Unite against Fascism (UAF) has failed (?)

[sihhi]

Well the best thing is to discuss it with those people who seem to be perpetuating this1930s analysis. This appears to be>Hence>

Also in a discussion years ago Butchers basicly supported the KPD's position of lableing the SDP social fascist, and the KPD not being prepared to unite with the SDP against fascism. It seems to me both butch and pick, base their analysis today, upon their analysis of the 1930s. And why not, those who ignore history are doomed to for ever relive it.

So they are the best source as to how this neo social fascist analysis applies in 2010.

Right so butchersapron and Pickman's Model are both basing their opinions upon the 1930s Germany and not today, you are suggesting their politics are based on events 70 years ago?
So they should or shouldn't use the analogy of 30s Germany?
Are you saying butchersapron and Pickman's Model supported the tactics of Weimar KPD?

 

[sihhi]

In fact I don't even get what RMP3 is saying at all.

Press release from UAF - apparently supporting the HnH line uncritically:

http://www.uaf.org.uk/news.asp?choice=100509

BNP obliterated in Barking and Dagenham as voters overwhelmingly reject fascism

News Release
For immediate release
7 May 2009

The fascist British National Party (BNP) have suffered their worst ever defeat by losing all council seats in Barking. This follows the crushing defeat of BNP leader Nick Griffin by Margaret Hodge last night.

I'm not sure why losing council seats means it's all over - obliteration.
Derek Beacon won in 1993 then lost it again with a greater turnout election but the BNP carried on reforming and progressing, leading to

The BNP was overwhelmingly defeated in every ward. Turnout increased by 24 percent to 62 percent from 38 percent in 2006, indicating a big mobilisation of the anti-BNP vote.

Barking and Dagenham was the BNP's strongest borough where it previously had 12 council seats.

The only figures quoted in the press releases are the percentage shares of turnouts.
At Unite Against Fascism events, people talking about numbers of BNP voters are routinely told they are complicating the matter.

Margaret Hodge MP for Barking said:

"This is a great moment in history – a never to be forgotten moment for both the good people of Barking and Dagenham and for all of us in Britain. Our voters have been faced with a stark choice. They have overwhelmingly chosen to support democratic politics, built on tolerance, fairness and decency – not fascist politics built on division, prejudice and hatred. This vote is an important and clear victory for our values our respect for and solidarity with all, whatever their race, religion or background, our determination to always work in the interests of the many not the few, and our strong commitment to social mobility and equality. On behalf of all the people in Britain, we in Barking have not just beaten, but we have smashed the attempt by extremist outsiders to exploit people’s fears and concerns to foster evil national political ends. The message from Barking to the Nazi party is clear: Get out and stay out. You are not wanted here and your vile politics have no place in British democracy."

Saima Ashraf, newly elected Labour councillor said:

"This a really great result. I'm so proud to be representing my community and defeating the fascist BNP in the process."

An open platform for Labour victors once again both at local level and at national level.

Delusional points from Margaret Hodge - standard Labour soundbites, and lies in fact - since Labour has prosecuted more social inequality over its last 13 years.

Sabby Dhalu, Unite Against Fascism Joint Secretary said:

"The people of Barking and Dagenham have overwhelmingly rejected the fascist BNP. This is a victory for the whole of Britain as the BNP has not just been defeated in Barking and Dagenham, it has been annihilated.

More crowing. Annihilated means makes nothing - destroy completely - it's an outright lie.

"The BNP have been comprehensively beaten by united action by anti-fascists. We exposed the BNP as being Nazis and they were rejected by the people of Barking and Dagenham

Didn't this exposure happen already? Wasn't the BNP exposed in this manner in 2005, 2006 and 2009.

The campaign had already seen young black people supporting the Labour party subjected to vicious racist abuse. This result will mean the young people of Barking - Black, White, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, LGBT - people of all faiths and none - will be able to walk safer on their streets. Furthermore, this monumental result shows that the racist lies of the BNP can be defeated. The BNP spread the pernicious racist "Africans for Essex" lie about grants given to Africans to move into the area, and they attacked the Muslim community. The anti BNP campaign dispelled these myths. We are proud of the anti-racist stand that has been made in Barking that is a shining example not only to the rest of Britain, but also the rest of Europe on how to defeat fascism."

More humility above.

 

[audiotech]

This is a point worth mentioning:

'Mostly unacknowledged, non-aligned, freelance, no-budget and DIY web activism, played an important part in informing a new generation of voters about the dangers of supporting the BNP.'

