Emergency motion
Congress notes:
i. the disturbing rise of racist and fascist activity across Europe exemplified by events in Chemnitz, Germany and the confidence given to the far right globally by the Trump presidency
ii. the coalescing of racist and fascist groupings from the Democratic Football Lads Alliance through to UKIP and the fascists around the ‘Free Tommy Robinson’ campaign
iii. the violent, 15,000-strong, far right ‘free speech’ rally on 9 June in central London, the assault on trade unionists following the Stand Up To Racism/Unite Against Fascism counter-demo against Robinson’s supporters on 14 July and the fascist attack on the TUC’s official bookshop Bookmarks on 4 August
iv. the call by Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell for a mass movement against the racist and fascist right in the spirit of the Anti-Nazi League
v. the Islamophobic comments made by Boris Johnson that have also added to the confidence of the far right
vi. the call by Stand Up To Racism, Unite Against Fascism and Love Music Hate Racism for a national unity demo against the fascist and racist right on Saturday 17 November.
Congress believes that:
a. internationally we face the biggest threat from the far right since the 1930s
b. we need a mass movement in Britain to halt the growth of the racist and fascist right.
Congress calls on the General Council to:
- support the Stand Up To Racism international conference on Saturday 20 October – building opposition to fascism and racism
- co-organise the national unity demo in London on 17 November, which is supported by Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and a number of key figures from Labour, the trade unions and faith communities; and to co-organise with Stand Up To Racism and Unite Against Fascism a major demonstration to mark UN anti-racism day on Saturday 23 March.
Mover: University and College Union
Seconder: Public and Commercial Services Union