Denis Pirie

Who is Denis Pirie?

Denis Pirie is a veteran of the British far right scene who took a leading role in a number of movements.

He began his career as a member of the 1960s British National Party and was appointed a member of the party's national council not long after its foundation. He soon became associated with the more openly Nazi wing under Colin Jordan and took an active role in his and John Tyndall's attempts to set up a paramilitary wing, 'Spearhead'. Pirie was arrested at one of their drills in 1961 and was sentenced to three months imprisonment for his role. After the court passed sentence Pirie gave a Hitler salute to the court.

After his release from prison Pirie followed Jordan and Tyndall into the National Socialist Movement in 1962. Whilst here, he joined Tyndall in attempting to procure funds from Egypt for the NSM, although nothing came of this. During the quarrel between Jordan and Tyndall, Pirie largely sided with Tyndall and so followed him into the Greater Britain Movement in 1964. Pirie joined the National Front at the same time as the rest of the GBM and continued to feature prominently, gaining a seat on the NF Directorate.