Six flavours of milkshake for the European elections
With far right candidates standing in the upcoming European elections, here are some counter-arguments to help you persuade people to vote against Tommy Robinson and the far right.
Report: No to Tommy Robinson – No to Fortress Britain
On 9 December, thousands of people gathered to confront the far right’s ‘Brexit Betrayal’ demo in London.
Convergence on the right
Sometimes distinctions between conservatives, right-wing populists and fascists are easy to make. But increasingly often, argues Dave Renton, there is some overlap – and we have to understand today’s right wing on its own terms, not by assuming it fits the categories of the past. One theme of the last twelve months has been the […]
Those who got it wrong in Stoke don’t have the answers for the Labour party
Despite dire warnings about Labour’s prospects in the Stoke by-election, they succeeded in retaining the seat.
Challenging racism on the Kent coast
The need for a mass anti-racist movement in Britain needs to be at the very heart of socialist politics today. Here Bunny La Roche and Ben Millard reflect on the experience of anti-racist organising in Kent over the last twelve months. Kent Anti Racism Network (KARN) has been busy over the last year. But it […]
Is a People’s Brexit possible?
How do we respond to the right wing chorus over Brexit and the threat of Farage to organise a 100,000 strong march? Should we line up with the pro-EU centre of British politics that would like to overturn the referendum result? Seb Cooke argues here that we can only undermine Theresa May’s ‘Brexit for the […]
After the Brexit vote we have to expect the unexpected
Mike Haynes reflects on the results of last week’s EU referendum Do you have a clue where we are going and what position to take? Did you see it coming? The imploding Labour Party? This is the world of the unknown unknowns. The Brexit vote has ripped up their rule book. It is having the […]
From farce to tragedy: thoughts on Jo Cox, the referendum and the rise of racism
Duncan Thomas on Jo Cox’s murder, the rise of racism in mainstream political discourse, and the need to build a strong anti-racist movement after the referendum – whatever the result. Together with other groups and activists, rs21 are support marches of solidarity with migrants and refugees on Monday 20 and Friday 24 June. Join us if […]
Welsh Labour keep going, UKIP breakthrough
Seb Cooke reports on the results of the Welsh Assembly elections, which saw UKIP gain seven seats. He argues that the task for socialists has to be to build a stronger radical left that can relate effectively to issues such as steel, fight racism and utilise Corbyn over anti-austerity The Welsh Assembly is made up of […]
Dover calling: antifascists get ready to defend migrants from Nazi threat
Antifascists are heading to Dover tomorrow, Saturday 30 January, to oppose an anti-migrant demo organised by various Nazi outfits. rs21 spoke to activists involved in building the counter mobilisation about their aims and hopes. The British National Party has been smashed to pieces and English Defence League is a shadow of its former self. But that doesn’t mean the […]
EU debate: In, out, or shake it all about?
Adam DC puts forward a radical abstentionist point of view in the debate about what position socialists should take about the upcoming referendum on Britain’s membership to the EU The starting point for any discussion regarding the UK’s European Union (EU) referendum must be that the issue is one between different factions of capital and […]
EU debate: “The road to defending the right to migrate cannot go through restricting migration rights”
Charlie Hore kicks off debate and analysis on the rs21 site in advance of the referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU, set to take place before the end of 2017. Charlie argues for support for a yes position in the referendum, and tomorrow we will be publishing an article that argues for supporting a […]
Nationalism and anti-racist strategy after the 2015 general election
With UKIP on the rise and the collapse of the Union seeming imminent, it’s time to take racism and racialisation seriously, argues Brendan McGeever. For too long leftists have been convincing themselves that UKIP is essentially a middle-class phenomenon. But the party has support among sections of the working class, and this has now been empirically […]
Video: Postcards From Thanet
Thanet Stand Up To Ukip have been waging a relentless campaign against Nigel Farage over the last few months
#BBCdebate: win for the Nationalists and Greens, demolition for Miliband
