OswaldMosley

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SirOswaldErnaldMosley,6thBaronet[n1]/zwld.mozli/(16November18963December
1980)wasanEnglishpolitician,knownprincipallyasthefounderoftheBritishUnionofFascists
(BUF).[1]HewasaMemberofParliamentforHarrowfrom1918to1924,forSmethwickfrom1926
to1931andChancelloroftheDuchyofLancasterintheLabourGovernmentof192931,aposition
heresignedduetohisdisagreementwiththeLabourGovernment'sunemploymentpolicies.Hethen
formedtheNewPartywhichmergedwiththeBUF(whichincludedtheBlackshirts)in1932.

OswaldMosley

Althoughrelativelywellfunded,Mosleyoftenoveremphasizedintellectualfinepointsthatappealed
tofewvoters,opposedfreetradeandassociatedcloselywithNaziGermany.Mosleywasinternedin
1940andtheBUFwasproscribed.Hewasreleasedin1943,and,politicallydisillusionedinBritain,
hemovedabroadin1951,spendingmostoftheremainderofhislifeinFrance.

Contents
1Familyandearlylife
2Militaryservice
3MemberofParliament
4Crossingthefloor
5Office
6NewParty
7Fascism

PortraitofMosleybyGlynWarrenPhilpot,1925
ChancelloroftheDuchyofLancaster
Inoffice
7June192919May1930
PrimeMinister RamsayMacDonald
Precededby

RonaldJohnMcNeill

Succeededby

ClementAttlee

MemberofParliament
forSmethwick

8Internment
9Postwarpolitics
10Deathandlegacy
11Inpopularculture

Inoffice
21December192627October1931
Precededby

JohnDavison

11.1Inalternativehistoryfilmandliterature

Succeededby

12Seealso

RoyWise

MemberofParliament
forHarrow

13Notesandreferences
14Furtherreading

Inoffice
14December191829October1924

15Externallinks

Precededby

HarryMallabyDeeley

Familyandearlylife

Succeededby

SirIsidoreSalmon

MosleywastheeldestofthethreesonsofSirOswaldMosley,5thBaronet(18731928),and
KatharineMaudEdwardsHeathcote(18741950).[n2]HisbranchoftheMosleyfamilywasthe
AngloIrishfamilyatitsmostprosperous,landownersinStaffordshireseatedatRollestonHallnear
BurtonuponTrent.InasenioraristocraticGeorgianintermarriage,hisfatherwasathirdcousintothe
14thEarlofStrathmoreandKinghorne,fatherofLadyElizabethBowesLyon,whoservedalongside
KingGeorgeVIasQueen(oftheUnitedKingdom).

Born

OswaldErnaldMosley
16November1896
Mayfair,London,England

Died

3December1980(aged84)
Orsay,Paris,France

Nationality

British

Mosleywasbornon16November1896at47,HillStreet,Mayfair,Westminster.[2][3]Afterhis
parentsseparatedhewasbroughtupbyhismother,whowenttoliveatBettonHallnearMarket
Drayton,andhispaternalgrandfather,SirOswaldMosley,4thBaronet.Withinthefamilyandamong
intimatefriends,hewasalwayscalled"Tom".HelivedformanyyearsatApedaleHallinNewcastle
underLyme,alsoinStaffordshire.

Personaldetails

Politicalparty ConservativeParty
(19181922)

Independent
(1922192419401948)

LabourParty

On11May1920hemarriedLadyCynthiaCurzon(knownas"Cimmie"),(18981933),second
daughterofThe1stEarlCurzonofKedleston,(18591925),ViceroyofIndia,18991905,Foreign
Secretary,19191924,andLordCurzon'sfirstwife,theU.S.mercantileheiress,theformerMary
VictoriaLeiter.

