Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration: Saturday, January 28th 2017

The text of my HMD presentation to the Wellingborough commemorative event held on Saturday January 28th 2017 at the Wellingborough Museum

Good morning. Thank you for this opportunity to give this presentation to you today. It’s an honour and privilege and I hope that you find it interesting, but also challenging – for which I don’t apologise!

Yesterday was Holocaust Memorial Day which is commemorated on 27 January every year in commemoration of the liberation of Auschwitz extermination camp in Poland by Russian/Soviet troops in 1945 towards the end of the Second World War.

What was the Holocaust?

Between 1941 and 1945, the Nazis attempted to kill all of Europe’s Jews. This systematic and planned attempt to murder all Jewish people in Europe is known as the Holocaust (The Shoah in Hebrew) and it is unique in Human history. The first time an attempt was made to eliminate a whole group of people based on their religion/race/ethnicity using the whole apparatus of a modern state and society.

The holocaust also resulted in the murder of millions more as a result of prejudice and hatred: homosexuals, Gypsies, Jehovah’s Witnesses, disabled people, Black people and other ethnic minorities, and political opponents of the Nazis.

From the time they assumed power in 1933, the Nazis used propaganda, persecution, and legislation to deny human and civil rights to Jews and other groups. They used centuries of antisemitism (hatred of Jewish people) as their foundation and new pseudo-scientific ideas of eugenics and the notation iof creating a “perfect human being”. By the end of the Holocaust, six million Jewish men, women and children had either perished in ghettos or through mass-shootings, in concentration camps and by gassing in extermination camps, such as Auschwitz.

Can you imagine what six million people looks like? It’s hard. That’s at least 200+ football stadiums (with 30,000 capacities each) or 100 towns the size of Wellingborough: women, men, children and older people, all murdered.

Ivor Perl

Today we are going to watch a short film clip, in which this man, Ivor Perl, who was born in Hungary, tells us his experiences during the Holocaust.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxSlCzOB1IY

Watching Ivor’s film tells us about the stories beyond those statistics which are too huge for us to comprehend. It tells us that the Holocaust was the story of Jewish people being forced to move from their own homes to ghettos and camps. Of families being forced apart. Of the diseases like typhus which were allowed to spread as people were forced to live in appalling conditions. And his story tells us that half of Hungary’s Jewish population were killed in only four months in 1944, and that Ivor himself lost all but one of his 8 brothers and sisters, and both of his parents.

Ivor’s testimony also tells us that, for Ivor, the legacy of the Holocaust continues. He tells us that he fears people more than he fears God; it was people who played with him as friends one week and on the second week herded him and his family into a ghetto. He speaks of his daily reminders of things which happened to him in the past.

But he also speaks of his delight at moving to the UK and beginning to set up a life here, displaying so proudly in his home the pictures of his children and grandchildren. He tells us about his talks in schools and community groups, and that he feels if only one person hears his story and makes a difference, it was worth his while.

There are hundreds of us here today. On Holocaust Memorial Day we can reflect on the ways in which we can make a difference after hearing Ivor’s testimony. We can reflect on the particular questions that Ivor asked in the film.

What has it helped?

He asks ’What has the world learned since 1945?’ and, sadly, since the end of World War Two, there have been genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur where millions of people have been murdered simply because of who they are. This suggests the world has not learnt much. So what can we learn?

Our understanding of social psychology – how our brains work within a social context - might have some of the answers. This tells us that all human beings (you, me, and others) are all capable, given the wrong/right circumstances, of committing great crimes and horrors. Genocides and human rights abuses are not committed by evil people, but by people, just like you and me, doing evil thinks to other human beings.

• Playing the “us”/“them” game of stigmatising groups in society who we don’t like or blaming for all our problems. Or holding prejudicial or stereotyped views of such groups. We do this easily and almost automatically, without thought. We are easily seduced by the lies and misrepresentations of unprincipled politicians hungry for votes and power who tell us such groups are to blame. And what groups are in the frame in today’s world for such demonisation and hatred?  Mexicans (in the US), Muslims, refugees, immigrants, migrants from the European Union, asylum-seekers, benefit scroungers... you can add your own favourites if you like as more are added on an almost daily basis as we split up into our own clans and comfortable zones of exclusion behind walls, borders and fences – physical structures - but possibly even more damaging divisions in our minds and thoughts. Us and them... it’s an easy game to play, but with disastrous consequences.
  
