An alleged neo-Nazi has appeared in court charged with plotting to murder a Labour MP with a machete.

The 22-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with preparing an act of terrorism by allegedly buying a “Gladius Machete” – a type of weapon used by Celtic tribes and Roman legions – for the purpose of murdering Rosie Cooper.

The defendant, from Lancashire, is also accused of making threats to kill a female police officer.

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He has appeared with five other men at London's Old Bailey, where the Honourable Mr Justice Jay set their trial date for 11 June.

They are accused of being members of the banned neo-Nazi terrorist group National Action, which became the first extreme right-wing group to be proscribed in the UK.

Christopher Lythgoe, 31, of Greymist Avenue in Woolston, is accused of being the group’s regional leader and has been additionally charged with encouragement to commit murder.

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PA 26/50 15 August 2019 A flock of sheep are herded past government buildings in London by members of Farmers for a People's Vote, a campaign group. PA 27/50 14 August 2019 Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks during a press conference at the Mayflower Marina in Plymouth, southwest England, on August 14, 2019, ahead of her journey across the Atlantic to New York, aboard the Malizia II IMOCA class sailing yacht, where she will attend the UN Climate Action Summit next month. - A year after her school strike made her a figurehead for climate activists, Greta Thunberg believes her uncompromising message about global warming is getting through -- even if action remains thin on the ground. The 16-year-old Swede, who sets sail for New York this week to take her message to the United States, has been a target for abuse but sees that as proof she is having an effect. AFP/Getty 28/50 12 August 2019 A hare runs on a moor near Ripon, North Yorkshire. PA 29/50 11 August 2019 Britain’s Jamie Chadwick wins first-ever W Series title. She pocketed a prize of £410,000 and, having been signed as a development driver for Williams, she keeps up her hopes of making it into Formula One. Getty 30/50 10 August 2019 People gather on the beach as a raft carrying people dressed as clowns heads to shore during the annual Whitby Regatta in Whitby, England. At over 170 years old, the Whitby Regatta is thought to be the oldest sea regatta on the northeast coast of England and draws thousands of visitors each year. Getty 31/50 9 August 2019 Burryman Andrew Taylor, gets a nip of whisky using a straw, from resident Mary Hamblin, 82, as he parades through the town of South Queensferry, near Edinburgh, encased in burrs. The parade takes place on the second Friday of August each year and although the exact meaning of this tradition has been lost through the years it is thought to have begun in the 17th Century. The tradition is believed to bring good luck to the towns people if they give him whisky offered through a straw or a donation of money. PA 32/50 8 August 2019 A mosque is seen amongst residential housing from the air during a mass take off at the annual Bristol hot air balloon festival in Bristol. Reuters 33/50 7 August 2019 An Asiatic lioness eats meat during feeding time ahead of World Lion Day at London Zoo. Reuters 34/50 6 August 2019 Beer enthusiasts taste beer and ale during The Great British Beer Festival at Kensington Olympia in west London. The Great British Beer Festival, organised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), brings hundreds of real ales, international beers and real ciders and perries under one roof. AFP/Getty 35/50 5 August 2019 Australia's Nathan Lyon celebrates after taking the wicket of England's Joe Root during day five of the first Ashes test at Edgbaston. The hosts were on the end of a thumping, as Australia won the first test by 251 runs. Getty 36/50 4 August 2019 Franky Zapata stands on his jet-powered "flyboard" prior to landing on St. Margaret's Bay in Dover, during his attempt to fly across the 35-kilometre (22-mile) Channel crossing. The Frenchman achieved his aim today, on his second attempt, after having spent years developing the jet-powered hoverboard. AFP/Getty 37/50 3 August 2019 A Cricket fan wears a Donald Trump inflatable, during day three of the first Ashes test cricket match between England and Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham. AP 38/50 2 August 2019 An RAF Chinook helicopter flies in sandbags to help repair the dam at Toddbrook Reservoir which was damaged in heavy rainfall. PA 39/50 1 August 2019 Stuart Broad celebrates after taking the wicket of David Warner during day one of the first Ashes test between England and Australia at Edgbaston. England fans celebrated the loss of David Warner and Cameron Bancroft dismissals by waving sandpaper after they both faced bans for their roles in the Sandpaper scandal last year. Australia were all out for 284 after Steve Smith frustrated the hosts with a total of 144. He helped drag his side from 122-8. Getty 40/50 31 July 2019 A collapsed bridge near Grinton, North Yorkshire, after parts of the region had up to 82.2mm of rain in 24 hours on Tuesday. PA 41/50 30 July 2019 Acrobats Beren d'Amico, Louis Gift and Charlie Wheeller, from Barely Methodical Troupe perform a routine on Calton Hill in Edinburgh as they bring their debut show Bromance to the Edinburgh Fringe. PA 42/50 29 July 2019 Theresa the robotic waitress at The Tea Terrace's Cobham branch in Surrey. Theresa represents the 6th Generation of robotic waitresses which were first launched in Japan a few years ago. 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Action Images via Reuters 46/50 25 July 2019 Hamza and Haris splash in the water feature beside the National Football Museum in central Manchester, as the UK braces itself to encounter the hottest July day on record. PA 47/50 24 July 2019 Boris Johnson waves as he enters 10 Downing Street following his appointment as Prime Minster by the Queen. The former London mayor and foreign secretary won his leadership bid by beating Jeremy Hunt in the Tory race the day before. Theresa May stepped down following her resignation as Conservative Party leader on 7 June. EPA 48/50 23 July 2019 Swimmers have fun in the sea on a giant inflatable Flamingo, South Beach,Tenby, Pembrokeshire. Reuters 49/50 22 July 2019 New Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson addresses the audience onstage after she was named as Sir Vince Cable's successor. Swinson beat fellow candidate Ed Davey by 47,997 votes to 28,021 votes. Getty 50/50 21 July 2019 Adam Peaty broke his own world record in the men's 100 metre breaststroke at the World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. The 24-year-old smashed the previous record of 57.10 seconds he set at last year's European Championships to win in 56.88. In doing so, the Britain achieved one of his career goals of becoming the first man to break the 57-second barrier in the event. Reuters

