It is, of course, of major concern that far-right groups were able to persuade so many people to demonstrate in London last Saturday. Many of our members will be frightened about the threat of violence and intolerance that the movement represents, particularly those with Black and Asian heritage, or LBGT+ people.
Whilst this was the largest far-right rally in generations, it did attract a broader layer other than hardcore far-right activists. It outnumbered the Stand Up to Racism counter demonstration significantly.
However, whilst the press has covered Saturday’s events in detail, it has not made comparison to the significant size of repeated Palestinian solidarity demonstrations in London and elsewhere, or the 800,000 people and counting who are interested in supporting Your Party as an alternative to the parties of big business.
At UNISON’s National Delegate Conference in June, delegates from our branch moved the first motion – Campaigning for a Bailout for Public Services, which called on UNISON to use its strength to push for a massive injection of funds for all public services, as a way of undercutting some of the racist ideas perpetuated by Reform UK amongst others. We argued for UNISON to initiate a major trade-union led demonstration against further austerity as soon as possible.
We also amended a motion on the Far Right:
“Conference further asserts that strong and active trade unions bargaining and negotiating to raise pay and standards for all members at workplace level is the most effective response to the attempts by the far right to make in-roads into our communities. Linked to this, has to be the clear and unequivocal demand for an end to anti-immigrant sentiment from all those connected to the labour movement. Fighting racism at the ballot box cannot be limited to supporting the least objectionable candidate. It needs to be based on support for genuinely anti-racist candidates as well as support for genuine demands that unite all workers, including measures which make it easier for trade unions to organise to win. Unity of working people in struggle, both industrially and politically, is the key to undermining the backward ideas of the right.”
Whist it is important for the trade union movement to confront the threat of racist violence, which is clearly has a chilling effect on many of us, the battle is also one of ideas. The poll numbers for Reform UK and many reports of misogyny and transphobia by young men in schools is having an effect. The hysteria of making out that desperate people risking their lives to cross the channel is somehow a major threat to “the British way of life” is becoming normalised.
The more these ideas are not confronted effectively by the labour and trade union movement, the more they’re legitimised and will sink roots, particularly in communities at the sharp end of cuts and deprivation. Many looking for answers see simplistic solutions in Farage’s nonsense and there’s no coherent voices given the airtime to pose any alternative.
Reform UK, assisted by other politicians who feel that to defeat them politically, you have to be more like them (!), are based on blaming “outsiders” for the problems all working people face – the cost of living, inadequate housing, NHS waiting lists, low pay etc. when many people can recognise that it’s the system that’s to blame. The racists offer no solutions, just more misogyny and hatred of trans people and more attempts to divide working people against each other.
Pushing back against reactionary ideas will not be effective if the narrative is only to denounce people as racist or idiots, without offering an alternative vision of unity. Trade unions have 6.5 million members that are looking to effective solutions to their problems, which can only come about by fighting for significant demands – nationalisation, house building, rent control, free public transport, decent wages, decent jobs, which will unite us all around a common theme, with the rich and powerful as the common enemy. (Those with money always want to see us divided. Elon Musk may come across as one, but he’s not a total idiot.)
It’s no good screaming “fascist” at those with genuine concerns over perceived unfairness of allocations of housing, healthcare and job opportunities, tricked into thinking immigration is the source of their poverty-stricken lives, or people fooled by the press into thinking that immigrants have a disproportionate likelihood to commit sexual assault. It’s always better to campaign effectively for the things that unite all working people – jobs and homes, not racism.
UNSION, alongside other trade unions, has a responsibility to engage its membership to campaign effectively for what matters to our members. Whilst it’s important to maintain our proud record on anti-racism and LGBT+ rights, including support for the rights of trans people, we also have to skilfully undermine the false solutions of Reform UK etc, both with facts (most immigrants are here to work in essential services, often exploited by big business, the NHS is a mess because of underfunding etc.) but also promoting unity in action for a common purpose.