Neo-Nazi activist rejects extremism, revealing he has Jewish roots

He told Channel 4 News: “Her maiden name was Benjamin – we have Jewish blood on that side.

“That term ‘the Jews’ is the global faceless mass of people. You can’t personalise it – not individuals.

“That’s the generalisation that leads to six million people being deliberately murdered.”

Mr Wilshaw was arrested for vandalising a mosque in Aylesbury in the early 1990s, and in March this year he was arrested for online race hate offences.

He joined the British National Party after being part of the NF, and also flirted with fringe groups such as the Racial Volunteer Force.

He said: “On one or two occasions in the recent past I’ve actually been the recipient of the very hatred of the people I want to belong to.

“If you’re gay it is acceptable in society but with these groups of people it’s not acceptable, and I found on one or two occasions when I was suspected of being gay I was subjected to abuse.

“It’s a terribly selfish thing to say but it’s true – I saw people being abused, shouted at, spat at in the street.

“It’s not until it’s directed at you that you suddenly realise that what you’re doing is wrong.”