  
• Inflicting harm on “others”, especially those who are stigmatised: being blind to their suffering or actively creating the conditions in which harm is done: harassment and hate crimes; our indifference or even hostility to hundreds of thousands of refugees, some of whom are dying in the Mediterranean or freezing to death in Serbia or Greece, or living in dire conditions in concentrations camps at the borders of Hungary; our indifference to disabled people who are dying or committing suicide because of the dehumanising nature of our benefit system; physical attacks on Polish people, or Muslims, or indeed anyone who stands up for minorities and the vulnerable – such as MP Jo Cox.
  
  
•  But I hear you say: “we wouldn’t do that, we wouldn’t do harm to others”. But what would you do I ask?

How would I have behaved?

·        Ivor Perl asks us to reflect on our own actions or inactions. Do we/you stand by and watch, or do you say “no, this is wrong, it must stop!”? Do you actively get involved in challenging prejudice and injustices? Would you stand up or would you remain silent?

Ivor asked ‘how would I have behaved if I had been the gentile (the person who was not Jewish)?’ We can also ask ourselves ‘what would I have done if I had seen my neighbours forced out of their homes and onto trains or into ghettoes simply for who they were? Would I have stood by? Or would I have spoken out?’ The Holocaust was allowed to happen because the people with the power and the knowledge to stop it stood by and did nothing.

So in the contemporary world we need to ask: what am I doing?

Elie Wiesel

At the end of Ivor’s film he says ‘the only thing we can do is not answer hate with hate.’ Perhaps we can challenge ourselves to go even further.

As Elie Wiesel, another Holocaust survivor, wrote:

‘I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.’

Don’t stand by

With the words of Ivor Perl and Elie Wiesel in mind, with our understanding of human psychology in mind, I would ask you today to commit to not standing by.

When we see acts of injustice, don’t stand by. When we hear of intolerance, don’t stand by. When we see people being picked on because of who they are, don’t stand by. And when we see others act on their hatred, don’t stand by. And, if and when we see others “not standing by” and challenging, support them too – especially if we don’t have the courage to do it ourselves.

If we can all make the commitment today that we will not stand by when others face prejudice, perhaps we can help the world learn lessons from the past to create a better, safer future.

HMD 2017 Film

I would like to finish with another short film that has been produced for HMD 2017. It challenges us to think about how we can support those who face hostility today and create a safer society together.

http://hmd.org.uk/news/we-launch-our-film-hmd-2017

Contrast and Compare: 1930s and 2014

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The English Democrats: The new BNP and flag bearer for the far-right?

Over recent years I have been a close follower of the neo-Nazi British National Party, particularly in my own patch of Northamptonshire. This is not just a nerdy kind of fascination, but is for rather more serious reasons.

In the context of small polls in local elections the BNP at one time posed a growing electoral threat at a local level gaining in some cases close to 15% or so of votes cast. Whilst in Northamptonshire they never made the breakthrough in winning seats, as they did in other part of the country, this was a growing possibility as their popularity seemingly rose. Such a likelihood held considerable dread for me with even more serious implications for my local multi-racial/faith community and for the impact this would have on politics generally.

I have therefore been relieved in recent months that the BNP has all but collapsed in many part of the country as a political force and are in pretty desperate straits. This has also been the case in Northamptonshire, where significant numbers of BNP members (including some leading lights and activists) have deserted them. One person, Rob Walker of Wellingborough in particular, comes to mind, as he was a leading BNP organiser, activist and candidate in several elections, including the last general election. He is also the writer of a blog, Northants Patriot, which acted as an ideological rallying cry and a means of propagating the BNP message to local activists, supporters and hangers on. Mr. Walker’s resignation from the BNP was therefore a particular blow to them.

The reasons Mr. Walker left the BNP are explained in his blog of July 2012 

“I have no faith in the leadership of the BNP and the name is toxic with the electorate.” 

So, Mr. Walker did not leave the BNP for any ideological or political reasons but for ones relating to the personal leadership qualities of Nick Griffin and simple electoral opportunism.

So where has Mr. Walker (politically speaking) now gone? From virtually one day to the next he signed up enthusiastically for the English Democrats and now waxes lyrically in their support. Why did he choose the English Democrats? Again his blog explains all: 

“If you had a choice of two parties with the (same) policies… which would you choose to vote for, the one with a clean history, or the one labelled by the media as racist, nazis and thugs?” (blog of July 2012).

