Britain First (BF) [used to have over two million followers on Facebook](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-43398417) when it was funded by Jim Dowson, who is reported to have raised millions for the British National Party (BNP). Dowson is no longer backing the party and leader Paul Golding (another former BNP activist) has split with former deputy leader Jayda Fransen. In October 2019 [Golding visited Moscow where he visited the parliament building and appeared in the media](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/britain-first-russia-paul-golding-duma-parliament-far-right-a8984521.html). On his return from Moscow he refused to let police check his electronic devices and [he was convicted under the Terrorism Act for this in May 2020](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/may/20/britain-first-leader-paul-golding-convicted-under-terrorism-law). The party’s accounts revealed they received over £350,000 in 2020, spending over £330,000.