Interview with an Anti-BNP Organiser
Q: How did the Nottingham group come together?
A: Anti-fascist work in Nottingham had dwindled to near nothing up to a couple of years ago. A number of meetings were called after the BNP's electoral successes in Barking and Dagenham in 2006. These meetings attracted up to 25 people from most left groups, even the SWP at that stage, as well as some anarchists from or around Nottingham University.
Most meetings were spent with the majority arguing with the SWP over how to counter the BNP. In July 2006 it was decided that the campaign would be a working-class campaign relating to the social issues that the BNP attempt to exploit. The SWP proposal was that it should be “broad and open to all” was rejected. The SWP vowed to go off an form a local UAF group.
In February 2007 we found a focus for anti-fascist work. When attending a campaign meeting for John McDonnell in his Labour Party leadership challenge, AWL members found out about and got an invitation to a meeting called by Broxtowe party activists. The Labour Party could not find a candidate to stand in the BNP stronghold of Brinsley. There was a real risk that the BNP candidate, Sadie Graham, would be totally unopposed!
We persuaded the Labour Party meeting that they should hold a public meeting in Brinsley against the BNP.
The Nottingham campaign was divided about the Brinsley initiative, some thought that there was too close a relationship with the Labour Party, some were uncomfortable with a meeting where the BNP could turn up to speak. That meeting nevertheless took place on 19 February and attracted 40 people — mostly local — out of which a Brinsley Notts Stop the BNP group was formed.
After that success the campaign rapidly reconvened and began leafleting many Nottingham villages and towns in which the BNP were organising and standing in elections.
The only group claiming to be active in anti-fascist work and not getting involved were the SWP/ UAF. They held a couple of very small meetings but from then on generally boycotted our campaign, by now called Notts Stop the BNP.
Q: Why is building local organisation so important?
A: The staple diet of ant-fascism has been to do nothing apart from leafleting at elections. This, in our view, seriously limits effectiveness. Exploiting the collapse of the mainstream parties the BNP have engaged in a lot of 'community activism'. Often disguising their racist and fascist beliefs.
The BNP exploit the demoralization in some areas at trade unionism and the absence of anti-racist campaigns dealing with the housing crisis, unemployment and low pay. We know that we have to regenerate effective trade unionism and build campaigns with real presence in the working class areas where the BNP are trying to get a base. If we don't, those communities will continue to be exploited by the BNP.
Q: How successful do you think the demonstration was?
A: We were very happy about our protest and rally up to 11:30. We had substantial local involvement and many people on the day joining up with the new Amber Valley campaign which in my view was the major objective of the day, especially as the Public Order Act so heavily limited our protesting options.
We were very unhappy about the UAF and this will be the subject of formal complaints in the near future to the UAF and their sponsors.
Q: Where does the campaign go from here?
A: The Amber Valley campaign is very buoyant and determined to deal with the BNP. They aren't going to wait until election time or another 'festival' to do something.
The BNP have a significant base in Amber Valley borough where they have two councillors elected.
The Notts campaign put an awful lot of work into organising against the 2008 RWB. We have also and will continue to help the Stop the BNP groups that have got off the ground in Derby as well as Amber Valley; we know we need to do more in our home territory of Nottinghamshire.
And if the BNP plan the 2009 RWB festival then we will oppose that every step of the way along with our now much stronger campaign.
We are calling a conference on 27 September. We expect a lot more activists to now get involved to help us do all this. We also hope that what we have done will be spur to anti-BNP campaigners throughout the country.
Details: http://nobnpfestival.wordpress.com.