For Mr. Walker (and I am sure there are others who have left the BNP for similar reasons) the English Democrats are the new BNP and provide a splendid opportunity for a rebrand. Whilst the BNP’s light shone brightly it attracted all the flies and moths that inhibit the dark twilight world of far-right, neo-Nazi, Nationalist, politics in the UK. Are they now attracted to a new light - the English Democrats?

It is interesting that the English Democrats have welcomed such BNP defectors into their ranks without even a murmur. I suspect that this is because many/most members of the English Democrats have few political differences with the BNP, but they have always sold themselves as nothing more that “English Nationalists” who liked warm beer, Morris dancing, St George’s day as a national holiday and an English Parliament (like the Welsh and Scots) – they were just really like the Scottish and Welsh nationalists (but for England). Such a soft and gentle image!

For those of us who are vigilant in watching developments within the far-right, it is important for us not to be complacent following the demise of the BNP. There is little doubt that a new neo-Nazi party could emerge in British politics to replace the BNP, as has been evidenced by research by the Searchlight Educational Trust which identified that “There is popular support for a sanitised, non-violent and non-racist English nationalist political party.”

So herein lies a real danger. It is possible, because they seemingly have a less tarnished image (as acknowledged by Mr. Walker), some may be fooled into voting for the English Democrats because they appear “respectable” – and are certainly not perceived as nasty as the BNP or others (EDL, National Front etc). But beware, lurking just below the surface are a whole group of nasty racists and fascists who have not gone away; the English Democrats have, in any event, always been a party of wolves in sheep’s clothing.

The first test of this possibility may present itself with the by-election being held in Corby and East Northamptonshire following the resignation of chick-lit Tory MP Louise Mensch. The English Democrats and the BNP will be standing along with UKIP, all potentially pitching for the far-right/nationalist/anti-EU vote. UKIP are expected to do well, but how will the newly emerging English Democrats fair? If their vote exceeds that of the BNP expect more defections to them from nationalists/neo-Nazis. Could the English Democrats, who hitherto have escaped serious scrutiny by the media and the Left, be deserving of more attention in the future? 

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Guest blog: Stalingrad 1942

 STALINGRAD 1942 : THE HOUR OF COURAGE HAD STRUCK THE CLOCK

We know what’s at stake and how great the foe’s power, And what is now coming to pass. The hour of courage has struck on the clockAnd our courage will hold to the last.The bullets can kill us, but cannot deter;Though our houses will fall, we shall remain. 

Anna Akhmatova, 1942

13 September, 06.45, 1942 the Nazi onslaught on Stalingrad commenced with a bloody vengeance. The sky turned brown from the dust of fragmented buildings, the ground vibrated because of the power of the explosions. The Fascist army's advance continued but faced the most ferocious resistance imaginable. The horror of fighting the Soviet troops on their favoured terrain, the approaching Russian winter, fast became a reality for Hitler's Generals. While German tanks entered the outskirts of Stalingrad the Soviets dug in preparing to fight for every district, every street, every house.

Almost six months later , 2 February 1943 and the defeat of the Nazi forces which had sought to encircle and destroy Stalingrad was complete. Out of each Red Army division sent to defend the city no more than a few hundred soldiers survived, 1.1 million casualties, of which 485,751 lost their lives.

For Hitler the defeat at Stalingrad was the beginning of the end. The story of the Red Army's sacrifice had a powerful effect across the world, especially on resistance movements in occupied Europe. The Russians who had taken the brunt of the German onslaught since 1941 were now turning the tide and a year later would be joined by the Allied forces opening up the second front with the D-Day landings landings at Normandy.

Philosophy Football's 1942-2012 Stalingrad range marks the battle's 70th Anniversary. Inspired by Anna Akhmatova's poem the designs are based on a medal, a fuselage, a propaganda poster, a book title from the time and the slogan with which the Russian people greeted their eventual victory. " Nobody is forgotten. Nothing is forgotten!" 

Stalingrad Anniversary Shirts available from http://www.philosophyfootball.com/view_products.php?cid=2

Mark Perryman

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Guest Post: Racism and discrimination still pervasive across Europe against backdrop of economic downturn

At a time of  economic crisis, migrants and ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected by  unemployment and precarious working conditions. Economic downturn also creates fears among the general public that incite racist behaviour, while it has led to financial cuts to anti-racism activities in many countries. These are some of the conclusions of
European Network Against Racism’s Shadow Report  on racism in Europe 2010-2011, released on March 21st - UN International Day Against Racism.