 

[The39thStep]

This is a point worth mentioning:

'Mostly unacknowledged, non-aligned, freelance, no-budget and DIY web activism, played an important part in informing a new generation of voters about the dangers of supporting the BNP.'

can you enlighten us further?

 

[rioted]

Are you saying butchersapron and Pickman's Model supported the tactics of Weimar KPD?

TBF neither of them were born at the time. But, having said that, since neither of them actually DO diddley squat it would make absolutely no difference who they "supported".

 

[audiotech]

can you enlighten us further?

An alternative to the rusty, windy, thing, usually in someone's cellar, that prints illegible type and makes your hands all stained with print.

 

[sihhi]

Margaret Hodge says "Thanks, suckers"

“Unite Against Fascism was part of the winning strategy in Barking which focused on those areas where the BNP were strongest. Our emphatic victory on 6 May in the local and general elections is a reflection of the support we received from Unite Against Fascism who made a vital contribution to the campaign to drive the BNP out of Barking. UAF put in months of work that began before the elections. They knocked on thousands of doors and distributed many more leaflets. This helped to mobilise to beat the BNP and increase voter turnout which made such a difference in reducing the BNP’s vote.”

http://www.uaf.org.uk/GRAPresources/2010elections.pdf

It shows the incredible levels of manpower employed

PS If anyone participated in the UAF events and actions please describe how things happened.

 

[The Black Hand]

Originally Posted by sihhi
Are you saying butchersapron and Pickman's Model supported the tactics of Weimar KPD?

TBF neither of them were born at the time. But, having said that, since neither of them actually DO diddley squat it would make absolutely no difference who they "supported".

 

[sihhi]

The Prison Officers Association are ready to affiliate aswell apparently:

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/90375

Conference also heard that Unite Against Fascism (UAF) had been campaigning against the BNP with help from the TUC and its affiliate unions for years.

And Mr Simpson added that he was asking conference to allow the POA to affiliate to the campaign.

"The work that UAF do on behalf of society cannot be underestimated," he said.

"The BNP is a threat to democracy and they must be stopped and defeated. We cannot continue to ignore the threat they pose."

 

[audiotech]

Thirty years, or so ago some POA members in Strangeways nick wore NF badges whilst working and their general secretary then thought using the term "nigger" wasn't offensive to anyone. Times do change.

 

[The39thStep]

Thirty years, or so ago some POA members in Strangeways nick wore NF badges whilst working and their general secretary then thought using the term "nigger" wasn't offensive to anyone. Times do change.

Also had League of St George members and ended up with a black Socialist Party supporting general secretary

 

[sihhi]

UAF Post Election Meeting in B&D

New report here: http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=21300

A meeting of Barking and Dagenham Unite Against Fascism (UAF) on Tuesday discussed the how the BNP was defeated and how to carry on the anti-fascist struggle.

Alys Zaerin, the regional organiser for UAF in Barking and Dagenham began by celebrating a “fantastic victory” over the BNP.

Alys Zaerin is a trusted SWP person I believe from being original convenor of SWP/STWCoffshoot 'School Students Against the war', also had a leading role in Action Iran (she is Iranian).

So the activities of UAF in B&D are SWP central committee-sanctioned.

Zaerin's letter in Socialist Review in 2010 highlights the fusion with Labour:

But backing Labour is not simply a strategy about keeping the fascists out. Revolutionaries have united with Labour Party members and others over the years in many campaigns like Stop the War - this unity is central to an understanding that it's not a revolutionary vanguard by itself that will force change upon the world.

Undoubtedly, a Labour government will mean cuts and attacks on swathes of the working class. But if we cut ourselves off from arguments and forces larger than ourselves we lose any hope of influencing the change that is so urgently needed.

Alys Zaerin
Barking & Dagenham UAF organiser (pc)

She gives an interview here:


There is more bluster:

Simon Assaf from UAF, added, “What we did was the electoral equivalent of stopping the blackshirts at Cable Street in the 1930s or stopping the National Front in Lewisham in 1977.”

“We now need to isolate the EDL,” he said. “Our victories in Barking and elsewhere—like Stoke—can be a stepping stone to doing that.”

What exactly is being isolated where? The EDL as it makes its supporters and contacts from mates to mates - or isolated in city centres with counter-demonstrations.

Three Labour councillors attended the meeting.

