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I see that there have been some viral tweets about the National Front's 1970 policies being similar to the current Tory govt. I would hasten to add that the viral image shows the NF's slogans, rather than policies, per se - designed to appeal to the widest possible audience.
In 1970, the NF was in transition, having been established by a coalition of far right groups in 1967-68. Between 1968 and 1974 it tried to appeal to disaffected Tories (often via the Monday Club), around issues such as immigration, the EEC and decolonisation.
NF had been bouyed by Enoch Powell in 1968-70 period and then used the Ugandan Asian controversy in 1972-73 and Britain's entry into EEC to peel off Tory votes. That can explain why the 1970 NF slogans were designed to appeal to Tories then, and has certain similarities to now.
Between 1974 and 1979, the NF appealed less to Tories and more to disaffected Labour voters. They also increased their street presence, particularly as the 'neo-Nazi' element (led by John Tyndall and Martin Webster) took over, which coincided with growing anti-fascist movement.
Here is the policy programme of the NF in 1975, as they transitioned towards appealing to Labour voters during crises of the 1970s. Notice the recurring themes, but also the different emphasis on some things - and how different some are to current Tory policies.
But as I argued here, the right are rehashing fascist tropes from yesteryear (although there are some differences). It is just that the edges between the far right and mainstream right are getting more blurry. https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/trump-antifa-fascism-us-protest-riots-priti-patel-nigel-farage-a9548331.html
What eventually reversed the fortunes of the National Front in the 1970s? Firstly, the growth of the anti-fascist movement, in particular the Anti-Nazi League. Secondly, the appeal of Thatcher to the less 'hardcore' NF voters.
If you haven't read @Livesrunning on the Anti-Nazi League and the movement against the National Front, you really need to! https://www.routledge.com/Never-Again-Rock-Against-Racism-and-the-Anti-Nazi-League-1976-1982/Renton/p/book/9781138502710
I will also mention my book on how the fight against the National Front in the 1970s gave birth to the notion of 'no platforming', which continues to an issue of debate today. https://www.routledge.com/No-Platform-A-History-of-Anti-Fascism-Universities-and-the-Limits-of-Free/Smith/p/book/9781138591684