(19241931)

LordCurzonhadtobepersuadedthatMosleywasasuitablehusband,ashesuspectedMosleywas
largelymotivatedbysocialadvancementinConservativePartypoliticsandherinheritance.The1920
weddingtookplaceintheChapelRoyalinStJames'sPalaceinLondonarguablythesocialevent
oftheyear.ThehundredsofguestsincludedEuropeanroyaltysuchasKingGeorgeVandQueen
MaryandTheDukeofBrabant(laterKingLeopoldIIIoftheBelgians)andhiswife,Astridof
Sweden,DuchessofBrabant.[4]

(19321940)

NewParty
(19311932)

BritishUnionofFascists
UnionMovement
(19481973)

Otherpolitical NationalPartyofEurope
affiliations
(19621980)

HehadthreechildrenbyCynthia:

Spouse(s)

VivienMosley(19212002),whomarriedon15January1949DesmondFrancisForbesAdam
(192658),educatedatEtonCollegeandatKing'sCollege,UniversityofCambridge,bywhom

DianaMitford(19361980)
Children

VivienMosley(deceased)
NicholasMosley
MichaelMosley
(Oswald)AlexanderMosley
MaxMosley

Almamater

Winchester
Sandhurst

shehadtwodaughters
NicholasMosley(later7thBaronetofAncoatsborn1923),asuccessfulnovelistwhowrotea
biographyofhisfatherandeditedhismemoirsforpublicationand
MichaelMosley(born1932),unmarriedandwithoutissue.
Duringthismarriagehehadanextendedaffairwithhiswife'syounger
sisterLadyAlexandraMetcalfe,andwiththeirstepmother,Grace
Curzon,MarchionessCurzonofKedleston,theU.S.bornsecondwife
andwidowofLordCurzonofKedleston.Hesucceededtothe
BaronetcyofAncoatsonhisfather'sdeathin1928,whichentitlesthe
currentholdertotheprefixstyleSir.
Cynthiadiedofperitonitisin1933,afterwhichMosleymarriedhis
mistressDianaGuinness,neMitford(19102003).Theymarriedin
secretinGermanyon6October1936intheBerlinhomeofMinister
ofPublicEnlightenmentandPropagandaJosephGoebbels.Adolf
Hitlerwasoneoftheguests.
ByDiana,hehadtwosons:
OswaldAlexanderMosley(born1938),fatherofLouisMosley(born
OswaldMosleyandLady
CynthiaCurzonontheir
weddingday,11May1920

1983)and
MaxMosley(born1940),whowaspresidentoftheFdration

LadyCynthiaMosley(1920
1933)

Awards

VictoryMedal
BritishWarMedal
191415Star
Militaryservice

Allegiance

BritishEmpire

Service/branch

BritishArmy
16thTheQueen'sLancers
RoyalFlyingCorps

Yearsof
service

19141918

Rank

Lieutenant

Battles/wars

FirstWorldWar
SecondBattleofYpres
BattleofLoos

Internationaledel'Automobile(FIA)for16years.
MosleyspentlargeamountsofhisprivatefortuneontheBritishUnionofFascists(BUF)andtriedtoestablishitonafirmfinancialfootingbymeans
includinganattempttonegotiate,throughDiana,withAdolfHitlerforpermissiontobroadcastcommercialradiotoBritainfromGermany.Mosley
reportedlystruckadealin1937withFrancisBeaumont,heirtotheSeigneurofSark,tosetupaprivatelyownedradiostationonSark.[5][6]

Militaryservice
HewaseducatedatWestDownsSchoolandWinchesterCollege.InJanuary1914heenteredtheRoyalMilitaryCollege,Sandhurst,butwasexpelledin
Junefora"riotousactofretaliation"againstafellowstudent.[7]DuringtheFirstWorldWarhewascommissionedintothe16thTheQueen'sLancers
andfoughtontheWesternFront.HetransferredtotheRoyalFlyingCorpsasanobserver,butwhiledemonstratinginfrontofhismotherandsisterhe
crashed,whichlefthimwithapermanentlimp.Hereturnedtothetrenchesbeforetheinjurywasfullyhealed,andattheBattleofLooshepassedoutat
hispostfrompain.HespenttheremainderofthewaratdeskjobsintheMinistryofMunitionsandintheForeignOffice.[7]

