"The trade unions have a great responsibility for supporting
and extending the campaign against the BNP. It is impossible to carry through
the basic objectives of the unions unless this scourge is defeated.The rules
of the CWU include amongst its objects the following:" To actively oppose
racism and sexism, and all forms of discrimination based on race, creed, religion,
age, political affiliation, disability, marital status, sex or sexual orientation
in industry, the Union and society in general." Obviously the BNP's whole
reason for existence is to promote a counter list of discriminations. And
the union cannot be successful in its aims unless it eradicates such discrimination
not just in the workplaces, and not just in the union, but also in society
as a whole. Black communication workers are just as liable to be assaulted
in their community as in their workplace.
"So for the union we cannot accept a narrow remit for our opposition
to the fascists.We believe we must have regard for the general social interests,
and all social institutions - if we are to carry through our anti-fascist
and anti-racist policies. In this we are in great need of allies such as the
National Assembly Against Racism. The same rule goes on to read:"To this
end the CWU will actively oppose any organisation, political or otherwise,
whose aims are racist or fascist".So we are then bound to the campaign
against the BNP. And I am proud of the fact that CWU activists are part of
the Coalition Against Racism in Burnley. The national union printed and published
100,000 leaflets for the Holocaust Memorial Day campaign in Burnley, Oldham
and elsewhere. We are considering further requests for support and look forward
to assisting the vital work of activists in the North West.
"But I am dismayed that there seems to be so little turn in the wider union movement on this vital issue. I have raised this matter at the December meeting of the TUC General Council, and hope to see an increase in activity. Now I am aware that there appear to be new complications on TUC spending on political matters following the new legislation on electoral donations. But I believe that affiliated unions who have a political fund should be using their fund to campaign against the fascist threat.I also believe that the unions affiliated to the Labour Party must be making much more fuss with ministers, councillors and constituency activists.
"If party members mobilised seriously then the campaign could drown the fascists.Yet the reticence in the party has to be linked to the bad faith of the government. Instead of attacking the fascists we have the disgusting spectacle of labour leaders accommodating to racist arguments.It deeply saddens me that I am speaking at a conference to commemorate 10 years since Stephen Lawrence's murder -whilst the basic lessons of his death are being ignored by national leaders of the labour movement. Do they really believe that institutionalised racism has been overcome? Do they really believe that refugees are a threat to society?And do they really believe that the fascists are growing because they have been too hard on institutionalised racism and too soft on asylum seekers? Whether its naivete or cynicism the stance of the government is contributing to the promotion of the BNP.
"I am afraid that some brutal lessons are going to be learnt the hard way.So what can the trade unions do? Firstly, we must direct activists and resources towards the campaign against the BNP.Secondly, we must press the TUC and the Labour Party to join with NAAR and local coalitions for active alliances against the BNP.Thirdly, we must prevent the BNP from securing a base in workplaces.This last point is deadly serious. The local council victories have given a sense of respectability to the BNP. The rats are becoming impudent. We are receiving growing reports of BNP material circulating in the industries where we organise. Legal considerations prevent me from going into details about the unions response. But let me assure you that we are taking action.
"Now there are some views in the labour movement that I want to challenge. First, there is the suggestion that campaigning against the BNP in some way helps them. The assumption being that we are drawing attention to their existence, and thus providing them with publicity. This is a vapid argument. We are not inventing fascism. We are fighting against it.This is an argument from people in the labour movement who assume by some natural process the BNP will disappear. A deadly mistake.A second argument we hear is that we mustn't assume that people who vote for the BNP are racist. Again, this should be a simple argument. The BNP is a racist party and its a racist act to support it. Or perhaps I'm missing something? But it's then suggested that we wish to win BNP voters away from supporting them, and the racist label makes them impervious. Well if people are confused, rather than convinced, racists then our duty is to clarify matters for them. Saying nicely and clearly that the BNP is a racist party might just help the penny drop. A supplementary argument that follows is gaining ground because mainstream parties aren't addressing the concerns of voters on issues raised by the BNP. Well, excuse me - but I thought the BNP lived and thrived on a long list of prejudices. In this sense the BNP doesn't have an argument at all.They are just bigots, period. Leaving aside for the moment - just for arguments sake - that the BNP is an organisation of racist criminals who want to assault every little gain the progressive movement in society has achieved. But of course what is really being suggested is that voters are primarily concerned about asylum seekers, terrorists, etc. Sorry - no common agenda here. We must protect asylum seekers from the treatment they are currently receiving -not seek ever harsher treatment of persecuted people.Lets face it, a section of the labour movement has not got the political courage to face down the fascists. Our task is to make sure that this becomes a dwindling minority.We want an active alliance of the black community and the labour movement. Along with the NAAR, the labour movement must root out every point of support for the BNP in Britain today. Thank you."