Economic turmoil has resulted in increased unemployment across the board, but in particular for ethnic minorities. In Spain for instance, the highest unemployment rates are found among migrants from Morocco and Sub-Saharan countries (with figures close to 50% during the second quarter of 2010).

Several countries also highlight the negative impact of financial cuts on anti-discrimination efforts. In Lithuania, for instance, the national anti-discrimination programme for 2009-2011 received less than 1% of the funding which was initially planned for 2010.

In addition, racially motivated violence committed both by neo-Nazi groups and other perpetrators is on the rise, in parallel to a growing success of far right parties and movements, for instance in the United Kingdom,
Denmark, Hungary, Greece and Poland.

The report also highlights that people of African descent are particularly vulnerable to racism and racial discrimination in several EU Member States, and their visibility heightens this vulnerability.  In the United Kingdom for instance, black people are at least six times more likely to be stopped and searched than a white person. In Latvia, most members of the African community hold university diplomas but few are able to find a job that c

Although EU Member States have transposed EU anti-discrimination legislation into national law, few cases are brought forward and the legal provisions are often not implemented in practice. In most EU countries, there also a shift towards more restrictive migration policies with states seeking to borders, and of those seeking the right to reside within EU territory.

ENAR Chair Chibo Onyeji said:

“Today in particular, on International Day Against Racism, it is worrying to see that racism and discrimination continue to be so pervasive across the EU. Politicians must convey the message that equal access to jobs, housing and schooling are crucial to build a prosperous and cohesive society - all the more so in an economic crisis. We cannot afford to leave whole sections of the population on the sidelines.”

For further information, contact:
European Network Against Racism
Georgina Siklossy, Communication and Press Officer
Tel: +32 (0)2 229 35 70 - Mobile: +32 (0)473 490531 - E-mail: georgina@enar-eu.org - Web: www.enar-eu.org

Brussels, 21 March 2012

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Holocaust Memorial Day activities in Wellingborough

Following on from my previous blog, and highly relevant in todays context, it is the time of the year that we especially commemorate those who died during the Nazi Holocaust as we commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day , which is on January 27th.

We must continually learn and re-learn the lessons from this humanitarian tragedy, particularly how easy it can be to scapegoat religious, racial or ethnic minorities and blame them for todays ills, or to turn on them in nasty, prejudicial and hateful ways. We must continual resist and challenge those who wish to turn one group of people against another based around human difference, in any part of the UK or across the world.

Activities in Wellingborough to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day:

Saturday January 22 at 10.30, Wellingborough Museum (near The Castle Theatre): Ruth Michaelis will be sharing her childhood expereinces of the Holocaust. Tickets are free but booking is essential. Telephone (01933) 276838

Saturday, January 22 at 12.30 and 1.30, Wellingborough Museum: "Hide and Seek". An interactive play that shares the stories of Holocaust survivors. Premiered by The Castle Youth Theatre. Free admission.

Sunday January 30 at 2.00pm in Swanspool Gardens, Doddington Road (by the Anne Frank tree): Wellingborough Council will be holding a remembrance event. Just turn up. For further details ring: (01933) 231986

"We carry on telling our stories because we were eye-witnesses. The most important thing is to tell people so this can never happen agaisn" Ibi Ginsburg, Holocaust survivor

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Here is the News. Or not as the case may be.

My fellow Independent (Socialist) Councillor in Northampton, Tony Clarke, recently posted the following blog. It is well worth repeating. If you wish to see the orginal go to: http://tonyclarkeindependent.blogspot.com/2009/07/here-is-news-or-not-as-case-may-be.html

"Counter terrorism detectives investigating plots in Yorkshire have seized the largest suspected terrorist arsenal in England since the early 1960s. The haul includes over 300 weapons, ranging from rocket launchers to firearms and pipebombs.They have been found in the last six weeks during raids of over 20 properties. Some People have been arrested. Several have been charged and reports suggest more arrests are imminent.The police investigation is linked to arrests in Europe, New Zealand and Australia. The police are examining allegations that many of the guns were manufactured or reactivated, then sold over the Internet.

Detectives have also discovered maps and plans of target buildings in the the homes of those arrested.All of the above took place in a series of raids and arrest in Yorkshire in the last 6 weeks.So why hasn't it hit the media in a big way? Surely the biggest arms cache seized in nearly 50 years, including the discovery of rocket launchers is big HEADLINE news at a time when terrorism is such a national concern and obsession? And the media have not been shy in the past at exposing Britain's "Home Grown Terrorists" and the threat they pose to our country.

