I’ve had an excellent morning, leafletting the Oliver Close estate, in Leyton ward, with local historian and anti-racism campaigner, Peter Ashan (pictured with me above), to support Unite Against Fascism’s anti-BNP campaign.
As most people will be aware, next Thursday 4th June 2009 is the day that countries all over the European Union will hold elections to decide whom we wish to represent us in the 2009 – 2014 European Parliament.
Having shadowed a leading British MEP, out in Brussels, and also interned with a European Commissioner, I know what absolutely amazing work is done out in Brussels – by both the European Parliament and the European Commision – particularly on strengthening the social and economic rights of ordinary people that British governments of both our main parties have been appalling in trying to block or water down.
I am absolutely horrified that the BNP might actually win a seat in the European Parliament and so I couldn’t sit indoors when I could be out, leafletting in Leyton, to raise awareness of the BNP and their fascist views.
The text of one of UAF’s leaflets (see pic above) says it all.
Do British people really want to be represented by a gang of fascists who’ve been quoted as saying “We’d be better off in Nazi Germany“, “Civil war is coming“, “Rape isn’t so bad” and “Aids is a friendly disease“?
I don’t care who anyone reading this website chooses to vote for next Thursday (I cast my postal vote for Labour) but I would urge you to make sure you do go out and vote for any party that’s not the BNP.
Well done to Unite Against Fascism for running such a strong campaign.
Let’s hope it helps make a difference on the 4th of June.
Although I am no supporter of the BNP your actions today are as bad as anything I have seen in ENGLAND and I thought I would not vote for them but now you have just changed my mind with your hooligans acting like nazis.
Hi Colin, thanks for your message. I’m afraid I’ve been at work all day, buried knee deep in meetings, briefings and minutes – so I haven’t even seen the news. All I would respond, however, is that – in my view – there’s no point doing ‘protest’ without doing ‘prevention’ as well. I follow the Jon Cruddas view on the BNP which I’ve deduced as: 1) Who (in the political parties apart from Mr Cruddas) is doing any serious work out on the doorstep, knocking on doors and actually TALKING TO PEOPLE to try and find out why people (many former Labour voters in particular) are voting BNP? 2) Who is addressing or lobbying decision makers to look into the areas of government (local, regional and national) policy that seem to be causing some who vote BNP frustration – such as housing and employment. 3) Who in Government (local, regional and national) is actually doing any work to communicate (soberly – without ranting) and inform people of the hateful policies the BNP really stand for? I visited both Autschwitz and Dachau in my teenage years and just standing in a former gas chamber was enough for me to resolve to campaign against the slightest hint of Nazism and Fascism in modern day Britiain. There’s also another issue that no one in this debate seems to be talking about. When I worked on skills policy at Acas, I was shocked to discover that the average profile of an illiterate person in Britain is white, male and 32 years old. The education system has clearly screwed up the lives of many of today’s 30+ working class white men but it’s not too late to go back to basics and invest in the boys (of all races) coming through at primary and secondary level so they can get their 5+ A-C GCSEs (including English and Maths), have the option to go on to study further at college and/or university, which will help them be in a better position to earn a higher than average wage, giving them greater choice about where they might live and the jobs they might do once they reach adulthood. I made the Beaumont Estate in Leyton and George Mitchell school (where many kids from Beaumont go) one of my top priorities for exactly this reason. Education is key and if we invest in the children who live in deprived areas they will be more informed and intellectually confident, less reliant on the state for their survival and far less likely to fall prey to dangerous charlatans like the BNP. Hope this helps set the record straight on where I sit on this issue. Miranda
My dad is 65 and a life long proponent of democracy. He is not a man who believes in violence, nor is he capable of it. He protested in Leigh in Lancashire against the BNP attempting to meet there. The BNP thugs attacked the protesters wielding crowbars before being chased off. As a fascist organisation the BNP believes in the use of violence to achieve its ultimate political aim – the crushing of all freedom and democracy. We cannot simply turn the other cheek in this situation because the fascists will punch that too.
Brilliant campaigning work Miranda. Keep up the good work.
Thanks, Ian. Well done to your dad! He sounds great.
Hi
I’m no supporter of the BNP, but why do you feel you have to lie about them to turn people against them?
Why not simply just pick apart their policies instead of saying they think rape is ok, aids is funny and we’d be better off in nazi germany.
I don’t like the BNP and I hate the UAF, nothing but an extreme far left communist organization.
Dear Scott, thank you for your comment. I haven’t “lied” about anyone, I have merely reproduced a Unite Against Facism leaflet, which I strongly assume UAF researched the content of before it was printed, and I therefore take the BNP statements on the leaflet to be true. If you believe UAF is printing and distributing incorrect information, please contact them directly. Kindest regards. Miranda