‘Slow Horses’ follows a less-than-stellar group of British intelligence agents demoted to the MI5’s Slough House subordinate department. The crew is driven into action when a teenage student is kidnapped by an extremist group known as the “Sons of Albion,” led (from behind) by the unabashedly rude but intelligent Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman).
Despite the Apple TV+ series’ trademark dry British humour, it also contains a suitably intricate plot that is occasionally reflective of contemporary events. The tormentors of Hassan made us ponder if the Sons of Albion, as seen on ‘Slow Horses,’ were modelled on a real-life extremist group. Here’s what we discovered.
Is Sons of Albion Based on a Real Extremist Group?
Hassan Ahmed, a stand-up comedian and college student, is abducted in the series’ first episode by a group that then broadcasts a video claiming credit for the kidnapping and threatening to kill their hostage. The Sons of Albion announce themselves, and it quickly becomes evident that they are a gang of racial nationalists opposed to immigrants in the United Kingdom.
‘Slow Horses’ is based on mystery-thriller author Mick Herron’s novels, which are mostly fictional. Herron, on the other hand, takes inspiration from real-life circumstances and even locations. His novel ‘Slough House,’ set in 2021, makes a passing reference to Brexit and even the Skripal poisoning case.
Though there are no obvious similarities to any real-life groups or situations, the extreme group known as the Sons of Albion could be loosely influenced by a few possible sources. First and foremost, the term “Albion” is an old term for Great Britain that is frequently employed poetically. As a result, the Sons of Albion appear to be a natural moniker for a group of nationalists, particularly those who wish to return to a time when the country’s population was less diversified.
Going even further out on a limb, the Sons of Albion from Herron’s 2010 novel ‘Slow Horses’ could be inspired by a book published the year before. ‘Sons of Albion: The Inside Story of the Section 5 Squad’ is the title of the book. The book focuses on the history of football violence surrounding West Bromwich Albion football club, including the Clubhouse and Smethwick Mob 30+ Years of West Brom’s Hooligan Firms.
Section 5 was one of the club’s supporting firms, with a sub-group named Albion Youth made up of younger members. Most notably, Section 5 was noted for including multi-racial members at a time when football hooliganism was characterised by ethnic homogeneity and discriminatory sentiments. This would make referring to the Section 5 corporation as the plainly racist Sons of Albion in ‘Slow Horses’ hilarious. This isn’t officially proven, and it could just be a rumour. One of the show’s young extremists does, though, acknowledge his football skills, but it’s in the context of gaming consoles.
Herron appears to be an expert at pulling information from a number of sources, giving his spy thrillers a believable air. The extreme group from his writings (and future series based on the books) appears to be a creation of the author’s mind, based on a few previous references to Albion. Of course, Herron drew on a variety of real-world examples of extremism and violence, but not precisely. As a result, the Sons of Albion depicted in ‘Slow Horses’ are not based on a real-life extremist group.