But the difference here is a simple albeit inexplicable one. You see all those arrested were far right extremists, the investigation was part of a campaign against Neo Nazis, and amongst the finds less dangerous but more worrying were membership details of the BNP. In addition to the finds reports of attacks on Mosques (the focus of those discovered maps and plans) are on the increase. All this points to a concentration of far right terror activity set in Yorkshire, where the BNP won a seat in the European parliament last month. A Whitehall official said: "We are not picking them up anywhere else in the country like this and it may be related to the strong support for the BNP." And it also suggests that todays conviction of NF member Neil Lewington for the manufacture of improvised bombs and last years conviction of fellow Nazi Martin Gilliiard are just the tip of a very nasty iceburg.

So why the news clamp down? why can do the media publish Lewington's conviction and yet seem keen to hide the evidence of even worst planned atrocities in Yorkshire?

The only national politician seemingly willing to speak out seems to be my old work mate and fellow once expelled Labour Party member Ken Livingstone! Ken is now chair of Unite Against Fascism and he was clear in stating his concerns when he said "It is extraordinary that the entire national media are not galvanised by the discovery of the largest terrorist arms cache in Britain since the 1960s and clear statements by the authorities that there is a rise in violent far right terrorism." This is clearly a threat to every Black, Asian, Muslim and other minority ethnic and religious group in Britain, as shown by the firebombing of Muslim targets which could easily have led to deaths. This shows the reality behind the election of the BNP to the European parliament and the effects of the drip, drip, drip of Islamophobia in the media. "We need an all-out campaign to politically defeat the extreme right, the media to expose the threat of far right terrorism and the police to relentlessly pursue those responsible for every attack."

I agree with him wholeheartedly and perhaps some need to be asking some serious questions as to how our broadcast news is selected and transmitted. It seems not a week goes by without news reports of suspected Muslim Terrorists being led away from their homes for questioning, usually set against a framed backdrop of the local community carrying out tasks that are little more offensive than shopping or playing in the street or simply going about their daily business.

If we are going to win the war against terror, and ensure that the 'Prevent Violent Extremism' agenda is successful then we need to ensure that equal attention and focus is given to the obvious dangers coming from the white supremacists and the far right in our own back yards instead of only focusing on Muslim Communities and fueling further the Islamaphobia that exists almost unhindered in our country."

Cllr. Tony Clarke

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How loony do you have to be to get into the BNP?

Just to illustrate how "nutty" (but dangerous nonetheless) the BNP are, their recent candidate in Rushden for election to Northamptonshire County Council (Wim Wauters - good British name that!) has recently stated:

"..... Fascism is already in power and it didn't come in from the 'right-wing' (they haven't figured out they should call it Nationalism), but from the left-wing liberals running personality cults who do the bidding of big money. Obama is a contemporary example... Mussolini is an older one."

Fascism already in power (in the UK, USA, where....?)? Obama a fascist? How loony do you have get to be in the BNP these days? What other weird and wonderful conspiracies lurk in the vivid imagination of neo-fascists these days?

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Reflections on a bad few days

It’s been some time now since I posted onto my blog site. This has been for four main reason: a well deserved holiday in Venice (with some friends -great time by the way!), campaigning both in local elections for Independent candidate Jacqui Norton in a by-election for Wellingborough Council (who got a very creditable 10% at the first time of trying), campaigning against the BNP in both County Council and the Euro elections (with some mixed results) and simple laziness in keeping my blog up-to-date (it seemed a bit of an indulgence when there was so much more going on)!

Now that all the frenzied activity has subsided for the time being its time for some serious reflection on the state of the world in general and politics (nationally, locally and in Europe) more specifically.

The recent local and Euro elections have been a disaster for the Labour Party. At one level I take no pleasure in this (although I know some on the Left will) – although my distain for the Labour Party and Labour government (but not individual Labour Party members) knows no bounds. The Labour Party and recent governments, under both Brown and Blair, have badly let us down – after showing so much promise in the early years. However, I continue to have admiration for Labour Party members who, through thick and thin, have remained loyal to the “the Party”. But I fear that such loyalty is badly misplaced although I respect their position. I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that what British politics badly needs are political openings on the progressive, green, democratic, left of the Labour Party that can coherently and credibly offer alternatives. The monopoly of the centre-left/left in British politics (in England at least) by the Labour Party needs to be broken – because it is bad for the Labour Party (monopolies tend to ossify and become corrupt and self-serving) and bad for democracy in general.

