Marching against racism, 17.11.18, photo by Mary Finch

Marching against racism, 17.11.18, photo by Mary Finch   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Isia Priya, London Socialist Party

Thousands of trade unionists, students and anti-racist campaigners marched on the national unity demonstration against racism and fascism on 17 November.

Socialist Party members and Refugee Rights campaigners took part in the demo with placards and leaflets calling for “jobs and homes, not racism.” We chanted loud and clear that we want to get rid of the racist Tories.

The Tories are responsible for the Windrush scandal that exposed the capitalist establishment’s racist immigration policies.

This caused a mass outrage and forced Amber Rudd to resign as home secretary. Disgracefully, just a day before the demo, Theresa May appointed Rudd back into cabinet as the secretary of state for work and pensions!

This desperate attempt to resolve the latest fallout from the Tories’ Brexit crisis underlines the need to get rid of them. So the most immediate demand in fighting racism is for a general election now.

Jeremy Corbyn should call an emergency meeting of the trade unions to organise a mass demonstration. The Trade Union Congress, instead of just giving support to anti-racist demos called by other organisations, should use all its resources to build for such a demo.

That would be the best launchpad for a serious jobs and homes, not racism campaign, to lead the fightback against racism and the right, and force the Tories out.