Entryism

The derogatory term for people who use ‘Trojan horse’ tactics to try to take over a political movement from within its ranks.

Liverpool’s Militant Tendency was Britain’s most (in)famous entryist movement. Active in the early 1980s, Militant would never have been elected in its own right. It calculated, however, that it could capture moribund Labour Constituency Parties as a short cut to power. Their Trojan horse tactics – inspired by the example of Leon Trotsky - worked for a time. Sensible Labour MPs like Frank Field were almost deselected by Militant and the hard left Derek Hatton became leader of Liverpool Council. Militant were finally defeated by Neil Kinnock.

Militant Tendency’s entryist tactics were often intimidatory. People who got in their way were not treated gently. Far right groups have also bullied their way into a number of mainland European political parties.

Spontaneous entryism

But there are other forms of entryism that deserve a kinder portrayal. Entryism can be spontaneous when it occurs in response to an injustice. Hunt supporters are joining political parties in order to fight Labour’s attack on their ‘liberty and livelihood’. In 1974 the US Supreme Court legalised abortion. This decision – perhaps history’s most significant episode of judicial activism – galvanised America’s religious right. American Christians began to slowly permeate the Republican Party in the hope that – via the election of pro-life candidates – they could reverse the Supreme Court’s undemocratic decision.

The declining membership of Britain’s mainstream political parties has increased the opportunities for entryism. In many ‘safe seats’ the selectorate within Tory, Labour and Liberal Democrat constituency parties effectively chooses the MP. Entryists into today’s parties don’t have to be part of an orchestrated movement. Christians, field sport enthusiasts, trade unionists, gay people, small businessleaders and values voters could be thought of as ‘spontaneous entryists’. 'Spontaneous entryists' arte characterised by their disproportionate enthusiasm for joining political parties because of their instinctive commitment to their interests.

Entryism outside of politics

The British establishment has been revolutionised over recent decades – often by entryist tactics. Well-organised groups can capture churches, charities and bureaucracies – not just political parties. In the Church of England, for example, evangelicals and traditionalists have been much more interested in frontline mission than in navigating the Church’s diocesan and Synodical structures. This has left a vacuum which liberals have filled.