Darren Rodwell, is a newly elected councillor for the Alibon ward, where he defeated Bob Bailey, the BNP’s London organiser.

He said that he joined Labour after the election of the 12 BNP councillors in 2006.

“I am proud to have stood side by side with UAF.
“We in the Labour Party knocked on 140,000 doors, spoke to just under 40,000 residents over the last three and a half years.”
“But the job is not done. There is a long four years ahead. If we stop campaigning then the BNP will be back in 2014. Fascism is like a cancer—unless you totally cut it away, it will return.”

Notice the Labour Party council representative is using the word campaigning - i.e. carry on using the anti-BNP card throughout the political cycle - not delivering - building more council houses let alone arresting landlords etc.

A number of people said they hoped that LMHR would now be able to hold a carnival in Barking.

Another Labour councillor:

one lesson from the campaign he drew was that, “when the parliamentary left and the left outside parliament work together we can achieve great things.”

Roddy from the Socialist Workers Party celebrated the joint work that had defeated the BNP. He added,

“We want to turn our victory into something permanent. There is a big whirlwind of cuts coming. We need strong trade unions to fight back, or the Nazis can grew again.”

A fair comment but there was no UAF push to unionise or increase union density in any workplace anywhere in Barking - it was an electoral battle.

The austerity cuts the new government is set to unleash will be a challenge to the Labour council. Will they resist them or will they implement cuts?

Does this question need asking? Surely Labour councils will impose cuts in the kindest way possible blaming central government all the while. Am I being Mystic Meg about this? Am I being too harsh?

One person at the meeting said he had taken part in both UAF’s campaign in Barking but also with other anti-fascist campaigners.

“I preferred UAF’s approach of talking to people one on one and not just leafleting. When we were out canvassing we convinced a lot of people not to vote for the BNP, ” he said

Labour Party and Hope Not Hate also do conversation canvassing , but it sounds like a dig at Hope Not Hate.

 

[durruti02]

great analysis mate .. spot on imho and lets just remember .. the BNP vote in B&D has gone from 8,500 in 2006, to 11,460 in 2008 and to 15,000 in 2010 in the face of a massive massive campaign to try to stop people voting for them

 

[sihhi]

great analysis mate .. spot on imho and lets just remember .. the BNP vote in B&D has gone from 8,500 in 2006, to 11,460 in 2008 and to 15,000 in 2010 in the face of a massive massive campaign to try to stop people voting for them

massive is the word:

properly speaking to 40,000 households is not something you can do easily

 

[Proper Tidy]

There is more bluster:

“We now need to isolate the EDL,” he said. “Our victories in Barking and elsewhere—like Stoke—can be a stepping stone to doing that.”

Stoke? What did they do in Stoke? The anti-racist demo was tiny. Are UAF now trying to take credit for EDL rioting? Ffs.

 

[revlon]

refering to the bnp's electoral defeat in stoke. Clumsily written, as to tie all the strands together.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Thirty years, or so ago some POA members in Strangeways nick wore NF badges whilst working and their general secretary then thought using the term "nigger" wasn't offensive to anyone. Times do change.

Not so much.
As a former Civil Servant in the Prisons Dept of the Home Office I'm unfortunately well aware that disciplinary proceedings/suspensions/sackings for POA members distributing BNP and NF literature in prisons (to workmates and occasionally to inmates) is still a problem, and that about 15 years ago some of them settled on wearing small Union flag lapel pins as a way of letting like-minded officers know their allegiance. It's a system-wide problem that's very unlikely to go away.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Also had League of St George members and ended up with a black Socialist Party supporting general secretary

Not that the hierarchy of the POA reflects the views of the membership particularly well.

 

[sihhi]

refering to the bnp's electoral defeat in stoke. Clumsily written, as to tie all the strands together.

Yes clumsy.

Perhaps a poll on this comment is necessary though

“What we did was the electoral equivalent of stopping the blackshirts at Cable Street in the 1930s or stopping the National Front in Lewisham in 1977.”

Clumsy or deluded?

 

[ViolentPanda]

Yes clumsy.

Perhaps a poll on this comment is necessary though



Clumsy or deluded?

Deluded. They're equating canvassing with physical direct action.

 

[The39thStep]

Not that the hierarchy of the POA reflects the views of the membership particularly well.

which one does?

I think the point was how the POA membership has changed from the
70s

 

[Joe Reilly]

Deluded. They're equating canvassing with physical direct action.

