Oswald Mosley

Sir Oswald Ernald Erwin Mosley (1896 - 1980) was a British politician and fascist. Originally a conservative MP, he became independent, then a Labour MP, before resigning from the Cabinet after his policies were rejected. He formed his own "New Party". The New Party were able to win some seats but lost them all following the 1931 General Election, as a result Oswald Mosley decided to go to Italy to study Benito Mussolini and the Italian fascist state. Finally, he founded and led the British Union of Fascists during the 1930s and advocated pro-Nazi policies. He initially gained some support and had the backing of prominent people such as the then owner of the Daily Mail, Lord Rothermere, however the use of "Blackshirts", a paramilitary group tied to the BUF similar to other groups used by similar fascism movements, lead to the loss of support of the BUF among many people due to their violent behavior. Interned during the war, he later made two unsuccessful attempts to re-enter parliament. He later settled in Paris near the home of his close friend, the former King Edward VIII. Despite his pro-Nazi politics, Mosley is widely reported as having described Adolf Hitler, to his face, as a jumped up little corporal. He was on much closer terms with Joseph Goebbels.