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Unite to defeat racism

4 May 2010

Most people are disgusted by the election in June 2009 of two British National Party (BNP) members to represent Yorkshire and North West England in the European Parliament. Lincoln YM convenor Nick Parker looks at the reasons behind their increase in support and how we should respond.

Nick Griffin and Andrew Brons are politicians who have a track record of inciting racial hatred, including making comments supporting Nazi Germany, yet their party managed to attract hundreds of thousands of votes.

The BNP has gained a significant layer of support in UK politics over the last 10 years. It’s no coincidence their rising popularity has coincided with a deepening unpopularity towards mainstream parties in general and in particular the New Labour Government. In today’s Britain, we’ve seen two illegal wars, rising inequality, cuts and privatisation in our public services, and attacks on our civil liberties and democratic rights.

False posturing

The BNP has, to a certain degree, exploited this situation by posing as a party which stands up for British workers. In fact, the opposite is the case. The BNP has consistently opposed workers who have taken action – they attacked striking miners in the 1980s, opposed the magnificent anti-Poll Tax movement in the early 1990s, and called for a ban on the right of fire fighters’ union (FBU) to take industrial action in 2002.

In Lincoln, community activists have been at the forefront in organising opposition to the BNP. In 2006, BNP public stalls were taking place on a weekly basis with no opposition. Anti-racists organised stalls opposite, which had a demoralising effect on them. Combined with mass community action, including a 200 strong demonstration in December 2006, we drove them off the streets.

Working alongside other trade unionists in May 2009, PCS members helped organise leafleting against the BNP in the run up to the European elections. Together with Lincoln and District Trades Council, we held another march in July 2009 to oppose the election of Andrew Brons on our doorstep. This was followed up with an anti-racist gig, which attracted over 120 mainly young people.

Together we're stronger

The BNP exploits social discontent with the current system. The trade union movement has a key role to play in challenging this by offering a way to fight back against cuts, closures and privatisation. It’s not enough to say the BNP are Nazis and encourage people to vote for one of the main parties to defeat them.

The ideas of trade unionism – that unity is strength – will cut across rising BNP support if we offer an industrial strategy to fight attacks on our members. It will help nobody but the bosses if we have workplaces and communities divided by racism or any other issue. But we also need a political response to the far right.

The message of unity for decent jobs, homes and services - and against racism - needs to be extended to the political arena. Hopefully, young members’ will recognise this and support the idea of PCS supporting or standing independent trade union candidates in future elections.


• Do you have an opinion on this? Email youngmembers@pcs.org.uk with your comments.
• For more information about our Make Your Vote Count campaign visit www.pcs.org.uk/myvc