Lincoln
AS WE arrived at our usual spot for Lincoln’s Saturday Socialist
party stall, around ten BNP members were there with their Union Jack
flags. They’re usually further down the street but this time, it was a
head-to-head as the weather forced them under shelter.
Nick Parker
The seven Socialist Party members who arrived for our stall set up
quickly to continue our local campaign against NHS cuts and the BNP.
Our relatively new branch has developed valuable experience over the
last few months in our street campaigning, and this was shown on
Saturday. We sold 28 copies of the socialist, met lots of people keen to
get involved in our campaign, and sold out of the YRE/ISR anti-BNP
packs.
At times crowds of young people surrounded us, wanting stickers and
leaflets to distribute. The BNP activists retreated with their tails
between their legs after about 20 minutes.
Next Saturday, we start the broader Lincoln Against Racism and
Fascism campaign. From the response we’ve got already, it’s clear that
the arguments we heard against a ‘political’ anti-fascist campaign are
simply a smokescreen to protect Labour from criticism.
The campaign will put forward the need to establish a new workers’
party. This could unite thousands of working people against fascism, but
it would need to take on the Labour government and their big business
backers armed with a socialist programme against cuts in services and
for decent jobs, homes and pay for all.
Maryport, Cumbria
TWO SOCIALIST Party members – Duncan Money, 18, and Jonathan Wood, 17
– in Maryport, Cumbria held a very successful public meeting warning
local people of the dangers and lies of the British National Party (BNP)
who have started a local branch.
The BNP were clearly unnerved by this move. Their national press
officer spent 1.5 hours on the phone to the local newspaper complaining
bitterly about the meeting.
If two teenagers organising a local meeting can get this response
from a national party, that party has something to hide! The meeting was
so popular that the venue had to be changed to a room with a larger
capacity.
Around 50 people filled the room to hear how the BNP try and hide
their extremism and speakers exposing the myth that the BNP stand up for
ordinary people. A motion was passed in support of setting up a local
group to combat the BNP both at elections and whenever the party tries
to spread its lies.
Many people spoke of their relief that someone was standing up to the
BNP. One person expressed interest in joining the Socialist Party.