MemberofParliament
BytheendoftheFirstWorldWar,MosleyhaddecidedtogointopoliticsasaConservativeMemberofParliament,ashehadnouniversityeducationor
practicalexperienceduetotheWar.Hewas21yearsofageandhadnotfullydevelopedhisownpolitics.Hewasdrivenby,andinParliamentspokeof,
apassionateconvictiontoavoidanyfuturewar,andthisseeminglymotivatedhiscareer.Largelybecauseofhisfamilybackgroundandwarservice,
localConservativeandLabourAssociationspreferredMosleyinseveralconstituenciesavacancynearthefamilyestatesseemedtobethebest
prospect.However,hewasunexpectedlyselectedforHarrowfirst.Inthegeneralelectionof1918hefacednoseriousoppositionandwaselected
easily.[8]HewastheyoungestmemberoftheHouseofCommonstotakehisseat,thoughJosephSweeney,anabstentionistSinnFinmember,was
younger.Hesoondistinguishedhimselfasanoratorandpoliticalplayer,onemarkedbyextremeselfconfidence,andhemadeapointofspeakinginthe
HouseofCommonswithoutnotes.[9]

Crossingthefloor
MosleywasatthistimefallingoutwiththeConservativesoverIrishpolicy,objectingtotheuseoftheBlackandTanstosuppresstheIrishpopulation.
EventuallyhecrossedthefloortositasanIndependentMemberontheoppositionsideoftheHouseofCommons.Havingbuiltupafollowinginhis
constituency,heretaineditagainstaConservativechallengeinthe1922and1923generalelections.
TheLiberalWestminsterGazettewrotethatMosleywas:
themostpolishedliteraryspeakerintheCommons,wordsflowfromhimingracefulepigrammaticphrasesthathaveastinginthemforthe
governmentandtheConservatives.TolistentohimisaneducationintheEnglishlanguage,alsointheartofdelicatebutdeadlyrepartee.
Hehashumansympathies,courageandbrains."[10]

By1924hewasgrowingincreasinglyattractedtotheLabourParty,whichhadjustformedagovernment,andinMarchhejoinedit.Heimmediately
joinedtheIndependentLabourParty(ILP)aswellandalliedhimselfwiththeleft.
WhenthegovernmentfellinOctober,Mosleyhadtochooseanewseat,ashebelievedthatHarrowwouldnotreelecthimasaLabourcandidate.He
thereforedecidedtoopposeNevilleChamberlaininBirminghamLadywood.MosleycampaignedaggressivelyinLadywoodandaccusedChamberlain
ofbeinga"landlords'hireling".[11]TheoutragedChamberlaindemandedthatMosleyretracttheclaim"asagentleman".[11]Mosley,whomStanley
Baldwindescribedas"acadandawrong'un",refusedtoretracttheallegation.[11]IttookseveralrecountsbeforeChamberlainwasdeclaredthewinner
by77votesandMosleyblamedpoorweatherfortheresult.[12]HisperiodoutsideParliamentwasusedtodevelopaneweconomicpolicyfortheILP,
whicheventuallybecameknownastheBirminghamProposalstheycontinuedtoformthebasisofMosley'seconomicsuntiltheendofhispolitical
career.
In1926,theLabourheldseatofSmethwickfellvacant,andMosleyreturnedtoParliamentafterwinningtheresultingbyelectionon21December.
MosleyfeltthecampaignwasdominatedbyConservativeattacksonhimforbeingtoorich,includingclaimsthathewascoveringuphiswealth.[13]
MosleyandhiswifeCynthiawerecommittedFabiansinthe1920sandatthestartofthe1930s.MosleyappearsinalistofnamesofFabiansfrom
FabianNewsandtheFabianSocietyAnnualReport192931.HewasKingswayHalllecturerin1924andLivingstoneHalllecturerin1931.

Office
MosleythenmadeaboldbidforpoliticaladvancementwithintheLabourParty.HewasclosetoRamsayMacDonaldandhopedforoneofthegreat
officesofstate,butwhenLabourwonthe1929generalelectionhewasappointedonlytothepostofChancelloroftheDuchyofLancaster(defacto
MinisterwithoutPortfolio,outsidetheCabinet).Hewasgivenresponsibilityforsolvingtheunemploymentproblem,butfoundthathisradicalproposals
wereblockedeitherbyhissuperiorJamesHenryThomasorbytheCabinet.
Mosleywasalwaysimpatientandeventuallyputforwardawholeschemeinthe"MosleyMemorandum",whichcalledforhightariffstoprotectBritish
industriesfrominternationalfinance,forstatenationalisationofmainindustries,andforaprogrammeofpublicworkstosolveunemployment.
However,itwasrejectedbytheCabinet,andinMay1930Mosleyresignedfromhisministerialposition.Atthetime,theweeklyLiberalleaningpaper
TheNationdescribedhismove:"TheresignationofSirOswaldMosleyisaneventofcapitalimportanceindomesticpolitics...WefeelthatSirOswald
hasactedrightlyashehascertainlyactedcourageouslyindecliningtoshareanylongerintheresponsibilityforinertia."[10]InOctoberheattempted
topersuadetheLabourPartyConferencetoaccepttheMemorandum,butwasdefeatedagain.
Thirtyyearslater,in1961,RichardCrossmandescribedthememorandum:"...thisbrilliantmemorandumwasawholegenerationaheadofLabour
thinking."[10]

