Anti-fascist events planned for this weekend

Hope not hate leafleting against the BNP - Colchester town centre on Friday, Maldon on Saturday

We will be leafleting against the BNP in Colchester on this Friday 3 April from 12noon lunch time until 1pm. Meeting outside Colchester Town Hall.

We will also be leafleting in Maldon High Street on Saturday 4 April from 10am until 1pm at the Moot Hall. Please come along and help - the more the merrier! Hope not hate

Barrow and South Cumbria UAF Day of Action/leafleting

This Saturday 4th April, Barrow Unite Against Fascism are asking as many people as possible to help us put leaflets through doors in the area. Every house in the North West is due to receive a free mail-out from the fascist BNP, who only need 8 % of the vote across the whole region to have their Holocaust-denying leader Griffin elected as North West Member of the European Parliament. We need to cover as many houses as possible with anti-fascist leaflets, exposing the truth about Britain's Nazi Party.

Every leaflet you help deliver will make a difference in terms of hammering down the nazi vote and mobilising the anti-fascist vote against them. Please give as much time as you can. We meet12 noon at the Gazebo on Dalton Road, Barrow [from here we will take teams out leafleting] on Saturday 4th April. If you are a member of an organisation, please encourage your members to attend. Barrow and South Cumbria Unite Against Fascism

Greater Manchester Unite Against Fascism - Stop the BNP Getting Elected in the European Elections 4th June 2009

Reminder for this weekends national days of action – activities in Manchester - Sat 4th and Sun 5th April – UAF National Days of Action

Sat 4th April, 3-5pm on Market Street - UAF Campaign Stall and mass leafleting in Manchester City Centre

Sun 5th April - Help leaflet Moston Ward - The BNP are also standing in a by-election in Moston – so we are aiming to leaflet the ward. Meet 12 noon in the small car park next to Dean Lane rail station on Dean Avenue. There is a train from Victoria Station to Dean Lane every half hour or you can get a bus up Oldham Road and get off at Newton Heath. It is then less than a 5 min walk down Dean Lane. Greater Manchester UAF

If you have similar events/actions taking place and would like us to publicise them, email us with the details and we'll post them a day or two prior to the actions.

Fascist BNP hammered in Barrow by-election

The fascist BNP came last in the Newbarns ward by-election, Barrow-in-Furness on Thursday 4th September. The outcome was a poor result for the Nazi British National Party, who had put in work from an early stage for this election.

The results were:

1st : Conservatives 478
2nd : Labour 177
3rd : Socialist Peoples Party 155
Last: Fascist BNP 104

Barrow Unite Against Fascism carried out successful anti-fascist campaigning in the ward. As elsewhere in Barrow, it was evident during the campaign that there is a a lot of anger against the Fascists in the area.

The campaign outlined the real Nazi nature of the BNP, and once again helped mobilise the anti-fascist vote against the fascist candidate in the ward.

In this by-election, a highly successful Love Music Hate Racism gig was held in Barrow Park, attended by 200 people, to highlight the need for voters to use their vote to stop the fascists on polling day.

Musicians playing included Gwen Hechle, The Relics, Isolhate and Codejak. It was organised jointly with Unity In Music.

At a protest on election night, over 20 anti-fascists outnumbered the 4 nazis going into the count, who were clearly rattled at being exposed as Nazis by a broad-based movement which showed once again that anti-racists are the majority. Their usual attempts at fake smiles quickly slipped, as they were humiliated by the demo and humiliated - once again in Barrow - by the result.

By exposing the BNP as nazis, by anti-fascist campaigning, and events such as LMHR gigs, this by-election shows again that it is possible to beat the Nazis whenever they rear their heads by mobilising the majority anti-fascist vote against them.

Barrow and South Cumbria Unite Against Fascism

More than 200 go to anti-BNP gig in park

More than 200 people attended the Love Music Hate Racism/Unity In the Park Gig on Sunday. 31st August. Musicians playing included Gwen Hechle, The Relics, Codejak and Isolhate, all booked by Unity In Music. Hot food was available and there was also an anti-racist information stall. Gazebos sheltered the audience watching the bands from the early rain, before the sun came out later in the day.

The gig was organised by Unity In Music, Barrow Unite Against Fascism and Love Music Hate Racism at Barrow Park Gig.

Paul Jenkins, who helped organise the event, of Barrow Unite Against Fascism, said : “This Love Music Hate Racism gig was held to highlight the need to oppose the BNP, who are standing in this Thursday’s Newbarns by-election.”

The by-election on September 4 has been called because of the death of the former seat holder, Councillor Colin Liversedge, 74, on June 24.

North-West Evening Mail

Election: The people versus the racists

LMHR guerilla gigs and mass UAF leafletting on May Day

LMHR guerilla gigs and mass UAF leafletting on May Day - in link-up with PCS civil servant's union - to say 'Make your vote count - stop the fascist BNP'.

On Tuesday 1st May Love Music Hate Racism (LMHR) and Unite Against Fascism (UAF) are joining forces with the PCS (civil servants) union, who are taking national strike action that day, in their “Make Your Vote Campaign” to encourage people to get out and vote on Thursday 3rd May, to stop the fascist BNP gaining any further ground.

MayDay will be a carnival of anti-fascist and trade union resistance. The BNP already have 49 council seats - 49 too many! We will be putting on a “gig on a truck” at key places around Leeds & West Yorkshire, and Dudley, Birmingham and Sandwell, stopping off to distribute Unite Against Fascism leaflets which expose the thuggish racist reality behind the BNP’s suits and weasel words. It’s a fun way to tackle a serious issue and it works!

UAF & LMHR speakers will also address PCS strike rallies in other parts of the UK - trade unions unite people of all colours, religions and nationalities, while the BNP are seeking to divide us.

PCS members and other trade unionists, bands/DJs/MCs, and anyone who wants to join the opposition to the BNP is urged to come along and take part.

Tuesday May 1st

Dudley: 9am-10am, PCS picket lines, The Waterfront, Merry Hill, Dudley.
Birmingham: 11am Chamberlain Square, PCS strike rally
Birmingham/Sandwell/Dudley, 12noon-4pm
West Midlands events contact: Lee Billingham 07838 156052 westmids@lovemusichateracism.com

Leeds: 9am PCS picket lines HMRC Castle House / DWP
Leeds: 11am PCS rally, Queens Hotel
Morley: afternoon, venue tbc
West Yorkshire events contact: Alison 07828 150735 alison@lovemusichateracism.com

LMHR

BNP candidate stands in York AND Edinburgh

The British National Party was today accused of "blatant opportunism" after it emerged its leading candidate in York was simultaneously seeking election to the Scottish Parliament.

Ian Dawson is standing in next month's City of York Council election for Acomb ward, where he says he will put local people first. He is one of nine BNP candidates in the city, but The Press has learned that, on the same day as he is trying to win a foothold in York, Mr Dawson is aiming to win a seat in Scotland, through the regional party list system.

In his campaign literature, Mr Dawson writes: "I will be a strong voice for local people." But, were he to win both seats, it would mean that at the same time as representing his 7,700 Acomb constituents on the council, he would also be representing about 550,000 Scottish voters, 210 miles away at Holyrood.

Ben Drake, of the York branch of Unite Against Fascism (UAF), said: "It shows the BNP's blatant opportunism. They have no real commitment to local people. They just want to exploit issues to build themselves up. All they will bring to our city is division and conflict."

Conservative agent John Galvin said: "They are not credible, and should be treated with contempt."

York Labour leader Dave Merrett said: "I think it's important people see through some of the more positive glosses to see the extremely unpleasant individuals and regime behind the BNP."

But Mr Dawson hit back, and claimed he could realistically do a good job in both authorities. He said: "I don't think it is a problem. I would proportion my time between both places if I was to win both. I will be going for both, and we will see what happens."

Mr Dawson said he was "not bothered" what UAF said, given they were not standing for election. He denied he would be unable to represent York residents from Scotland, or vice-versa, saying such claims were "complete and utter nonsense". He said: "Is Gordon Brown less committed to his Scottish constituency, just because he spends lots of time in London?"

Mr Dawson said his partner was Scottish, he loved the country, and spent a lot of time there. He said: "I am going to give as many people as possible a chance to vote BNP."

Standing for, or sitting on, two autonomous authorities is not illegal under electoral law.

Liberal Democrat leader Steve Galloway said: "How could anyone seek to represent two separate communities on two different Government bodies 200 miles apart? Fortunately, few York people are showing any signs of being duped by this gang of opportunists."

The Scottish voting system

Minority parties have more chance of success in Scotland, due to the proportional representation voting system.

For the Scottish Parliament, party lists of candidates are used to "top up" the constituency seats so if, for example, a party wins five per cent of the vote in a region, they get five per cent of the seats. This helped parties such as the Green Party and Scottish Socialist Party do well in the 2003 elections.

The BNP have always been less popular in Scotland than England.

The Press

Out to block the BNP Nazis

The fascist British National Party (BNP) is to contest a record number of seats in the elections on 3 May – but a broad coalition of trade unionists and activists has vowed to campaign against the Nazis on the ground.

Unite Against Fascism is coordinating a series of local campaigns in wards where the BNP is standing. It aims to expose the BNP as a fascist organisation that denies the Holocaust and wants an all-white Britain.

The Unite campaign has drawn the support of Iain Banks, the Scottish novelist and science fiction writer. “The BNP are a bunch of desperate fascist losers. They have halitosis of the brain; their ideas stink,” he said.

Actor Rhys Ifans attacked the BNP’s campaign of race hatred in Wales. “The ethnic communities that you dare to vilify in Wales are speaking Welsh, feeling Welsh and will forever be welcome in Wales. Let our immigrants stay and take your ignorance away,” he said.

Unite activities this weekend include mass leafleting campaigns in Barnsley, Leeds, York and Sheffield. See the Unite website for a diary of Unite activities in BNP target areas.

The Love Music Hate Racism campaign is working with Unite by organising a series of gigs up and down the country to mobilise young people against the BNP. These include a rally and gig at Glasgow university on Thursday of this week headlined by Belle & Sebastian.

Unite is also lobbying broadcasters to stop giving the Nazis free rein to use the media to spread their lies unchallenged.

“It’s a disgrace that the fascist BNP will be given free TV broadcasts to spread their dangerous message of race hate and division,” said Weyman Bennett, joint secretary of Unite.

“We call on postal workers not to deliver the BNP’s literature and on BBC employees to pull the plugs on the BNP’s broadcasts.”

Socialist Worker

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Rock against the fascist BNP

Click on image for full size
A pdf file of the poster (26k) can be downloaded from here.

Music to help beat fascists

A pressure group is organising a music event to highlight their message. Barrow and South Cumbria Unite Against Fascism and Unity in Music will stage Rock Against The Fascist BNP in Barrow on Sunday April 15.

A number of bands are lined up for the gig, which is set to take place at a yet-to-be-named Barrow venue. The bands include TREX, from Japan, Swallow, from Blackpool, One Man Stand, and Boredom A.D., who will detour from Scotland especially to play. Ulverston band U.K. Assassins are also set to play.

Paul Jenkins, of Barrow and South Cumbria UAF, said: “The event will highlight the truth about the British National Party’s racism and fascism to voters. This event is organised by Unity in Music and Unite Against Fascism and will be supported by other organisations including Love Music Hate Racism.”

Nigel Flanagan, the North West regional officer for Unison, will be one of the speakers.

The organisers would like to hear from other bands that would like to perform at the upcoming event. Those interested should contact unityismusic@aol.com UAF is also organising an anti-racist football event in Barrow. A date has still to be arranged.

The group has upped its campaign against the BNP in recent weeks following the announcement that Mike Ashburner is to stand for the party in the Barrow Borough Council May elections. Mr Ashburner is set to stand for a seat in the town’s Central ward. Mr Ashburner maintains that neither he nor the BNP is racist. He has said the BNP’s views are very modern.

North-West Evening Mail