Jonas Liston shares his thoughts coming out of tonight’s leader’s debate 1) Farage was isolated and snowed under by the dominance of the left in the debate. However, even though his central, racist focus on migration as the cause of every social problem (housing, NHS, etc.) got outdone in the debate, that and his sheer […]
Doing politics differently: Beyond UKIP
In a country pub in Kent, “an occasion of pure love” celebrating diversity and unity sent a message to Nigel Farage that we will not take his hatred quietly. Sophie W spoke to a few of the Beyond UKIP Cabaret members about the event, and their thoughts on UKIP and political activism more generally. Why […]
Trevor Phillips and the ideological battle over racism
Anindya Bhattacharyya discusses anti-racist responses to Trevor Phillips. “Trevor Phillips needs to shut up right about now,” read the Facebook update of a friend of mine on Thursday night. The former head of the Commission for Racial Equality was presenting a heavily trailed programme on Channel 4 that purported to state certain “truths” about race […]
Metamorfarage
by Caliban’s Revenge, originally featured in the Spring 2015 issue of the rs21 magazine
Thanet demonstration against UKIP
Colin Revolting reports on a demonstration in Thanet rejecting UKIP in its supposed heartland. A grassroots campaign against UKIP is being built across Thanet in Kent and today saw a buoyant march of between 750 and 1000 people flowing along the Margate seafront from the train station to the Winter Gardens. The Thanet Stand Up […]
Thanet activists prepare for protest against UKIP conference
Dan Swain spoke to members of Thanet Stand Up to UKIP about their campaign and the demonstration this weekend against UKIP’s spring conference. On Saturday activists in Nigel Farage’s target seat of South Thanet will be joined by others from across the country in protesting against the UKIP Spring Conference, which they have chosen to […]
City Link: UKIP donor Jon Moulton shows his contempt for workers’ rights
City Link boss and UKIP supporter Jon Moulton sacked 2,727 of his workers on Christmas day. Brian Parkin looks at how UKIP wants to attack the rights of working people. This piece was originally published in Northern Star – email rs21leeds@gmail.com for more details. UKIP have risen to prominence on their anti-EU stance through which they have made […]
Why Labour should be worried about Clacton
Anindya Bhattacharyya analyses UKIP’s success in Thursday’s two by-elections. One of the peculiarities of mainstream political chatter is its tendency to seize on the unexpected and discount long-term predictable trends. The response to Thursday’s by-elections is a case in point: UKIP’s Douglas Carswell was expected to win in Clacton, so no surprises there, but the Heywood […]
How can we defeat UKIP? 5 points to consider
Anti-racists are protesting outside the UKIP conference in Doncaster later today. Here are five suggestions on how best to take on the far right party. 1. UKIP is a hard right reactionary party that stokes up bigotry and preys on people’s insecurity. But it is not a fascist organisation like the BNP. Under Griffin the […]
UKIPwatch: Nasty Nigel in Norfolk
Nick O’Brien, from anti-racist group We Are Norwich, reports on Norfolk, where Labour and the Greens held on in Norwich, but in the surrounding area UKIP made gains. Over 540, 000 people voted for UKIP in the East of England. Their share of the vote in the Eastern region rose to 34.5%, an increase of 14.9%, which meant […]
UKIPwatch: Lancashire Tories turn right
Andy Cunningham reports from Lancashire on a divided race between Labour and the racist right. You couldn’t have missed Nigel Farage if you’d taken a drive round Bolton and Bury in the run-up to 22 May elections. His faintly ridiculous but always fury-inspiring face was plastered on every other bill board. UKIP poured resources into south […]
UKIPwatch: Farage cleans up in the Fens
Mitch Mitchell reports from Cambridgeshire, where UKIP scored strongly, in the first of a series of snapshots from anti-UKIP activists around the country.
Immigrants are NOT the problem: rs21 North London public meeting (video)
rs21 North London hosts a public meeting with veteran anti-racist campaigner Darcus Howe, Mark Bergfeld, and Ezequiel, a representative of striking SOAS cleaners. Video interview with Darcus Howe available here. Follow rs21 North London on Twitter and Facebook.
Margate mobilises against UKIP’s ‘Nasty Little Nigel’
Over a hundred people gathered on a beautiful sunny day in Margate on May 17 to protest against Nigel Farage.
Edinburgh: vibrant protest against Farage
Pete Cannell reports: Farage’s public meeting in Edinburgh last night was intended as more than just another publicity stunt. Until this year’s elections UKIP’s impact in Scotland has been minimal. Just a year ago Farage had to run from Edinburgh, unable to find a taxi that would take him to the station. Recent polls, […]