NewParty
DissatisfiedwiththeLabourParty,MosleyquicklyfoundedtheNewParty.Itsearlyparliamentarycontests,inthe1931AshtonunderLynebyelection
andsubsequentbyelections,arguablyhadaspoilereffectinsplittingtheleftwingvoteandallowingConservativecandidatestowin.Despitethis,the
organisationgainedsupportamongmanyLabourandConservativepoliticianswhoagreedwithhiscorporatisteconomicpolicy,andamongthesewere
AneurinBevanandHaroldMacmillan.ItalsogainedtheendorsementoftheDailyMailnewspaper,headedatthetimebyHaroldHarmsworth(later
created1stViscountRothermere).[14]
TheNewPartyincreasinglyinclinedtofascistpolicies,butMosleywasdeniedtheopportunitytogethispartyestablishedwhenduringtheGreat
Depressionthe1931Electionwassuddenlycalledtheparty'scandidates,includingMosleyhimself,losttheseatstheyheldandwonnone.Asthe
NewPartygraduallybecamemoreradicalandauthoritarian,andascriticsofthefascistsintheSpanishCivilWaremergedinthepress,artand
literature,manyprevioussupportersdefectedfromit.Shortlyafterthe1931election,MosleywasdescribedbytheManchesterGuardian:
WhenSirOswaldMosleysatdownafterhisFreeTradeHallspeechinManchesterandtheaudience,stirredasanaudiencerarelyis,rose
andsweptastormofapplausetowardstheplatformwhocoulddoubtthatherewasoneofthoserootandbranchmenwhohavebeen
thrownupfromtimetotimeinthereligious,politicalandbusinessstoryofEngland.Firstthatgrippingaudienceisarrested[n3],thenstirred
andfinally,aswehavesaid,sweptoffitsfeetbyatornadoofperorationyelledatthedefianthighpitchofatremendousvoice.[10]

Fascism
Afterhisfailurein1931Mosleywentonastudytourofthe"newmovements"ofItaly'sBenitoMussoliniand
otherfascists,andreturnedconvincedthatitwasthewayforwardforBritain.Hewasdeterminedtounitethe
existingfascistmovementsandcreatedtheBritishUnionofFascists(BUF)in1932.TheBUFwasprotectionist,
stronglyanticommunist,andnationalistictothepointofadvocatingauthoritarianism.Itclaimedmembershipas
FlagoftheBritishUnionofFascists
highas50,000,andhadtheDailyMailandDailyMirroramongitsearliest(thoughshortlived)
supporters.[14][15][16]TheMirrorpiecewasaguestarticlebyDailyMailownerViscountRothermereandan
apparentoneoffdespitethesebrieflywarmwordsfortheBUF,thepaperwassovitriolicinitscondemnationofEuropeanfascismthatNaziGermany
addedthepaper'sdirectorstoahitlistintheeventofasuccessfulOperationSeaLion.[17]TheMailcontinuedtosupporttheBUFuntiltheOlympia
rallyinJune1934.[18]

