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news item
 06/04/06
Ken Livingstone joins trade unionists, musicians and anti-racist campaigners to urge voters to stop BNP
Ken Livingstone, trade unions, MPs and anti-racists were today united in their call to urge people to use their vote to stop the British National Party (BNP) from gaining more council seats in May's local elections. The BNP will be standing in over 300 wards in May's local elections, aiming to secure council seats in Barking and Dagenham in London, Stoke-on-Trent, the Black Country, Bradford (including Keighley), Kirklees, Calderdale, Burnley, Thurrock and Epping Forest in Essex. The BNP will be hoping to significantly add to their existing 20 councillors around the country.
In an attempt to whip up Islamophobia, the BNP claimed that the local elections on 4 May will be 'Referendum Day on Islam', and has published some of the infamous cartoons in their election leaflets. The BNP's decision to stand in every ward in Birmingham and 22 wards in Leeds indicates that the BNP is trying to stir up racism and build support in areas where they currently have limited support, in a long-term bid to build a base, which is necessary for their prospects in the next European Parliament elections. The BNP came very close to gaining European Parliament seats in 2004 in Yorkshire and the Midlands.
There is mounting concern about increases in racist attacks in areas targeted by the BNP, including Knowsley where young black teenager Anthony Walker was brutally murdered in a racist attack only last July. Racist attacks occurred recently in Barking and Dagenham, including an attack on a Sikh shopkeeper. Police figures showed that in the year a BNP councillor was elected in Barking in 2004, racist attacks increased by 18%.
Unite Against Fascism (UAF) is mounting campaigns against the BNP around the country and working with a number of organisations including trade unions, faith groups, MPs, black, Asian, lesbian and gay communities, Love Music Hate Racism and others, to drive up voter turnout in the areas the BNP is targeting. As part of the campaign against the BNP a major event will take place in Trafalgar Square on Saturday 29 April, and will be addressed by Dominique Walker, Anthony Walker's sister (details below) amongst others. Billy Bragg will be touring the country to raise awareness about the BNP threat.
Ken Livingstone, UAF Chair said:
"London is a vibrant and dynamic city because of its diverse population. The BNP is attempting to poison our great city by stirring up racism and standing in several wards in London, with a particular focus on Barking and Dagenham. Last year voters in Barking kicked out the only BNP councillor in London. All decent Londoners must vote to stop the BNP."
Billy Bragg, musician said:
"If the BNP get elected there is a danger that investment could fall in those areas. It is crucial that people use their vote because our future depends on it."
Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary said:
"We will not stand on the sidelines and watch organisations like the far right spread their poison in workplaces and in towns and cities across the country. We are keen to work with local communities to ensure that everyone understands that there is much more that unites communities than divides them. We should celebrate our diversity as a strength - not as a weakness."
Iqbal Sacranie, Muslim Council of Britain Secretary General said:
"The BNP is seeking to exploit the traditional low turnout at local elections to make inroads on 4 May and have provocatively described the elections as a 'Referendum Day on Islam'. The MCB urges all people of goodwill to vote in the local elections to ensure that the BNP is comprehensively defeated at the ballot box."
Linda Riordan MP for Halifax said:
"The BNP do nothing for local communities except divide them. Their record in Halifax has been terrible - all they have done is try to ban Halal meat and fail to turn up to council meetings. On 4 May people have the opportunity to vote and get rid of them."
Salma Yaqoob, Birmingham Central Mosque representative said:
"The British National Party is clearly hoping to build support in Birmingham by standing a candidate in every ward. They call the May local elections a 'referendum' on Islam. This is a deliberate attempt to make anti-Muslim racism an election issue. The vast majority of people in Birmingham oppose the BNP, so let's make 4 May a referendum on the BNP."
Jon Cruddas MP said:
"I very much welcome the Billy Bragg tour as mobilizing against the BNP is crucial with only a month to go until the local elections."
Kirsten Hearne, LGBT Liason Executive - Regard - the national organisation of Disabled Lesbians, Gay Men, Bisexuals and Transgendered people said:
"The BNP has a record of whipping up homophobia where they have taken seats on local councils. This represents a real threat to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered communities. We urge all those who oppose homophobia to use their vote."
Mohammed Azam, National Assembly Against Racism Chair said
"In Oldham the BNP never had a councillor elected and their vote halved because communities were united against racism and voted to stop them."
Weyman Bennett, Anti Nazi League said:
"The BNP is a fascist party trying to whip hatred against different groups the in the same way Hitler used anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany, that resulted in the murder of millions of people. The BNP would like to repeat this in the 21st century. We have to do everything in our power to prevent them from using the local elections to get respectability to start this process."
The event in Trafalgar Square on Saturday 29 April will be a major anti-racist event, and is supported by a number of musicians and artists. There will also be a rally with speakers.
Billy Bragg's tour will begin on 23 April in Wolverhampton and end on 02 June in Cheltenham.
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