Liverpool: Far right BNP exposed

ON 31 January 300 people marched through Liverpool against the far right, racist British National Party (BNP). After the demo, around 30 activists met to discuss the way forward, including action in the run-up to the 4 June European parliamentary elections, and steps towards building a real political alternative to the BNP and the three main parties.

Over 1,100 jobs went on Merseyside last week, and public services across the area face destruction. In all this, socialists and trade unionists were to the fore in defending working-class people. The BNP was nowhere to be seen. On 31 January, their handful of 'activists' took pictures of demonstrators, and put out a leaflet in Wirral attacking one organiser of the demonstration.

Working-class people desperately need a party to stand up for them. This party is not the BNP. Instead of attacking the politicians and bosses responsible for the economic crisis we all face, the BNP threaten those doing something about it! The BNP's divisive, racist agenda is an obstacle to the united movement we need in order to defend working-class people's jobs, homes, and services.

On the demo day, the BNP's racist thugs leafleted streets close to the home of Alec McFadden, trade unionist and an organiser of the demonstration.

The leaflet urges Alec's neighbours to "voice their opinion by phoning him" or to "pop round... and voice your friendly opinion to him, face to face", and gives Alec's phone number and address. This is a warning to the working class and trade union movement. Threats and intimidation are the real BNP.

Working-class people are def-ended by socialists and genuine campaigners. The meeting agreed that we need a real alternative at elections this year and next, candidates standing shoulder-to-shoulder with working-class people being hammered by the recession, armed with a programme and strategy to defeat those such as the BNP who stand in the way of building that genuine alternative.

We will discuss practically organising such an alternative on Merseyside, on Thursday 26 February, 7pm, downstairs in the Casa club, 29 Hope St., central Liverpool. All those opposing the BNP and looking for a real alternative should attend.

A Merseyside Socialist Party member

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