JohnGuntherdescribedMosleyin1936as"strikinglyhandsome...probablythebestoratorinEngland.Hispersonalmagnetismisverygreat".[19]
AmongMosley'ssupportersatthistimewerethenovelistHenryWilliamson,militarytheoristJ.F.C.Fullerandthefuture"LordHawHaw",William
Joyce.
MosleyhadfoundproblemswithdisruptionofNewPartymeetings,andinstitutedacorpsofblackuniformedparamilitarystewards,nicknamed
blackshirts.Thepartywasfrequentlyinvolvedinviolentconfrontations,particularlywithCommunistandJewish
groupsandespeciallyinLondon.[20]AtalargeMosleyrallyatOlympiaon7June1934massbrawlingbrokeout
whenhecklerswereremovedbyBlackshirts,resultinginbadpublicity.[19]ThisandtheNightoftheLongKnives
inGermanyledtothelossofmostoftheBUF'smasssupport.Thepartywasunabletofightthe1935general
election.
InOctober1936MosleyandtheBUFattemptedtomarchthroughanarea
withahighproportionofJewishresidents,andviolenceresultedbetween
localandnationallyorganisedprotesterstryingtoblockthemarchand
policetryingtoforceitthrough,sincecalledtheBattleofCableStreet.At
lengthSirPhilipGamethePoliceCommissionerdisallowedthemarch
fromgoingaheadandtheBUFabandonedit.

Italy'sDuceBenitoMussolini(left)
withOswaldMosley(right)during
Mosley'svisittoItalyin1936.

MosleycontinuedtoorganisemarchespolicedbytheBlackshirts,andthe
governmentwassufficientlyconcernedtopassthePublicOrderAct1936,which,amongstotherthings,banned
politicaluniformsandquasimilitarystyleorganisationsandcameintoeffecton1January1937.IntheLondon
CountyCouncilelectionsin1937theBUFstoodinthreewardsinEastLondon(someformerNewPartyseats),
itsstrongestareas,pollinguptoaquarterofthevoteandMosleymademostoftheBlackshirtemployees
PlaquecommemoratingtheBattleof
redundant,someofwhomthendefectedfromthepartywithWilliamJoyce.AstheEuropeansituationmoved
CableStreet
towardswar,theBUFbegantonominateParliamentarybyelectioncandidatesandlaunchedcampaignsonthe
themeofMindBritain'sBusiness.Aftertheoutbreakofwarheledthecampaignforanegotiatedpeace,astance
popularlyacceptablebutaftertheinvasionofNorwayandthecommencementofaerialbombardment(seeTheBlitz)overallpublicopinionofhim
turnedtohostility.InmidMay1940Mosleywasnearlywoundedbyassault.[21]

Internment
On23May1940Mosley,whowasthenmostlyfocusedonnegotiatedpeaceadvocacy,wasinternedunderDefenceRegulation18Balongwithmost
activefascistsinBritain.TheBUFwasproscribedlaterthatyear.HiswifeDianaMitfordwasalsointerned,[22]shortlyafterthebirthoftheirsonMax
theylivedtogetherformostofthewarinahouseinthegroundsofHollowayprison.

Mosleyusedthetimetoreadextensivelyonclassicalcivilisations.MosleyrefusedvisitsfrommostBUFmembers,buton18March1943Dudleyand
NorahElam(whohadbeenreleasedbythen)accompaniedUnityMitfordtoseehersisterDiana.Mosleyagreedtobepresentbecausehemistakenly
believedDianaandUnity'smotherLadyRedesdalewasaccompanyingUnity.[23]
TheMosleyswerereleasedinNovember1943,whenMosleywassufferingwithphlebitis,andspenttherestofthewarunderhousearrest.Onhis
releasefromprisonhestayedwithhissisterinlawPamelaMitford,followedshortlybyastayattheShavenCrownHotelinShiptonunderWychwood.
HethenpurchasedCruxEastonHouse,nearNewbury,withDiana.[24]Heandhiswifewerethesubjectofmuchmediaattention.[25]Thewarendedwhat
remainedofMosley'spoliticalreputation.

