Earlier this week, Ears To The House published an article all about okay-ish DJ Danny Rampling’s latest gig – quite easy to do, seeing there aren’t many these days. Straight out of some alternative reality, the Freedom Music Festival – taking place at the end of July in some field off the B2096, apparently – is all about showcasing musicians who have what they would term “alternative views” about the world.
Since then, a few kind souls got in touch to tell us a little bit more about HOPE Sussex, the people behind this festival – and judging by what we’ve received, Danny Rampling’s habit of befriending some highly suspicious people is stronger than ever. Having previously referred to anti-vaxxer doctor Kate Shemirani as “a woman of great courage” and a “spiritual warrior of the light”, who could possibly be next?
Meet Matthew Single and his wife Sadie. These days, Sadie is advertised as being one of the teachers at HOPE Sussex – but nothing is said about her past. Ears To The House can reveal that some years ago, the couple were both involved with the British National Party – founded by John Tyndall and other former members of violent fascist group National Front in 1982.
Until the late 1990s, the party made little attempt at contesting elections, preferring to spend their time on street rallies protesting against issues like immigration into Britain. Nick Griffin became leader in 1999, ousting founder John Tyndall in the process, and tried to soften the image of the BNP. And for a number of years, this strategy worked – Griffin soon found himself being invited onto shows such as the BBC’s Question Time.
It is unclear exactly when Matthew Single and the then Sadie Graham joined the BNP – but what’s clearer is their role in its collapse a few years later. In 2008, Matthew Single was convicted of releasing the entire membership list of the BNP online – charges against Graham were dropped. The BNP, who believe that the UK should be a country solely for white people, still exist – but they have never recovered from the incident.
Exactly how long the Singles have been involved with HOPE Sussex is also rather vague. What we can establish is that Sadie Graham left politics after this episode and became a teacher from 2011. Quite whether it was appropriate that someone previously involved with fascist politics was teaching children in British schools afterwards is, of course, a question in its own right.
Elsewhere, a search on Companies House reveals that Sadie Bethany Graham Single, to use her full name, is listed as a director for Harebeating Crescenet Maintenance Limited – and so is her husband. Accounts reveal the company, which has existed since 1965, had modest total net assets of £2,221 as of 31st December 2020.
Just like much this couple are involved with, the exact structure of HOPE Sussex is a mystery. It doesn’t appear on Companies House, and nor do they show up in any charity registration lists. And you guessed it, the small matter of who is actually paying for this festival – because they’re certainly not cheap to organise – is also clear as mud.
This lack of clarity won’t bother Danny Rampling, of course. This, remember is a man who said in March 2020 that those people refusing to obey lockdown rules were “a danger to us all”. Why he changed his mind on this has never been explained – but whatever the reason, his volte face is the reason why he’s fronting this mysterious gig in the first place…
