Working-class unity and socialist policies to defend jobs and stop cuts

Stop the racist BNP

ON SATURDAY 31 January, hundreds of people will be protesting against the British National Party (BNP) in Liverpool. The BNP blatantly twist people's real concerns to fit their racist agenda; the gist of their recent "protest" at a Black/Minority Ethnic recruitment fair was "Why isn't there a jobs fair for white people?" A better question would be: where are the jobs for anyone?

Hugh Caffrey

Millions of people are enraged at the lack and loss of jobs, with 3,000 more on the dole last month on Merseyside alone. By July, around 140,000 construction jobs will have been lost since January 2008. That's nearly 8,000 building workers a month, meanwhile people still queue for years on the council housing lists.

These and the many other problems of daily life facing working-class people are ignored by politicians who put the billionaires first and the millionaires second. That is what socialists are fighting to change, to put working-class people first with policies like those outlined in The Socialist's What We Stand For columns (see below).

Answers are not to be found in the BNP. If they were, it would not have ex-Tories as councillors. It would not have a long record of voting for cuts to jobs and services when elected. It would not be setting up a pro-employer 'scab' union at a time when a serious struggle by workers to defend jobs and conditions is desperately urgent.

The BNP is a far-right, racist organisation. Many BNP leaders still think Hitler had the right idea, but keep it quiet because very few people would vote for that. Instead, they say "racism cuts both ways". The BNP hopes it cuts deeper, to boost their vote in the European Parliament elections when an Oxford University-educated landowner will stand in the north-west. He is Nick Griffin, BNP leader.

Opposition is growing throughout Merseyside and the north-west. Worse racial tensions would mean more racist attacks like the horrific murder of Anthony Walker in 2006. Thousands protested against that crime, and will do so again to oppose racism and all racial attacks.

To counter the BNP, various anti-racist organisations and trade unions are supporting the Hope not Hate campaign. Working-class people hope for a better future, and should direct their hatred towards the politicians and billionaires who created the recession.

To give reason for hope and channel justified anger, union-backed opposition to the BNP needs to promote trade union policies including higher wages, defence of public services, and more and better council housing. But without an independent political voice for working-class people, inevitably the far right will get a certain vote. So a new mass working-class party needs to be built.

Up to and beyond the Euro-elections on 4 June we need to campaign against the BNP winning a seat. This can be most effectively done by exposing the BNP's real record, and instead proposing socialist policies to address working-class people's concerns.