Postwarpolitics
AfterthewarMosleywascontactedbyhisformersupportersandpersuadedtoreturntoparticipationinpolitics.HeformedtheUnionMovement,which
calledforasinglenationstatetocoverthecontinentofEurope(knownasEuropeaNation)andlaterattemptedtolaunchaNationalPartyofEuropeto
thisend.TheUnionMovement'smeetingswereoftenphysicallydisrupted,asMosley'smeetingshadbeenbeforethewar,andlargelybythesame
opponents.ThisledtoMosley'sdecision,in1951,toleaveBritainandliveinIreland.HelatermovedtoParis.Ofhisdecisiontoleave,hesaid,"You
don'tclearupadungheapfromunderneathit."[26]
Shortlyafterthe1958NottingHillraceriots,MosleybrieflyreturnedtoBritaininordertostandinthe1959generalelectionatKensingtonNorth.
Mosleyledhiscampaignstridentlyonanantiimmigrationplatform,callingforforcedrepatriationofCaribbeanimmigrantsaswellasaprohibition
uponmixedmarriages.Mosley'sfinalshareofthevotewas8.1%.[27]
In1961hetookpartinadebateatUniversityCollegeLondonaboutCommonwealthimmigration,secondedbyayoungDavidIrving.[28]Hereturnedto
politicsonelasttime,contestingthe1966generalelectionatShoreditchandFinsbury,andreceiving4.6%ofthevote.[27]Afterthis,Mosleyretiredand
movedbacktoFrance,[27]wherehewrotehisautobiography,MyLife(1968).
In1977,bywhichtimehewassufferingfromParkinson'sdisease,hewasnominatedasacandidateforRectoroftheUniversityofGlasgowinwhich
electionhepolledover100votesbutfinishedbottomofthepoll.

Deathandlegacy
Mosleydiedon3December1980inhisOrsayhome,wascrematedinParisandhisasheswerescatteredonthepondatOrsay.Hispapersarehousedat
theUniversityofBirmingham'sSpecialCollections.

Inpopularculture
AldousHuxley's1928novelPointCounterPointfeaturesEverardWebley,acharacterwhoissimilartoMosleyinthe1920s,beforeMosleyleft
theLabourParty.
P.G.Wodehouse'sJeevesshortstoryandnovelseriesincludesthecharacterSirRoderickSpodefrom1938to1971,asaparodyofMosley.[29]
InH.G.Wells's1939novelTheHolyTerror,aMosleylikecharactercalledLordHoratioBohunistheleaderofanorganizationcalledthe
PopularSocialistParty.ThecharacterisprincipallymotivatedbyvanityandisremovedfromleadershipandsentpackingtoArgentina.
TheoriginalversionoftheElvisCostello1977song"LessThanZero"isanattackonMosleyandhispolitics.ListenersintheUnitedStateshad
assumedthatthe"Mr.Oswald"inthelyricswasLeeHarveyOswald,soCostellowroteanalternativelyrictorefertoKennedy'sassassin.[30]:74,84
ThesatiricaltelevisionprogrammeNotTheNineO'ClockNewslampoonedtheBritishmedia'sfavourable1980obituariesofMosleyinacomedic
musicvideo,"BaronetOswaldErnaldMosley".Theactors,dressedasNazipunks,performedapunkrockeulogytoMosley,interweavingsome
ofthepositiveremarksbynewspapersfromallsidesofthepoliticalspectrum,includingTheTimesandTheGuardian.[31]
In1997,Channel4producedaminiseriesaboutMoseleycalledMosley,starringJonathanCake.
Ina2002episodeoftheBritishtelevisionseriesFoyle'sWarentitled"TheWhiteFeather",MosleyisreferredtoasafascistandNazi
sympathizer,andhisdetentionisnoted.
In2006,BBCHistoryMagazineselectedMosleyasthe20thcentury'sworstBriton.[32]
TheBBCWalesproduced2010revivalofUpstairs,DownstairsincludesasemifictionaldramatizationofMosley,theBUFandtheBattleof
CableStreet,setin1936.

Inalternativehistoryfilmandliterature
WorksofHarryTurtledove:

