Guardian Article Explores 'Boriswave' Origins and 'Extremely Online Right's' Destabilizing Influence

A recent article in The Guardian delves into the etymology of the term "Boriswave" and its journey from the fringes of the "extremely online right" into mainstream British political discourse. The piece highlights the "destabilising" influence of this online faction on the national political landscape.

Dr. Drukpa Kunley, an expert in reactionary digital politics at Birkbeck, University of London, confirmed his mention in the Guardian article via a tweet, stating: "> I am mentioned in a new Guardian article which speculates on the origin of the term ‘Boriswave’ and attempts to explain the ‘destabilising’ influence of the ‘extremely online right’ so-called in British politics." The article, titled "The online origins of ‘Boriswave’, the right’s favourite new phrase," explores how terms coined by online groups gain traction.

"Boriswave" refers to the significant increase in non-EU migration to the UK following Brexit, particularly during Boris Johnson's premiership. While the term is now frequently used as a neutral descriptor, its origins are rooted in the online far right, where it was initially employed with "unapologetically racist terms" to describe new arrivals. Dr. Robert Topinka, also quoted in the Guardian, noted that using the term, whether knowingly or not, "commits you to a far-right framing."

The "extremely online right," as defined in the article, encompasses a spectrum of internet-literate individuals operating between figures like Tommy Robinson and Nigel Farage. These groups leverage meme culture and online platforms, particularly X (formerly Twitter), to disseminate radical rhetoric. This phenomenon, dubbed "ambient extremism," saturates digital spaces, making radical ideas seem commonplace and eroding shared political principles.

The term's transition to the mainstream accelerated after its initial appearance on X in June last year by user @maxtempers, followed by a prominent post from @kunley_drupka. It was then picked up by right-wing online publications and eventually national newspapers, including the Daily Telegraph and, more recently, the Daily Mail. This "laundering" process, aided by X's amplification of online right content, has seen "Boriswave" used by mainstream politicians, including two Labour MPs, to criticize Conservative immigration policies.