Morrissey performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday evening, singing a cover of "Morning Starship" by Jobriath from his upcoming album California Son. As Stereogum points out, the lapel of Morrissey's suit was decorated with a pin depicting the logo of For Britain, a far-right U.K. political party.
For Britain was founded in 2017 by Anne Marie Waters, an anti-Islam activist who has called for a halt to all Muslim immigration to the U.K. and has called Muslim birthrates "dangerous." In 2017, the group hosted a conference speaking "white genocide" conspiracy theorist Katie Hopkins, Holocaust denier Ingrid Carlqvist, and Richard Spencer, one of the most prominent members of the American alt-right.
Morrissey first publicly backed For Britain in an interview published in 2018. "For Britain has received no media support and have even been dismissed with the usual childish ‘racist’ accusation," Morrisey said. "I don't think the word ‘racist’ has any meaning anymore, other than to say ‘you don’t agree with me, so you’re a racist.’ People can be utterly, utterly stupid.” According to leaked internal polling conducted by For Britain in 2017, nearly half of its membership at the time supported a total ban on immigrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh or Somalia.
Last week, Morrissey wore his For Britain pin during a performance in New York City. The group thanked Morrisey in a post on its website.
The FADER has reached out to representatives for Morrissey and NBC News for more information.
Thumbnail photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images