IntheSouthernVictorySeries,MosleyservesasMinisterofWarunderPrimeMinisterWinstonChurchillinanauthoritarianandrevanchist
BritainaftertheEntentelosetheFirstWorldWar.Takingpowerinabout1932,theChurchill/MosleygovernmentjoinstheKingdomof
FranceandtheRussianEmpireinattackingtheGermanEmpireinananalogtotheSecondWorldWar.
TheColonizationtrilogyseesMosley,stillanMPin1963,spearheadinganefforttopasslegislationrevokingthecitizenshipofallJewsthe
planfailsintheshortterm.
InthePresenceofMineEnemiesempowersMosleyasBritishleaderinascenarioinwhichNaziGermanywontheSecondWorldWar.
Inthe1964filmItHappenedHere,whichdepictsaNazioccupiedBritaininthemid1940s,Mosleyisnevermentionedbyname,butaBritish
fascistleaderstronglyresemblingMosleyisshowninfauxdocumentaryfootagefromthe1930s,andMosley'sportraitcanbeseenalongside
Hitler'singovernmentoffices.Thefictional"ImmediateActionOrganisation"inthefilmalsoseemstobeinspiredbyMosley'sBritishUnionof
Fascists,withmembersreferredtoas"blackshirts"andthesymboloftheBUFappearingontheiruniforms.[33]
InGuyWalters'sTheLeader,Mosleyhastakenpoweras"TheLeader"ofGreatBritainin1937.KingEdwardVIIIisstillonthethroneafterhis
marriage,WinstonChurchillisaprisonerontheIsleofMan,andPrimeMinisterMosleyisconspiringwithAdolfHitleraboutthefateofBritain's
Jewishpopulation.
InPhilipRoth'sThePlotAgainstAmerica,asecretpactbetweenCharlesLindberghwhohasbecomePresidentoftheUnitedStatesandHitler
includesanagreementtoimposeMosleyastherulerofaGermanoccupiedBritainwithAmerica'sblessingafteraruseinwhichLindbergh
convincesChurchilltonegotiatepeacewithHitler,whichdeliberatelyfailsmirroringthedishonestyandrepudiationofkeyHitlersigned
treaties,theMunichConferenceAccordandMolotovRibbentropPact.
InKimNewman'sTheBloodyRedBaron,Mosleyisshotdownandkilledin1918byErichvonStalheim(fromtheBigglesseriesbyW.E.Johns)
andacharacterlatercommentsthat"acareerhasbeenendedbeforeitwasbegun."
InC.J.Sansom'snovelDominion,theSecondWorldWarendsinJune1940,whentheBritishgovernment,undertheleadershipofPrime
MinisterLordHalifax,signsapeacetreatywithNaziGermanyinBerlin.ByNovember1952,MosleyisservingasHomeSecretaryinthecabinet
ofLordBeaverbrook,wholeadsacoalitiongovernmentconsistingoftheproTreatyfactionsoftheConservativesandLabouraswellastheBUF.
IntheElseworldscomicSuperman:WaroftheWorlds,MosleybecomesPrimeMinisterafterthedefeatoftheMartianinvasionof1938.

InthealternatehistorynovelTheManWhoPreventedWW2byRoyCarter,MosleybecamePrimeMinisterwhentheBritishUnionofFascists
wonthe1935generalelectionandremainedinofficeuntilhisdeathinMarch1980.HeforgedanalliancewithNaziGermany,FascistItalyand
theEmpireofJapanandwenttowarwiththeIrishFreeState,France,Poland,Czechoslovakia,theSovietUnionandGreece.Duringthewarwith
Greece,hisgovernmentdroppedanatomicbombonthecityofSalonikaon17January1941.
InLavieTidhar'sAManLiesDreaming(2014),Mosleyisrunningfor(andeventuallybecomes)PrimeMinister,inaworldwherethe
Communists,ratherthantheNazis,rosetopowerinGermanyin1933.

Seealso
TheEuropean
HoustonStewartChamberlain

Notesandreferences
Notes
1. AbaronetcyisnotapeerageanddoesnotentitleitsholdertoaseatintheHouseofLords.Inthiscasefollowsaterritorialdesignation:"ofAncoatsinthecounty
ofLancashire"
2. KatharainewasthesecondchildofCaptainJustinianEdwardsHeathcoteofMarketDrayton,Shropshire.
3. Arrestedinthesenseofstunnedorgripped

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8. TheLondonGazette:no.31147.p.1361(https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31147/page/1361).28January1919.Retrieved20120531.
9. Mosley,Oswald(1968).MyLife.London.p.166.
10. Mosley,Diana(1977).ALifeofContrasts.HamishHamilton.
11. Macklin2006,p.24.
12. Macklin2006,p.25.
13. SirOswaldMosley,MyLife,ThomasNelson&Sons,1968,p.190.
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15. Cameron,James(1979).Yesterday'sWitness.BritishBroadcastingCorporation,p.52.
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735366.html),TheIndependent,11November2003.
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and435.
19. Gunther,John(1936).InsideEurope(https://openlibrary.org/works/OL16059565W/Inside_Europe).Harper&Brothers.pp.263265.
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reunionforwarheroeswhocamehometofightthefascists1628953.html).TheIndependent.
21. "TheTimes".20May1940.p.3:"DisturbancesatFascistMeeting".
22. "TheTimes".1July1940.p.2:"LadyMosleydetained".
23. McPherson,AngelaMcPherson,Susan(2011).Mosley'sOldSuffragetteABiographyofNorahElam(http://www.oldsuffragette.co.uk).ISBN97814466
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24. JosephAnthonyAmato,RethinkingHome:ACaseforWritingLocalHistory(2002),p.390.
25. NicholasMosley,RulesoftheGame,BeyondthePale,p.503.

