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Following the BNP’s local council seat gain in Swanley, Kent last month, Unite Against Fascism is gearing itself up for the European Parliament elections on 4 June. The fascist British National Party (BNP) is particularly targeting the North West, West Midlands and the Yorkshire & the Humber regions.
In the previous European elections in 2004 the BNP were only 0.4% short of getting elected in the North West, 0.8% in Yorkshire and the Humber and 1.3% short in the West Midlands. The BNP gained 808,202 votes, 4.7%, in total across Britain representing the biggest electoral vote for a fascist organisation in British history. Given the very high UKIP vote in the 2004 elections (UKIP polled the third largest share of the vote in 2004 with 2,660,768 votes, 15.6%), and the subsequent implosion of the UKIP vote, even if a small proportion of this goes to the BNP there is a real danger they could get elected.
The London elections last year underline how important voter turnout is. A very slightly higher turnout in the 2008 London Assembly elections could have stopped the BNP. Therefore increasing the turnout in the European elections will be crucial.
The rise of racism in society, such as the almost daily attacks on asylum seekers, immigrants, Muslim communities and a debate on the merits of multiculturalism for almost a decade, has meant that racism is becoming more ‘normal’ and acceptable. This is underpinning the BNP’s vote. The only way to defeat the BNP is to stand up to and defeat racism wherever it appears.
Over 500 people attended the Unite Against Fascism conference in February. Speakers included Ken Livingstone, Peter Hain MP, TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O’Grady, PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka and NAAR Secretary Lee Jasper. Ken Livingstone and Peter Hain drew parallels with the present situation and the 1970s, with unemployment and the recession hitting working class communities badly and the rise in support for fascist organisations. Ken Livingstone called for more investment, particularly in housing and public services. All speakers were united in their opposition to racism and attempts by the BNP to divide communities against one another, and in their solidarity with Muslim, Black and Asian communities that the BNP is targeting in their campaigns across Britain.
A pamphlet — “Unite to stop the British National Party” — detailing the issues confronting the anti-fascist movement in the run to the Euro-elections was launched at the conference.
For further information, visit: www.uaf.org.uk.