Arnold Leese

Arnold Spencer Leese (1878–1956) was a British political figure primarily known for his leadership of the Imperial Fascist League and his extreme anti-Semitic views. Before his political career, Leese was a respected veterinary surgeon, specializing in camels, and published significant works on the subject. His veterinary expertise took him to India and Italian Somaliland, where he gained recognition, even having a camel parasite named after him.

Leese's political life began in the 1920s, influenced by Italian Fascism and figures like Henry Hamilton Beamish. He became a prominent member and later leader of fascist organizations, eventually founding the Imperial Fascist League. His political activities were heavily dominated by his anti-Semitic ideology, which he claimed was influenced by his observations of Jewish slaughter practices and texts like 'The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion.' This extreme stance led to clashes with other fascist leaders and ultimately to his conviction for seditious libel and imprisonment in 1936. He continued his publishing and activism throughout and after World War II, remaining a staunch critic of Jewish influence.

Born in 1878, Arnold Leese's early life was marked by financial difficulties following his father's death, which interrupted his education. However, with financial assistance from his grandfather, he pursued veterinary studies. After qualifying in 1903, Leese established a career as a veterinary surgeon. His work took him abroad, notably to India in 1907 and later to Italian Somaliland. During his time in India, he developed extensive expertise on camels, publishing numerous articles and a seminal work, 'A Treatise on the One-Humped Camel in Health and in Disease' (1927), which became a standard reference for decades. His contributions were so significant that a camel parasite was named after him in 1910. Leese also served in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps during World War I.

In the early 1920s, Leese became drawn to Fascism, particularly the movement led by Benito Mussolini. He authored 'Fascism for Old England' in 1923, advocating for its adoption in Britain. He joined and later formed branches of early British fascist groups, but grew disillusioned with their inclusivity, particularly regarding Jewish members. Leese's anti-Semitism intensified, fueled by figures like Arthur Kitson and Henry Hamilton Beamish, and texts such as 'The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion.' He believed Jewish control of finance was a central issue. His election as a councillor in Stamford in 1924 was, for him, a paradoxical experience, as he felt many voters did not understand his political stance.

In 1929, Leese founded his own organization, the Imperial Fascist League (IFL). Initially inspired by Italian Fascism, the IFL increasingly focused on Leese's virulent anti-Semitic agenda, heavily influenced by Henry Hamilton Beamish. Leese rejected Oswald Mosley's overtures to merge the IFL into the British Union of Fascists, viewing Mosley as insufficiently committed to addressing the 'Jewish question.' Leese's anti-Semitism became increasingly extreme and conspiratorial, particularly after a visit to Germany and meetings with Julius Streicher, leading him to remodel the IFL's newspaper, 'The Fascist,' after Streicher's 'Der Stürmer.' His radical views, including proposals for the mass murder of Jews, resulted in his imprisonment for seditious libel in 1936.

During World War II, Leese was interned under Defence Regulation 18B, viewing the conflict as a 'Jew's War' despite his criticism of certain Nazi actions. He evaded capture for a period, publishing pamphlets critical of the war effort. Released in 1944 due to ill health, Leese remained active, offering to testify at William Joyce's trial and at the Nuremberg Trials to defend Nazi actions concerning the 'Jewish issue,' which he characterized as a 'Jewish and Masonic affair.' After the war, he established a 'Jewish Information Bureau' and published 'Gothic Ripples,' continuing his anti-Semitic publications.

“Everything in this little book rang true, I simply could not put it down until I had finished it.”

“I am satisfied that nothing can be more mischievous to the public weal than the circulation of statements of this kind. I can appreciate that behind what you have done there is possibly a belief amounting in its intensity almost to fanaticism with regard to the truth or otherwise of these statements. That the public well-being can be served by the publication of stuff of this kind -- and I call it "stuff" advisably -- I cannot imagine. Nothing can be more harmful to the public weal than that.”