In the 1970s , the founders regarded the power of the UK trade union movement as excessive and out of control . Soon after its formation the National Association for Freedom as TFA was then known became involved in a number of industrial disputes providing support to both employers and non-unionised workers to counter to the power of the Trades Unions . The best known of these actions was " Operation Pony Express " during the Grunwick dispute . Harold Walker , the Labour Secretary of State for Employment between 1976 and 1979 , was strongly critical of NAFF 's activities , claiming the group was an " ultra right-wing political organisation " which " sought to interfere in industrial disputes , with harmful consequences " . Following the election of the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher , the Association " suffered a slow decline in membership " . In January 1989 , '' The Guardian '' 's Michael White reported that TFA " no longer has the power or glory it enjoyed when it was Thatcherism 's extra-parliamentary advance guard against a fading Labour government and its union allies . " In the 1980s , TFA campaigned in support of the right of England cricketers to tour in apartheid-era South Africa . In 1989 , when the International Cricket Conference ( ICC ) passed a resolution formalising sanctions against players , coaches and administrators who worked in South Africa , Norris McWhirter described the decision as " a crushing blow against cricketers ' freedom to trade " . TFA had obtained a criminal summons against the ICC , alleging blackmail but this was subsequently quashed in the High Court , where the judge Lord Taylor ruled that TFA 's application was " an abuse of the process of the court " and was " launched solely as a device to disrupt or embarrass the International Cricket Conference " . The organisation was later revealed to have received funding from the South African government . In 1988 , the association threatened to seek a legal injunction against the BBC to prevent the broadcaster from broadcasting the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute from Wembley Stadium . A group of Conservative MPs and TFA objected to the possibility that the broadcast would include a message from Mandela or " other anti-apartheid propaganda . " The threat was dropped , " in the hope that the BBC would not broadcast any attempt to use the concert for promoting the African National Congress or similar anti-apartheid bodies . " Ironically , the day after Mandela 's death , TFA featured him on their website as their " Freedom Hero of The Week "
Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute
Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute
The Freedom Association