With elections in the UK, France, India and the USA we are seeing again the presence of so called “populist” leaders. I have been thinking about how they get a foothold despite divisive, scapegoating policies and propaganda. Let’s look at where we at at in the U.K.
I figure all we need to know about Britain today after 14 years of Tory rule and five decades of neoliberal “the market will provide” economics emerges in this one headline, ‘My state pension was £880 – and my rent was £1,000’: how a 70-year-old man became homeless in Britain, by Tom Clark, published in the Guardian last week.
It is sub-headed, “Tony Sinclair had worked all his life – but still found himself sleeping rough. Then even his tent was taken away from him.”
If you are in the UK you may recall the recent pronouncement from Suella Braverman that sleeping rough is a “lifestyle choice” that led to this aggressive practice of clearing tents. In my opinion the new right in the Tory party cling to the shirt tails of the far right in Britain and pave the way for their rise.
Recently Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, in an “I’m back” election interview said, “Britain is broken,” he has a point. The danger is people will hear that and think his policies are the answer. Just a few days ago someone said to me, “that Turage, Worage, what’s ‘is name? ‘E sounds all right.” I replied, paraphrasing, “Some of what he says is true but they will go on to scapegoat people like our Muslim brothers and sisters and neighbours, all our friends, neighbours and workmates of colour…”
Thinking how long will it be before his version of “stop the boats” becomes, “Repatriate!” This was the call of the National Front (NF) in the 1970’s, the call of the British National Party (BNP) decades later, though they did it oh so politely.
Some people may think Reform has their interests at heart, but Farage is cut from the same cloth as the BNP, the NF and their forerunners the British Union of Fascists, (BUF) because the far right are very good, it would seem from history, at appealing to those in the working class who feel disenfranchised, disenchanted and disaffected.
In Peaky Blinders series five we were introduced to Oswald Mosley, who left the Labour Party to form the BUF. Series creator, Steven Knight comments, “Mosley wasn’t somebody spouting things that people didn’t want to hear but rather someone who people did listen to. That’s what was so terrifying.” This is worth a read Who was Sir Oswald Mosley? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-49405924
Image from The Irish Times “British politician Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley (1896 – 1980) inspects members of his British Union of Fascists in Royal Mint Street, London.” 1936
There is a powerful scene in the film Ridley Road which shows just how this is done. How Mosley, in an attempt at a comeback in 1962, appealed to the organised working class just as Enoch Powel would. Yes, these examples are fictional but the events portrayed happened.
Image of real events in Ridley Road 1962. Photo Alamy
Mosley infamously took 3000 of his Black Shirts to march on the East End of London in 1936 in what came to be known as The Battle of Cable Street. There they were confronted by an alliance of anti fascists; trade unionists, Jewish organisations, socialists, communists and unaffiliated individuals, estimated in number between 100 000 to 300 000, who raised the slogan of the Spanish Republicans, “No Pasaren!” They will not Pass! They did not.
Yes Britain is broken, our NHS, nurseries, schools, social services, social care, whole councils, underfunded forced to rely on “internal markets, “ and cut, cut, cut. The result of that is redundancies and those that are left so overworked many end up with physical or mental health problems while whole councils in Britain are facing bankruptcy. Our courts are backlogged prisons overcrowded and even the Home Office and Departments of Work and Pensions backlogged.
Sometimes one story, such as the one cited above, a microcosm of the whole mess deals the consequences of this economic policy pursed since the mid 1970’s and political misrule. Farage and the far right are not the answer.
It is no surprise really the far right is rising across Europe, across the world as people “feel the pinch.” We, progressives, talk of inequalities between the Global North and Global South, and yes they are massive but there are too huge inequalities within the Global North and the likes of Farage, Marine Le Penn, Trump and indeed Modi understand all too well this is fertile ground for them to put down their toxic roots into that troubled soil.
We argue #AnotherWorldIsNecessary indeed but
#AnotherWorldIsPossible only if we fight for it.
I believe we get a glimpse of another world growing in our climate and social movements. A very concrete example, happening now, is at the GKN factory in Florence, Italy. They are demonstrating another way out of the neoliberal capitalist mess. This is from the UWU, the independent member led trade union, “for workers of trade unions, professional associations and others linked to the labour movement in the United Kingdom.”
“We are alerting all UWU members to a very important dispute taking place in Florence, Italy. Workers at the GKN Florence factory have been in occupation for nearly three years. The workers are demanding government intervention to bring the factory under workers’ control. Their struggle culminated in the workers forming an assembly of citizens, workers, students, climate and social movements, to demand a new model and a just transition. […] This actvity has also been at the forefront of the fight against fascism in Italy.” My emphasis.
For more information on this inspiring struggle watch the film Reel News collective have produced here, full 22 minute version
We are, at this time, truly, in my opinion, in a battle of light against darkness. Be the light! What you can do to show solidarity and support
1) Spread the word of what the workers are trying to achieve by sharing this video, and following them on social media; website insorgiamo.org, Facebook coordinamentogknfirenze, Instagram @collettivofabbricagkn.
2) Donate to the popular share issue to raise 1,000,000 euros and become part of the assembly that will run the factory – nearly 800,000 euros raised so far. IMPORTANT: THE CLOSING DATE IS JUNE 30 … You can pledge money in the UK at https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-gkn-autoworkers-just-transition-struggle or in other countries go to insorgiamo.org/100×10-000
3) Order a cargo bike for a donation. The cargo bikes are now in production – get one for your group, give the workers feedback on its functioning and promote the campaign at the same time. Order one, and get more info at https://insorgiamo.org/cargo-bike/
4) Keep 12 July free, when the third anniversary of the occupation will be celebrated in Florence – and an organised international presence is planned from all over Europe.
A blog post by Anne Enith Cooper
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