Nottingham: oppose the far right and attempts to divide us

Jobs, homes and services - not racism

(Click to enlarge)

Nottingham Socialist Party member

A far-right group, the British Street Commandos (BSC), and a group under the slogan Justice for All, including participants with far-right links, are proposing to hold an event in Nottingham on Saturday 22 August.

The two groups claim to be for all, but are divisive and far-right-led or influenced. The BSC is using the slogan "All Lives Matter".

The other group is calling its march and motorbike ride with publicity mentioning veteran mental health and children's wellbeing.

However, the organiser appears to be linked to the DFLA (the so-called Democratic Football Lads Alliance), and the far-right Yorkshire Patriots say they are coming.

Socialist Party members have been instrumental in the decision of the local trades union council to call a counter-protest to show our opposition. We want to stop the far right rallying in Nottingham.

The far right tries to create divisions among working-class people. In the past they have used the lie, for example, that child grooming is mainly down to 'Asian gangs'.

Some workers, alienated by the Tory government and Nottingham Labour council cuts in services and jobs, could be taken in by these divisive organisations.

That is why we have pushed for the material produced to publicise the counter-protest to include the slogan on the trades union council banner of "jobs and homes, not racism", and "unity is strength".

Covid-19 has shown the results of cuts and privatisation. Nottingham City Council is now going for 500 voluntary redundancies and over 150 job cuts on top of the estimated 1,000 jobs or more that have gone in in the past years. The anti-racist movement needs to deal with this issue.

Trade unions and socialists stand for workers' rights and an end to all exploitation. We support the inspiring Black Lives Matter movement.

We supported the council trade unions' protest against cuts on Wednesday 19 August in the Market Square.

The rich and powerful use anything they can to divide and weaken working people.

Racist and far-right movements strengthen big business by trying to divide working-class communities. They must be stopped, and a powerful movement built to end racism and the system that breeds it.

Big business and the super-rich should pay for the crisis - not workers, their families and young people

Build a united struggle for jobs, homes and a future for all, and for a socialist alternative to poverty, racism and the crisis of capitalism.

Councillors who identify as on the left should vote against the current Labour council leaderships' plans and put forward a budget that meets local needs.

They should work with the trade unions and residents to defend jobs and services, and to build a mass campaign for all Covid-19 losses to be paid by the government, and for the government grant to be restored to pre-2010 level.

No trust in pro-big business parties - for a new mass workers' party to represent the interests of the 99% not the 1%.

Nottinghamshire, Mansfield and Nottingham Trades Union Council protest against racism

Saturday 22 August, Market Square, Nottingham
Assemble from 10.30am
The event organisers are calling for the protest to be socially distanced, and for attendees to wear face masks
Please do not attend if you are worried about your health or that of anyone you are in contact with

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.