The far-right British political party Restore Britain has increasingly fostered connections with extremist groups abroad, particularly Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD), which recently achieved significant electoral success in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. On the same day as the AfD’s strong showing, Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe publicly congratulated the party, describing it as an inspiration for what his own party could accomplish.

The AfD’s gains alarm many across Europe due to the party’s designation by German domestic intelligence as “right-wing extremist.” The party is now poised to form a government in Saxony-Anhalt if it secures the backing of coalition partners, marking the first potential governance by a far-right party in a German state since World War II.

Restore Britain’s ties to such groups extend beyond public statements. In recent months, the party has cultivated relationships with various far-right organizations internationally. Last month, Restore’s campaign director Charlie Downes attended a conference in Ontario, Canada, organized by the Dominion Society of Canada, which Canadian anti-hate monitors classify as a white nationalist group. The event was to feature Martin Sellner, a prominent Austrian far-right activist who popularized the term “remigration”—a concept referring to the forced deportation of non-European immigrants and persons with migrant backgrounds. Sellner, who has publicly acknowledged a past involvement with neo-Nazi activities, is barred from entering the UK and was denied entry to Canada, addressing the conference via video link instead.

Sellner has spoken highly of Restore Britain, calling it a “historic opportunity for genuine political change in England” and likening it to the AfD. British far-right activist Lucy White, a Restore member, also participated in the Ontario event. White is acknowledged in a Restore policy document outlining plans for mass deportations of illegal migrants and has denied that remigration equates to ethnic cleansing. Alongside White, Restore member Sammy Woodhouse took part in a “Remigration Summit” hosted by Sellner in Portugal earlier this year, which was attended by Björn Höcke, chair of the AfD’s Thuringia branch. Höcke was fined €13,000 in 2024 for knowingly using a Nazi slogan during a speech.

Lowe, White, and Höcke are signatories of the “Save Europe Act,” a manifesto promoted by Sellner advocating for remigration policies targeting non-European migrants deemed unintegrated or burdensome. When questioned about these foreign affiliations, Lowe emphasized Restore’s tough stance on immigration, stating the party’s intention to deport illegal migrants as well as foreign nationals who do not meet specific criteria related to work, language proficiency, and social integration.

In recent days, Lowe has escalated his rhetoric, calling for retrospective prosecution of public officials involved in accommodating migrants arriving by small boat, threatening that “hundreds, if not thousands” could face imprisonment under a Restore government. Earlier this summer, he also vowed to prosecute politicians and officials accused of placing what he described as dangerous migrants into local communities.