For too long all our political “eggs” have been largely in “one basket” and rested on the success of the Labour Party. This has enabled the Labour Party to threaten us with arguments about “back us or the Right wins - and we will then blame you if we loose”. This form of coercion is no longer a way of doing politics in the 21st century that I want any part in. I want to be able to exercise positive choices on the Left, and not be forced to support anyone – just because we may “let” the Right in.

But I also fear that the multitude of groupings, "socialist" parties, community based campaign groups, trade unions etc., who could make up a new Left are currently incapable of seizing such opportunities in a way that could attract the kind of support that similar groups (that exist in other European countries) currently enjoy. In Germany, Die Linke (The Left) and Die Gruene (the Greens) are now getting votes in the region of 10-20% and are increasing co-operating with one another in opposition to SDP/CDU/CSU goverment. The fascist far-right are miniscule and almost non-existant.

This shows the potential for the UK but the reality of achieving unity of this kind that is emerging in Germany seems far away. However, there are some “green shoots” that such possibilities are there for the taking and over the next period these may beginning to flourish. But this requires the whole of the diverse “Left/Greens” in the UK to throw away sectarian attitudes to each other, to recognise that progress can only be achieved by co-operation rather than competition (particularly at a local level), through honest dialogue and engendering a commitment to compromise around tactical political interventions, if not on ideologies.

Are these diverse “Left/Green” groupings up to it? Or is our current demise (based on current attitudes and ways of working) to continue? Are we condemning ourselves to a period in which politics is dominated by the Right and where we are more likely to be depressed - fighting defensive and scattered skirmishes - than positively engaging in politics because we are inspired about the possibility of progressive advance and achievements?

The successes of the BNP in the Euro-elections also requires some reflection and thought. Whilst it was no doubt related to the low turnouts (for which demoralisation with Labour can take most of the blame), there is nonetheless a real problem that would still exist even if the BNP had not won any Council or Euro seats. It now seems that the BNP are regularly attracting between 6 and 10% of those who vote, almost irrespective of actual turn-out. This situation needs to be tackled “head-on” with a national wake-up call to challenge this rise in support and the racism/xenphobia/Islamaphobia that underlies it. I don’t go with the argument that we need to “understand” those who vote for the BNP. It is clear that they knew exactly what they are doing and voted BNP because they signed up to their broadly racist/nationalistic agenda. If they wanted to simply "protest", they could have voted for some alternatives (even UKIP!), but they didn't - they voted for the BNP knowing (in most cases) precisely what they stood for.

We also don’t need to "understand" such BNP voters more, or respond "sympathitically" to their bogus, lie- induced, anxieties. What we do need to do is continually expose these lies, the racism, the prejudice that is being espoused and point to the kind of society that would logically follow from this if the BNP got within anything like a spitting distance of political power. We need to stop appeasing these bogus anxieties (as the Labour “community cohesion” agenda has done), and return to very simple but powerful concepts of racial equality, fairness for all and social and economic justice for all based on evidence not lies.

There is also a heavy responsibility on all political groups and parties to at least argue for inclusive alternatives to the problems that we face as a society, which are not based on scapegoating, hatred, prejudice and xenophobia. The Labour and Conservative parties, as well as the populist media, need to know that the rise of the BNP is directly linked to their flirtation with an appeasement and scape-goating agenda. They must stop doing it!! If they don’t, they must be held complicit in the eventual outcome(s). There could have been nothing more damaging to the fight against the BNP than, firstly, a Labour Prime Minister talking about “British Jobs for British Workers” - which clearly had racist/xenophobic connotations (and the slogan was subsequently adopted by the BNP). And, secondly, Conservative Party campaigns against local housing developments by citing the bogus threat of “migrant workers” - pandering yet again to a xenophobic agenda that has subsequently been exploited by the BNP.

We also need to stop endorsing, or showing any kind of sympathy or empathy, with notions that the new, marginalised, discriminated, group is now the so-called “White working class”. There is no evidence whatsoever that they are faring any worse than working people across the board. Indeed there is continuing and clear evidence that working class people from Black and minority ethnic groups are doing considerably worse, across the whole range of social inequality variables, than the so-called (and newly discover?) “White working class”.