Mr Lythgoe and the 22-year-old defendant also stand accused of belonging to a proscribed organisation, alongside Garron Helm, 24, of Seaforth, Matthew Hankinson, 23, from Newton-Le-Willows, Andrew Clarke, 23, of Paddington and Michal Trubini, 35, from Warrington

They did not enter any pleas during a preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey on Monday, when they were remanded in custody.

National Action was banned as a terrorist group in December 2016 and two of its aliases - Scottish Dawn and NS131 – have since been prohibited in an order that cited their “virulently racist, antisemitic and homophobic” ideology.</s>A man who is alleged to belong to banned neo-Nazi terrorist group National Action has appeared in court charged with plotting the murder of a female Labour MP.

The 22-year-old defendant, who for legal reasons cannot be named, has been charged with preparing an act of terrorism. He allegedly bought a ‘Gladius Machete’ – a typical weapon wielded by Celtic tribes and Roman legions – with the intent to use it against MP Rosie Cooper.

The man, from Lancashire, is also accused of threatening to kill a female police officer and belonging to proscribed neo-Nazi terrorist group National Action. He appeared at London’s Old Bailey along with five other men, who also stand accused of belonging to the banned group.

READ MORE: Generation Identity activist was ‘also member of banned Nazi terrorist group’

In December 2016, National Action became the first far-right group to be banned under counterterrorism laws, following its stated support of the murderer Thomas Mair, who killed MP Jo Cox. Home Secretary Amber Rudd labeled the group “a racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic organization which stirs up hatred, glorifies violence and promotes a vile ideology.”

One of the defendants, Christopher Lythgoe, 31, of Greymist Avenue in Woolston, is accused of being the group’s regional leader and has also been charged with encouragement to commit murder. The remaining defendants have been named as Garron Helm, 24, of Seaforth, Matthew Hankinson, 23, from Newton-Le-Willows, Andrew Clarke, 23, of Paddington, and Michal Trubini, 35, from Warrington. They did not enter any plea during Monday’s preliminary hearing, and they have been remanded in custody as they await their trial on June 11.

It comes as official figures reveal the number of far-right individuals being referred to the government’s counterterrorism program has risen by more than a quarter between 2016-17. In the year to March 2017, 968 such individuals were referred to Prevent, an increase of 28 percent from the previous year.

They now account for 16 percent of all referrals as the number of cases relating to Islamist extremism remains the highest at 61 percent (3,704). That was down 26 percent from last year’s 4,997 referrals.

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Six alleged members of the banned neo-Nazi group National Action appear in court. One is accused of planning to kill MP Rosie Cooper and another is charged with inciting murder.