The popular explanation for why Britain went to war with Germany (WWII) focus on fighting the ideology of fascism. How important was ideology for why Britain entered the war?

by TheHenandtheSheep

Been thinking about this a lot recently & was hoping for some insights.

I've been wondering if the view of Britain fights fascism is a product of propaganda at the time and the way the war is remembered (and has been utilised politically) ever since.

crrpit

Though it comes at this question from a slightly different angle, my older answer (and follow up comments in particular) here discusses ideological opposition to fascism in the 1930s and 1940s, with some reference to the extent that the British war effort was ideologically motivated.