'Peaky Blinders' Season 5: Oswald Mosley pulls off a Donald Trump stunt with 'false news' and 'Britain first' slogans
Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Every frame of the fifth season of 'Peaky Blinders' spells hunger for power in a political set-up as Oswald Mosley (Sam Claflin) and Thomas Shelby (Cillian Murphy) wage a cold war against each other. After the spectacular ballet party, Mosley (Sam Claflin) takes advantage of the situation and makes a rousing speech to the elite British class present there and draws strong similarities with US President Donald Trump.
The "F" word fascism is in the air as he names his new political revolution The British Union of Fascists. Like Trump, Oswald Mosley came from money. Both leaders were bequeathed with wealthy real estate empires from their fathers and took pride in the flair of high society life. Braggarts in their own way, they see themselves as "men of Destiny" and possess a strong sense of self-confidence, convincing skills and wit for a large crowd.
In the remarkable scene, Mosley begins by praising the natives of England. "English people in the very heart of England. There are no people I would rather be among, no place I would rather be and no time I would rather be alive." Calling attention to the financial crisis of 1929, he announces, "I have known that a change is coming."
"I have some news," he says, adding, "With the dawn of a new decade, I will be setting a new course, setting up a new political movement here in the very heart of England. And Mr Shelby will be with me, shoulder to shoulder," he declares. "It will offer a new conception of politics in which the great character of the British, our true character, will be reborn. Many of you lost money in the financial crisis. The men of money, the capitalists of New York, the Jews, the money-power, they run an international system... This revolution will be called The British Union of Fascists."
If that was not enough to behold his spectators, he tries to bring in the element of suffering and injustice pertaining to the financial crisis. "Our message can be summarised with these words: Britain first," Mosley says. His words strike strong similarities with Donald Trump — who is famous for his slogan 'Make America Great Again' in his 2016 presidential campaign. In March 2016, Trump said that "America First" will be the "major and overriding theme" of his administration during his campaign for president.
If that was not enough, Mosley's next few words are the harbingers of Trump's jargon. "I doubt it'll be reported fairly in the press. I'm afraid the newspapers of this country are owned by the same vested interests who took your money," Mosley directs his statement to the wealthy businessmen, thereby seeking compassion from the men in the room. "They sell to the people false news to raise the interests of the faction and the section above the interests of the nation."
Didn't it take you back to Trump's favorite term "fake news" and his self-proclaimed 'war' on journalists? The parallels between the US president and the British fascist leader are too striking to be ignored. From racial discrepancies to fascist old worldly views the two leaders come in the category of classical narcissists, and perhaps, that is what led to their doom.
Both Mosley and Trump have been compared to Hitler quite often, but as it turns out, both are simply replicas of each other. As 'Peaky Blinders' shows more political vibes, it is yet to be seen if there are more Trump references that can be found.
