The UK Independence Party (Ukip) has submitted a new party emblem for approval, a design that has immediately drawn fierce criticism for its resemblance to the historic Iron Cross used by the German Empire and later adopted by the Nazi regime.
From Rejected Sword to Controversial Cross
The party's application follows the rejection of a previous logo last November. The Electoral Commission ruled that earlier design, which featured a black cross with a sword and spear through it, was offensive and could not be registered for use on ballot papers. The new proposal removes the sword but retains a stark black cross design, accompanied by the word "Ukip" and the phrase "The New Right" beneath it.
Sunder Katwala, director of the thinktank British Future, stated the new logo appears modelled directly on the iron cross. "The intended message may be about being crusaders," Katwala suggested. "Ukip has a strong focus on Britain being a Christian land and specifically are campaigning to scrap the government funding protective security measures for mosques which have experienced hate crimes and attacks."
A Party Transformed Under New Leadership
Ukip, which was once a significant electoral force under Nigel Farage, winning 12.6% of the national vote in 2015, has seen its political presence dwindle to near-negligible levels. It now holds just one Kent county councillor and a handful of parish and town councillors. However, under the leadership of Nick Tenconi, a personal trainer who took over last year, the party has shifted explicitly towards Christian nationalism and street-level activism.
Tenconi has made extreme pledges, including vowing to deploy the military to "round up and deport the Islamists, illegals and the communists," a message actively promoted on the party's social media. He also serves as chief operating officer for Turning Point UK, the British branch of the conservative pressure group founded by the late US activist Charlie Kirk.
Warnings of Normalising Far-Right Symbolism
The anti-racism campaign group Hope Not Hate (HNH) has raised the alarm, warning that approval of the logo could see the symbol printed on official ballot papers. Joe Mulhall, HNH’s director of research, said: "Just a few years ago the idea that a far-right party echoing Nazi-style imagery could end up on ballot papers was unthinkable, yet we know that the far right is growing and attempts are being made every day to normalise its policies."
Mulhall added that the logo signifies Ukip's radicalisation. "While always a rightwing party, under Tenconi’s leadership it has become an altogether more far-right organisation engaged in street politics," he stated.
The Electoral Commission is currently assessing the proposed name, description, and emblem. The public can submit comments on whether they believe the design meets the registration criteria, which prohibits emblems deemed offensive, misleading, or containing banned words. The Commission and Nick Tenconi have been approached for comment on the controversy.
