duty, faith, uniqueness, hierarchy, community, sovereignty, authority, nation, identity, liberty, justice, truth, beauty, and excellence.

4. We must be honest and courageous

 

We must be fundamentally life-affirming, we must learn to love the struggle, we must take risks, and we must live Tradition. We must be consistently and courageously traditionalist and conservative in our behaviour and communications. We must embrace abstract and moral ideas – the morality of an ideal trumps empirical reality. We must reject all euphemism and hypocrisy. Most importantly we must build new moral, economic and cultural support networks that will arm people with the ideas, and courage, to speak and fight freely.

5. We must abandon the defence of lost institutions, of style over substance

 

The majority of current institutions are no longer conservative in any meaningful sense. Attempts to influence existing institutions - including political parties – have utterly failed, and where conservatives remain they are ineffectual. We must redefine the rules, overturn the tables, and be radical and Traditional. We must create something worth fighting for – something good!

6. Conservatives cannot counter our enemies effectively within these institutions

 

So called conservatives who operate within the existing system utterly fail to achieve any substantial change – because they constantly compromise, they are hypocrites and they attempt to ‘play the game.’ When an individual does stand up he is quickly cowed by social, economic and sometimes legal pressure.

7. We must create a large local support networks and a professional national vanguard

 

We must create a new traditional conservative counter establishment– providing local support networks that will allow us to ruthlessly attack egalitarianism, and what it represents, openly and honestly. This must be a loose grassroots movement, supported by a unified professional, intellectual, highly organised national vanguard.

8. We must promote and nurture a traditionalist culture

 

It is only through the life and values of a community that we can allow the individual to experience what would otherwise be an intellectual abstraction. We need to use what opportunities remain to us to organize and to work together with common aims to preserve and restore traditional conservative values, through institutions such as the Traditional Britain Group and through building others that will nurture and promote the culture of the Right both locally and nationally for generations to come.

9. This support network must be a flexible ‘wide church’ whilst detail or policy differences should be set aside

 

The support network must be a wide, open, church – consisting of conservatives, traditionalists, radicals, libertarians and others that wish to support us. Consequently local activities and direction must be decided by local members. Whilst its members are welcome to join any group they wish this support network must be non-partisan and non-sectarian. Members are not obliged to cease other activities and are encouraged to continue with their own political activities and groups. We must permit individuals to hold divergent opinions on detail, rise above ego, and lend our backing to a diverse array of individuals within our support network.

 

Building a local Traditional Britain support network:

 

1. Structure

• Local groups will, at the first stage, be organised into regions.

• Each regional group will have an organiser appointed by the national committee. This organiser must be a member.

• Under the regional umbrella there will be a cross-over of local groups. These may be county, village, district or city based, depending on the membership and size. A local connection is key here.

• Any TBG member can propose to organise a provisional local group if one does not already exist – simply contact us on info@traditionalbritain.org. A local organiser must be on Facebook to carry out his duties effectively.

• The creation of provisional local groups must be approved by the regional organiser or national Chairman when a regional organiser is unavailable. A provisional group can be dissolved by the national Chairman or regional organiser.

• This group becomes official upon holding a launch meeting of at least five individuals where the organiser is validated by the members in attendance.

• A local group must hold at least one meeting a month, on average, to remain official – or it reverts to a provisional status.

• Local organisers must be elected on a yearly basis at a local AGM if an individual local member demands it. Only paid up members may attend the AGM, although anyone can attend local activities.

• These groups, and their organisers, should adhere to the generic premise above.

 

2. Activities

The approach to activities should reflect the premise of flexible support networks with a broad traditionalist and conservative appeal. Some members may wish to take part in, or organise, some activities, and not others – and this is fine.

These activities could be organised by the TBG locally, or members can arrange to attend existing activities hosted by other groups and organisations.

Many pubs will have rooms that they will allow groups to use for free – we would suggest these are initially utilised. Seminar spaces, with the correct equipment, are also available in many places for reasonable prices.

• A monthly organisational meeting: where local members can propose, and organise their upcoming activities. It is suggested these are held at the same time each month – members can then attend when they can.

• Skills, educational and learning activities: monthly seminars, talks, book clubs, movie clubs, documentary clubs. Most importantly the sharing of skills and information.

• Cultural, esoteric and spiritual activities: Cultural visits, historic visits, countryside visits, conservation activities, music, art, Church attendance.

• Social activities: meals, organised trips, pub socials, cinema, country walks, sports, and other social activities. From the casual to the formal.

• Community support: assisting local British communities in defence of their Tradition, families and livelihoods with appropriate activities.

• Campaign activities: protests, community activism, direct action, clean ups, targeted campaigns, targeted recruitment. A robust defence of our principles at local level.

• Support activities: supporting local causes, local groups and local organisations – most importantly supporting our members concerns.

• Economic and resource sharing: sharing of free business skills, advice and resources. Enabling individuals to feel morally and economically secure. Members must feel they can rely on their traditionalist support network if they are attacked by the liberal-left establishment at work or elsewhere. Members even wish to consider employing one another.

• Leadership training: preparing individuals for national leadership. Writing, speaking, thinking, organising.

 

3. Finances and funding:

Finances will not be held by local groups to avoid bureaucracy (this may change as groups grow). Rather if finances are required the local organiser can appeal to members for funds for a specific purpose OR he may appeal to the national committee for specific resources (i.e. leaflets).

Local activities should are a chance for groups to raise funds for the Traditional Britain Group - perhaps with a ‘what was it worth to you’ approach or with the need to purchase tickets with a small profit margin for a specially organised event. Any donations should be made directly online to avoid the handling of cash. We can set up Eventbrite pages for larger ticket events.

The TBG has an open approach to our accounts – members can view them at our national Annual General Meeting.

 

4. Security:

Local organisations will not be secret societies cowering in the dark. Organisers will be expected to be public facing and meetings will be publicised (see below). If there are security concerns organisers may wish to validate individual’s identities online beforehand, check with the national committee, distribute venue details privately to attendees, or direct attendees to a meeting point near the venue. It is not advised that members hold events on their own property unless they trust the attendees implacably.

Local organisers must be aware of data protection laws and cannot share member’s data with other individuals without their express permission. Any data must be stored securely.

 

5. Marketing and Promotion:

There are numerous ways that local groups can promote their activities and existence.

• Facebook groups:

Organisers will be given administrative controls over our private Facebook groups. With this facility they can mass message members and organise Facebook events (from which they can message attendees. Additionally members can post to the page in privacy and discuss ideas and strategies.

• The national blog:

Ask us to promote your meetings and submit photos and reviews of your activities.

• Our email database:

We can target local supporters with messages about local meetings.

• The Facebook page:

Ask us to promote your meetings and submit photos and reviews of your activities, we can share these on our national Facebook page.

• Eventbrite page:

For ticked events the national group can set up an Eventbrite page for you.

• Traditional marketing:

Targeted leafleting, networking with other groups, business cards, stickers, protests, press releases, advertising.

• Member’s database:

Due to the data protection laws local members details will only be forwarded to official local organisers if members give permission. Organisers then can contact local members to encourage them to get involved.