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On Feb 1st over 5000 anti-racists marched through the streets of London to reject the politics of hate espoused by the far right. If the likes of Tommy Robinson, Nigel Farage, Elon Musk and Donald Trump think they can terrorise our communities, they have another thing coming.
The far right march attracted up to 5000, a fraction of their 25000 showing in October.
Our counter-protest stood proudly in defiance of those who seek to divide us. People in attendance carried messages of hope to create an atmosphere of unity against growing racism.
We must continue to mobilise against the far right wherever they rear their ugly heads. Whether it be Tommy Robinson's fascist street movement or Nigel Farage's Reform Party which scapegoats minorities. The threat of the far right has grown massively in the past couple months. Up to 5000 may be a fraction of Tommy Robinson's last turnout, but it is still up to 5000 fascists marching on our streets. This is not acceptable.
The anti-racist movement cannot afford to be complacent and think the job is done. We have shown that when we mobilise, we can beat back the far right and we cannot stop.
Since Feb 1st there have been incidents of fascist and racist activity across the UK. In Abingdon the local MIND centre was graffitied with swastikas and the neo-nazi Homeland party has been circulating it's racist filth in Wantage.
Oxford Stand Up To Racism has called an organising meeting to address these incidents and build a stronger anti-racist movement locally.
Oxford Stand Up To Racism organising meeting - stopping the rise of the far right
6PM Tuesday 25th Feb
Register for this online meeting to build local anti-racist response to local fascist activity and resisting surge in Reform UK at the elections
Stand Up To Racism trade union conference 2025 - backed by the TUC
Fighting for anti-racist workplaces and countering the rise of the far right
Saturday, March 1
Speakers include:
- Daniel Kebede NEU general secretary
- Patrick Roach TUC Anti Racist Taskforce chair & NASUWT general secretary
- Fran Heathcote PCS general secretary
- Steve Wright FBU general secretary
- Maryam Eslamdoust TSSA general secretary
- Mick Whelan ASLEF general secretary
- Adejare Oyewole Unison National Black Members Committee chair
- Steve Smith Care4Calais CEO
- & others tba
SESSIONS INCLUDE:
- What our unions can do to take on the threat of Reform UK
- Trade Union Network to Stop the Far Right: developing organising online and in the workplace
- Return to 1930s: changing face of fascism and our unions role in fighting it
- Developing action to implement the TUC Anti Racism Taskforce
- Refugees welcome: busting scapegoating myths and demanding safe routes
- Asian Fightback in Britain
- The international fight against the far right and fascism challenging racism, Islamophobia, and antisemitism
2025 presents a serious challenge for the trade union movement. The rise of far right and racist narratives threaten to divide working class people and distract from the real attacks on our living standards.
Our unions - the largest collective working class organisations with a membership of six million in Britain - must work to turn the tide. Unions are at the heart of a mass, united anti racist and anti fascist movement in Britain. We need to take anti racism into the heart of our workplaces and communities in order to counter racist myths.
This year's annual Stand Up To Racism & TUC backed trade union conference on Saturday 1 March, Fighting For Anti Racist Workplaces and Countering the Rise of the Far Right, is to come together across unions, sectors and workplaces and discuss building anti racism and anti fascism rooted in the organised working class.
Reform UK poses a horrifying threat, overtaking the Tories, and setting the agenda in British politics around anti refugee and anti migrant racism, Islamophobia and is giving confidence to the far right and fascists. Despite this, the far right is divided, and the splits in Reform UK around support for fascist Tommy Robinson reinforce that we have the potential to stop them if we organise.
Elon Musk is now one of the most influential figures of the far right. His support for fascist Robinson, and Reform UK's reinforcement of this racism provides a toxic cocktail that can, if left unchallenged, see the forces of the far right and fascist forces grow.
Our unions have played a leading role in the mobilising against attempts to grow a fascist led street movement in Britain. We marched in July, August and October in 2024 and on 1 February this year opposing the far right. We need to build on and deepen this from the base of every workplace and every community.
Internationally, the far right is growing, although it also faces opposition from anti-racists. Trump has given another boost to the global far right. Stand Up To Racism is calling on unions to mobilise regionally and locally for Stand Up To Racism events on 22 March as part of a global day of action by World Against Racism & Fascism
Meanwhile, institutional racism at the level of the workplace and across wider society must continue to be challenged.
All these issues - and what collective action we can take - will be explored in a series of plenaries and workshops at the 1 March conference.
Summit of resistance
Stand Up To Racism is pleased to annouce it is one of the sponsoring organisations for the Summit of Resistance.
Jeremy Corbyn, trade union leaders and campaigns have come together to build a summit of resistance. They are calling on all trade unionists, campaigners and activists to attend the conference on 29th March in Central London to begin to construct through debate and discussion a network of activists across sectors. The aim is to build a network that can deliver solidarity to those who are taking action to protect their living standards and with those who are building the movements to free Palestine, end the drive to a war economy, stop the far right and prevent the further deterioration of our planet. The full statement and signatories so far can be seen here.
Initial speakers include: Jeremy Corbyn MP · Grace Blakeley, author · Owen Jones, journalist · Daniel Kebede, NEU general secretary · Sarah Woolley, BFAWU general secretary · Weyman Bennett, Stand Up to Racism · Andrew Feinstein, anti-apartheid campaigner · Lindsey German, Stop the War · Yanis Varoufakis and more. It is supported by Stand Up to Racism, Stop the War, Strike Map and others. See full list here.
We encourage everyone who wants to hit back against the rise of the far right to book tickets. It's time to turn the tide on despair and build a movement of hope.
- Book your ticket
- Share the website in local networks
- Come to the Oxford mobilising meeting to build the Summit of Resistance
- Book your seat on the Oxford transport to the Summit of Resistance
- Download this model motion for your union branch
Local council elections, with campaigns against Reform UK in advance
Thurs 1 May: