“We are the majority, they are the few. Britain has a proud history of defeating fascists and racists. We can defeat them again.”
Labour Outlook is pleased to be one of the initial signatories to the vital public statement initiated by Stand Up To Racism, and to have helped secure support from figures across the movement. We urge all readers to support the Stand Up To Racism statement published below and get involved with local activities.
Fascist riots have taken place in towns and cities across Britain leading to attacks on mosques and hotels housing migrants. Tommy Robinson mobilised over 15,000 in Trafalgar Square on 27 July. The far right are spreading racism, Islamophobia and hatred.
Robinson and others are attempting to exploit the horrific knife attack in Southport to stir up Islamophobia and sow division by spreading misinformation about the attacker’s identity. This led to a racist mob rioting in Southport and elsewhere, violently attacking the mosques and police, chanting the same hateful slogans heard on Robinson’s London demonstration.
Racism and Islamophobia in Parliament is leading to racism and Islamophobia on the streets. When Robinson asked his London protest who voted for Nigel Farage and Reform UK, almost every hand went up. Suella Braverman emboldened this latest iteration of fascist mobilisations, with her claims of an “Islamist” threat, policing “double standards” and refugee “invasion” inflammatory rhetoric.
Across Europe we see the rise of far right and fascist forces, from Marine Le Pen in France to the AfD in Germany.
The far right are a threat to all decent people. The trial of Finsbury Park terrorist Darren Osborne, who murdered Makram Ali, heard that he was radicalised by reading material by Tommy Robinson. When Robinson was leader of the English Defence League, it attacked Muslims, trade unions and strikes.
All those who oppose this must join in a united mass movement powerful enough to drive back the fascists. The majority of people in Britain abhor Robinson and the far right.
We are the majority, they are the few. Britain has a proud history of defeating fascists and racists. We can defeat them again. We must Stand Up to Racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism. We must unite and mobilise against the far right and fascism.
Signed,
Weyman Bennett and Sabby Dhalu, Stand Up To Racism co-convenors
Paul Holborow, Anti Nazi League founder
Kate Nash, singer songwriter
Jerry Dammers, The Specials founder
Paloma Faith, singer and actress
Bimini Bon Boulash, drag artist
Billy Bragg, singer-songwriter and activist
Skin, singer-songwriter and DJ
Shirley Manson, Garbage
Roots Manuva, rapper
Shon Faye, author
Eliza Rose, DJ and artist
Maverick Sabre, singer-songwriter and musician
Divina de Campo, actor and singer
Dr Cheddar Gorgeous, drag performer and artist
Funk Butcher, DJ and producer
Self Esteem, musician and songwriter
Gideon, artist, DJ and Bloc 9 Glastonbury curator
Gurinder Chadha, filmmaker
Azeem Rafiq, author and ex-cricketer
Taj Ali, Co-editor Tribune Magazine
Michael Rosen, author and poet
Amar Chadha-Patel, actor
Dani Harmer, actor
Anoushka Shankar, musician
Ghostpoet, singer-songwriter
Bobbie Vylan, musician
Eliza Carthy MBE, folksinger
Frank Turner, singer-songwriter and musician
Catrin Stewart, actor
Narinder Kaur, TV personality & social commentator
Diane Abbott MP
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP
Ian Byrne MP
Dawn Butler MP
Kim Johnson MP
John McDonnell MP
Apsana Begum MP
Zarah Sultana MP
Jon Trickett MP
Richard Burgon MP
Ian Lavery MP
Clive Lewis MP
Andy McDonald MP
Mary Kelly Foy MP
Anas Sarwar MSP, Leader of Scottish Labour Party
Humza Yousaf MSP
Paul Sweeney MSP
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Shockat Adam MP
Iqbal Mohamed MP
Ayoub Khan MP
Adnan Hussain MP
Pauline Bryan, House of Lords
Prem Sikka, House of Lords
Christine Blower, House of Lords
Sharon Graham, Unite General Secretary
Daniel Kebede, NEU General Secretary
Mick Lynch, RMT General Secretary
Mick Whelan, ASLEF General Secretary
Fran Heathcote, PCS General Secretary
Matt Wrack, FBU General Secretary
Jo Grady, UCU General Secretary
Sarah Woolley, BFAWU General Secretary
Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary
Maryam Eslamdoust, TSSA General Secretary
Steve North, Unison President
Alex Gordon, RMT President
Jess Barnard, Labour NEC Members’ Representative
Mish Rahman, Labour NEC Members’ Representative
Gemma Bolton, Labour NEC Members’ Representative
Yasmin Dar, Labour NEC Members’ Representative
Aamer Anwar, Human Rights Lawyer
Mohammed Kozbar, Muslim Council of Britain Deputy Secretary General
Lindsey German, Stop the War Coalition convenor
David Rosenberg, Jewish Socialist Group
Kate Hudson, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)
Ben Chacko, editor Morning Star
Dr Louise Raw
Taj Ali, Tribune Co-Editor
Matt Willgress, editor Labour Outlook
Balwinder Rana, Sikhs Against the EDL
Jamshid Ahmadi, Executive Committee, Liberation (formerly the Movement for Colonial Freedom, est. 1954)
Harsev Bains, Indian Workers Association GB
Samira Ali and Lewis Nielsen, national organisers Stand Up to Racism
Denis Fernando, Rainbow Coalition Against Racism
Myriam Kane and Fiona Sim, Black Liberation Alliance
- You can add your name to the Stop the far right: Unite against racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism statement organised by Stand Up To Racism here.
- You can follow Stand Up To Racism on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X.
- If you support Labour Outlook’s work amplifying the voices of left movements and struggles here and internationally, please consider becoming a supporter on Patreon.