What is worth acknowledging, however, is that consecutive governments, over many years, have failed to make any real inroads into reducing inequality and poverty in our society and, after 13 years of Labour government, we still have the most socially divided society in Europe – and the divisions are widening – with the rich getting richer, even in the midst of a recession. Some areas of our inner cities and out of town housing estates have been deserted by both Labour and Conservatives (in a rush to privatise social housing and public services and so-called "concerns" around "increased taxation"). Such neglect needs to be part of an alternative programme that rejects the Labour/Conservative concensus around public expendicture and taxation.

We desperately need a society that is comfortable with itself, is socially and economically just, and where problems are there to be overcome, together, collectively and in co-operation. There is a real need to articulate a diverse but united left alternative - both to current and future government policies (irrespective of whether they are Labour or Conservative) - and to challenge the racist agenda of the far-right, which will merely divide people and do absolutely nothing to create such a fairer society.

Can we raise ourselves to these challenges?

Different times - same message of prejudice and hate - same need to stand up against it

Old Racism (1964). "If you want a nigger for neighbour, vote Liberal or Labour" was the 1964 slogan of Tory candidate Peter Griffiths. Griffiths won the election by a 7.2% margin. When he entered Parliament he was snubbed and widely condemned by MPs across the political spectrum and the Conservative Party nationally.

New Racism. Conservative Party election leaflet (October 2008). The "N" word may not now be acceptable, but for some nasty Tories (who have not really gone away since 1964) there is a new group they don't want as neighbours. It is reprehensible that some local Conservatives (including MP Peter Bone) are using similar scare tactics, misrepresentation and a new racism to generate fear and hostility against migrant workers from Eastern Europe. The fact that this Tory leaflet is almost identical to the line being pushed by the BNP (see below) is worrying. The Conservative Party, as it did in 1964, needs to clearly line up against such divisive and xenophobic ideas and challenge such prejudice and hatred - not line up alongside it.

There is always the temptation for politicians to play on popular fears and prejudices for short-term electoral gain. The BNP have this as the core of their political strategy to win power. I do, however, expect better from the Conservatives. I know the overwhelming majority of Conservatives are deaply unhappy by this approach. It is now time for them to stand up and be counted.

New Racism - British National Party (2008). For neo-fascists like the BNP the message has always been pretty much the same - they don't want anyone as neighbours who are Black, Asian, migrant workers or indeed anyone "foreign- looking". I think they may also have problems with anyone who opposes their ideas. The history of fascism is that they don't stop with their immediate "hates", but rapidly move on to everyone with whom they disagree. The poem by the German anti-Nazi Pastor, Martin Niemöller, sums this up:

When they came for the Jews I remained silent, I was not a Jew
When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out.

It is incumbent on all of us from across the political spectrum to stand up against those who spead prejuduce and hatred against groups based on their colour, ethncity, origins or nationality at the first sign of its manifestion. If we wait longer, it may mean we wait too long.

Why did the BNP do so well? Where next?

Since the election result in Wellingborough last week I have been thinking about why the BNP vote was high (at around 15%) and why Labour were knocked down to third position, behind the BNP. This has also raised wider concerns about the direction we as a society are taking.

The BNP put a great deal of time and effort into this election campaign - with at least two leaflets distributed and evidence of a considerable amount of face-to-face canvassing. The only other party to put in the equivalent or more activity were the Tories (who won the election convincingly and overwhelmingly). The BNP, as might be expected, were less than truthful in their election information – playing on and lying around immigration/migration, race (without overtly referring to it), new housing developments in and around Northamptonshire, crime, anti-social behaviour and Islamaphobia.

For a critic of the BNP’s racist campaign in Wellingborough you can do no worse than have a look at Tony Sharp’s blog. Whilst Tony (a fellow Wellingborough Councillor and a Tory) and I disagree about almost everything else, we clearly share a deep hatred of what the BNP stand for and the lies they propagate:
http://tonysharp.blogspot.com/2008/03/bnp-still-exposing-truth.html

http://tonysharp.blogspot.com/2008/04/why-women-should-not-vote-bnp.html

The Labour Party stood no chance of winning this election, and it showed. They put very little into the campaign other than to distribute leaflets. The same was true of the other parties (the Greens, Lib Dems and UKIP) – they also did next to nothing and (to be honest) showed a degree of contempt for the electorate in standing candidates and then doing little to present themselves as credible candidates/parties. This is a recipe for those who want to register a protest vote of sorts, against the government or whatever, to vote BNP rather than for anyone else. And they did.