25. NicholasMosley,RulesoftheGame,BeyondthePale,p.503.
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pp.6566.Retrieved9February2014.

Furtherreading
Macklin,Graham(2006).Chamberlain.HausBooks.ISBN9781904950622.
Dorril,Stephen.Blackshirt:SirOswaldMosleyandBritishFascism,VikingPublishing(2006),ISBN0670869996
Farndale,Nigel.HawHaw:TheTragedyofWilliamandMargaretJoyce,Macmillan(2005),ISBN9780333989920
Pugh,Martin.HurrahfortheBlackshirts!':FascistsandFascisminBritainbetweentheWars,RandomHouse(2005),ISBN0224064398
Skidelsky,Robert.OswaldMosley,Holt,RinehartandWinston(1975),ISBN9780030865800
Worley,Matthew.OswaldMosleyandtheNewParty,PalgraveMacmillan(2010),ISBN9780230206977
Primarysources
Mosley,Oswald,MyLife,ArlingtonHouse(1968),ISBN9780870001604
Mosley,Nicholas,RulesoftheGame:SirOswaldandLadyCynthiaMosley,18961933Secker&Warburg(1982),ISBN9780436288494
Mosley,Nicholas,BeyondthePale:SirOswaldMosleyandFamily,19331980,Secker&Warburg(1983),ISBN9780436288524

Externallinks
FriendsofOswaldMosley(http://www.oswaldmosley.com/),containingarchivesofhisspeechesand
books
PortraitsattheNationalPortraitGallery(http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?
search=ss&sText=mosley&LinkID=mp05636)
MosleyandtheBUF:Exploring20thCenturyLondon

Wikiquotehasquotations
relatedto:OswaldMosley
Wikisourcehasoriginal
workswrittenbyorabout:
OswaldMosley

(http://www.20thcenturylondon.org.uk/search/site/oswald%20mosley?f)
"TheProblemofMosley:WhyaFascistFailed"(http://www.unz.org/Pub/Encounter1969sep00077)byRobertSkidelskyEncounter(1969)Vol.
33,#192,pp.7788
Hansard18032005:contributionsinParliamentbyOswaldMosley(http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/people/mroswaldmosley)
MetropolitanPolicerecordsoftheBUFincidentatOlympia,1934(http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?
CATLN=6&CATID=7988806&SearchInit=4&CATREF=MEPO+2%2F10978)attheBritishNationalArchives
MosleyAssertsAntisemiticPropagandaForbiddenbyHisOrganization(http://www.jta.org/1932/12/29/archive/mosleyassertsantisemitic
propagandaforbiddenbyhisorganization#ixzz2qlo5h4fr)
BBCreportonMI5surveillanceofMosley(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2518271.stm)
OswaldMosleyonBalderExLibris(http://www.balderexlibris.com/index.php?category/English/M/MosleyOswald)
OswaldMosley(http://www.nndb.com/people/533/000114191)attheNotableNamesDatabase
OswaldMosley(http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0608846/)attheInternetMovieDatabase

ParliamentoftheUnitedKingdom
Precededby
HarryDeeley

MemberofParliamentforHarrow
19181924

Succeededby
IsidoreSalmon

Precededby
JohnDavison

MemberofParliamentforSmethwick
19261931

Succeededby
RoyWise

Politicaloffices
Precededby
TheLordCushendun

ChancelloroftheDuchyofLancaster
19291930

Succeededby
ClementAttlee

BaronetageofGreatBritain
Precededby
SirOswaldMosley,5thBaronet

Baronet
(ofAncoats)
19281980

Succeededby
NicholasMosley

Retrievedfrom"http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Oswald_Mosley&oldid=650203726"
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