Racist BNP have no solutions!

Action against the BNP taken in London and Glasgow

Ben Robinson

Around 70 International Socialist Resistance (ISR) members and supporters joined the first protest against the BNP's newly-won seat on the London Assembly on 3rd May. This is their most prominent position nationally and from the word go they were met with angry opposition. A second protest with Youth Against Racism in Europe (YRE) against the BNP took place as the newly elected Greater London Assembly met for the first time. In Glasgow attempts to sell the BNP paper have been prevented by crowds of socialists, campaigners and ordinary shoppers.

We want to build a serious campaign to mobilise those opposed to this far-right, racist and homophobic party, and expose their lies to the small minority of people who voted for them.

The British National Party (BNP) are racist. They claim to be a party for white British people and they constantly demonise Muslims and Black and Asian minorities, setting different groups of workers against each other.

After the BNP gained some council seats in Halifax in 2003, racist incidents increased by 21% according to the police. In Huddersfield, BNP councillors proposed specific cuts to council services, which would not save large quantities of money, but particularly affected the Black and Asian population.

The BNP claim to stand up for white workers. But when groups of workers stand up to fight for their rights, they are met with horror from the BNP leadership. Teachers, taking strike action on 24 April, together with college lecturers, civil service union PCS members and others, were slammed for being greedy for opposing what was in reality a pay cut! They also condemned the firefighters' strike in 2002, and the over one million local government workers who took action over pensions in 2006.

The BNP have benefited from an anti-Labour mood. This is as a result of many government attacks on workers' and young peoples' living standards, including the abolition of the 10p tax rate. However, where they have councillors the BNP have voted through cuts and closures with the main parties. To offer an alternative to the BNP, trade unions, workers and campaigners need to build a new party that represents our interests, not the interests of big business.