Whilst it was right for ant-fascists to campaign against the BNP and expose what they stood for, we probably unintentionally contributed to an increased BNP vote as we draw attention to the fact that they were really the only opposition to the Tories that were standing. Effective anti-BNP work is also dependent on having effective and credible political parties for people to vote for, other than the BNP!
The BNP were also able to capitalise on the growing trend to be “concerned” about the "white working class" – as exemplified by the recent BBC series. This is an interesting one, since when has anyone (other than the genuine left and the trade union movement) really been concerned about the injustices and inequalities faced by the working class.

Until recently (when "class" has been mysterious rediscovered), the right and middle of British politics (including the Tories and “New” Labour) have been concerned about the so-call “middle classes” and the “middle ground” of British politics. New Labour has been correctly identified as deserting its traditional concerns with class inequalities and injustices. In reality, New Labour has deserted the working class as a whole, irrespective of its race, gender, ethnicity or religion.

What the BNP convenient ignores, of course, is that the most exploited and disadvantaged sections of the working class are migrant workers and ethnic minority communities. Setting the “white” working class against these other communities (who are equally or more exploited) is hardly going to make things better – it does what it says in the small print: it pits those who are most disadvantaged and exploited against one another, whilst the rich and super-rich continue to enjoy the fruits of others people’s hard work.

The BNP (and others for that matter) also attempt to “blame” such minority and migrant communities for Britain’s problems. Not only is this deceitful – most, if not all, of these problems pre-date the arrival of recent EU migrant workers - but also reflects a very distorted view of history, even recent history. For Wellingborough, and indeed the wider UK, the benefits of immigration/migration over the past 50 years from India, the Caribbean, Pakistan, Bangladesh (not least Londoners as well!) has been of huge benefit – socially, economically and culturally.

We are now a successful multi-racial/religious/ethnic society (town), of which we can be immensely proud. Yes, there are stresses around these issues; but these should be seen as internal “family” problems and misunderstandings that need to be worked through. They do not fundamentally undermine the fabric of society, contrary to much reporting on the issue (and the views of the BNP). A return to some mythical White, British, society without migration/immigration is not on the agenda. Unless, like the BNP, we want to see immense social upheaval, strife, gross human rights abuses and inter-community violence on a scale that cannot be imagined.

The models are already there: the former Yugoslavia, Lebanon, Iraq, Kenya…. Do we really want to add the UK to the list of coutries that practice ethnic cleansing on a grand scale?

For our common humanity and democracy, oppose the BNP!

I friend of mine recently sent me a link to a YouTube video clip. Its essential message is the earth is a miniscule dot in an infinite universe; we should be much more aware that in order for us to advance as a species we all have to get on with one another, recognise our common humanity and sort thinks out collectively - because there is no where else we can go. It’s very moving and a powerful antidote to the hatred that is so common in our political life – particular the current racism and xenophobia peddled by the likes of the popular broadsheet press, the extreme right and the neo-fascist British National Party. Have a look at the clip at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7xj8xikyD8

Whilst I am on the topic of the British National Party, its of great concern that they are standing a candidate in a by-election in Wellingborough. This is the first time a neo-fascist party has stood in the area. They will, of course, be roundly rejected by the electorate, but nonetheless their particular poison has the ability to infect the body politic for a long-time – creating an on-going atmosphere of hatred, division and intolerance. There is also a real danger that they may use the election campaign to establish a base in the town, so they can peddle their poison for years to come. Some people may be tempted to vote for them as a protest vote against the government, the local council or whatever. There are however candidates standing representing all the major political parties in the UK (except Independent Socialists!). To vote for the BNP as “a protest” is unnecessary – there are plenty of alternative ways to voice protest other than voting for fascists. Some people may also be tempted to vote for them because they think the BNP offer seemingly simple and direct solutions to often complex problems. But if people think that the BNP offers “solutions” to anything they are serious misguided. Voting for the BNP is like voting to cut your head off because you have a headache!

At the end of the day, the BNP are an anti-democratic party; they are a racist party; they are fascists who would abolish democracy at the first sniff of political power; they stand for hatred, not hope; they stand for the scape-goating of groups for all sorts of problems which they have not caused; they create an atmosphere of violence and intimidation whereever they are active. They must be opposed by all people of goodwill across the respectable and democratic political spectrum. They have no place in our democratic political system!

If you want to get involved in the campaign to defeat the BNP in Wellingborough over the next three weeks e-mail me at: crofts121@btinternet.com
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