They're equating canvassing on behalf the party of government with physical direct action against violent fascists/police and in defiance of the state.

 

[Luther Blissett]

They have got to stop screaming 'nazi scum off our streets' at EDL.

By all means, continue screaming it at the BNP and NF, but most EDL members have been hoodwinked and the UAF's idiocy is in danger of pushing non-fascist supporters into the arms of the far-right.

 

[TremulousTetra]

They have got to stop screaming 'nazi scum off our streets' at EDL.

By all means, continue screaming it at the BNP and NF, but most EDL members have been hoodwinked and the UAF's idiocy is in danger of pushing non-fascist supporters into the arms of the far-right.

Some argue the BNP are not members of th NAZI party, and so shouldn't called Nazi's. I think this is pedantic, don't you?

Also'
http://lancasteruaf.blogspot.com/2010/03/edl-admit-their-leaders-bnp-nazi.html

 

[audiotech]

Not so much.
As a former Civil Servant in the Prisons Dept of the Home Office I'm unfortunately well aware that disciplinary proceedings/suspensions/sackings for POA members distributing BNP and NF literature in prisons (to workmates and occasionally to inmates) is still a problem, and that about 15 years ago some of them settled on wearing small Union flag lapel pins as a way of letting like-minded officers know their allegiance. It's a system-wide problem that's very unlikely to go away.

My info came from someone I know who served time in Strangeways nick.

 

[sihhi]

Some distance has reemerged between Hope Not Hate/Searchlight and UAF/the SWP-SR etc line.

Not over the elections and BNP but the EDL see below:

First off HnH

http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/The-case-against-a-counter-demo

HnH attack the UAF failure against EDL:

No EDL protest has actually been stopped by a counter-demonstration so the argument about No Platform does not hold. In almost every instance the EDL has held its static protest regardless of the actions of anti-fascists.

and appear to attack the ANL (UAF's old version, SWP-led) for not supporting those prosecuted over Bradford '01:

And finally, let us be honest about what happened in 2001. Thousands of people came out to support an anti-fascist demonstration in protest against a planned National Front march. The NF demonstration was banned but a small group came into the city and began making Nazi salutes at the protesters. People had been standing around in hot weather for several hours with nothing to do, no direction and little purpose. They reacted to the racists, disorder ensued and two days of rioting began. Two hundred people, virtually all local Asians, went to prison for a total of 604 years.

 

[sihhi]

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=22021

In response the UAF have forgotten that there was a large UAF anti-EDL presence in Stoke
There were plenty UAF people "on the streets"

including UAF officers

and crowds of people

Stoke was a warning about what happens when our side doesn’t mobilise on the streets.

UAF seem to be aiming for a general rally/event of speeches to coincide with the EDL called "We Are Bradford" - with David Ward, local Liberal Democrat MP (or should that be "CONDEM MP"! in ths style of the left press?) getting top billing.

That’s why it’s right that a “We are Bradford” event to celebrate the city’s multicultural diversity is being held in opposition to the EDL’s racist demonstration. All anti-racists should campaign to make this as big as possible.

David Ward the MP was at the 'organising meeting' - all chairs facing the great and good with the local MP in the middle.
Weyman Bennett again made the false claim:

UAF joint secretary Weyman Bennett said a peaceful, multicultural event in Bradford was essential. The experience of Stoke and Luton has shown that where the EDL is unopposed its supporters are more likely to go on the rampage.

http://uaf.org.uk/2010/08/packed-organising-meeting-prepares-for-we-are-bradford-event/

Stoke had an anti-EDL event, Luton didn't.

Socialist Worker criticises HnH's opposition to We Are Bradford, but do not declare HnH's petition calling for a state ban counterproductive, instead simply unlikely to succeed.

 

[Proper Tidy]

Stoke's AF turnout was quite low though, and dwarfed by a massive EDL turnout. Truth is that UAF etc played a fairly passive role in Stoke. There is a kernel of truth in UAF's claims tbf.

 

[The Black Hand]

Yes clumsy.

Perhaps a poll on this comment is necessary though

Clumsy or deluded?

Deluded. They're equating canvassing with physical direct action.

They're equating canvassing on behalf the party of government with physical direct action against violent fascists/police and in defiance of the state.

I think Disingenuous is the best answer to the "are they clumsy/deluded?" question. They NEED the radicalism to augment their anti facist credentials, even though they have nothing to do with radical anti fascism.