Farage’s by election stunt statement saw him paint himself as a victim, rather than answer for his links to a convicted fraudster George Cotterall and the £5 million bung from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.
He’s standing down only to run again in Clacton, hoping a by-election circus will bury his financial corruption.
He’s also been on the ropes because his cynical attempts to whip up racism and violence around the tragic death of Henry Nowak were called out and opposed.
Starmer and Mahmood have echoed Farage’s scapegoating of refugees and migrants to try to capture his support. That strategy failed completely and only legitimised and strengthened Farage.
The lesson exposed by Farage’s squirming is clear. To beat the far right you have to call them out for their racism, corruption and anti working class agenda.
Farage is clinging on by his fingernails despite his billionaire backers.
Every antiracist should celebrate this but redouble efforts to kick him out. Stand Up to Racism will be launching a massive campaign in Clacton to kick Farage out.
Round up of actions
Shrewsbury
Huge respect to antiracists & antifascists in Shrewsbury today who outnumbered the far right by nearly 3-1. Our side in Shrewsbury about 300 at its peak, their side about 100-120.
Massive success of alliances from Shropshire/Telford SUTR, comrades from Nottingham, Birmingham, Derby, Merseyside. Thank you so much for supporting our little town.
Also XR, Shrewsbury Pride, Humanists, choirs, Greens, Labour, Lower the Flags, Palestine Vigil group, Together Alliance.
Chesterfield
Well done to antiracists & antifascists in Chesterfield protesting against a meeting of far right Restore Britain tonight.
Shame on Casa Hotel for hosting them.
Why not contact them & ask why they hosted this ragbag of racists & their fascist hangers on – on 01246234754.
Dover
Massive well done to all those who opposed the far right in Dover today.
The far right is a threat, both on the streets & at the ballot box.
We need to build a movement of unity & solidarity in the face of their message of hatred &
division.
Poole
Big well done for those that stood in solidarity with the RNLI in Poole in Dorset – the RNLI has been targeted by the far right for the ‘crime’ of rescuing refugees from drowning.
Wimbourne
Almost 100 at protest against far right Katie Hopkins at the Tivoli in Wimborne (Dorset).
Well done to everyone involved!
Taunton
Saturday. About 25 fascists and 90 anti fascist. Local group being established.
Newham
SUTR and other community groups have been organising a counter-protest to a Restore Britain local. Yeserday he cancelled ✊Newham SUTR committee determined to go ahead with our rally. We have excellent speakers – clear messages. Greens and Newham Independents will also speak alongside community group reps.
Bournemouth
Smaller turnout at Roundhouse Hotel in Bournemouth due to serious traffic jams & 3 mobilisations in 3 days. 13 of them 20 of us
Peacehaven
Hi all, some brilliant activists over in Peacehaven have just started up a fledgling group and are hoping for all the support they can get. The mosque was firebombed there last year and they now have Reform councillors elected. It’s a very worrying time and so I’m supporting them in starting up their own group. Please do share and let anyone and everyone know so that we can make them feel less isolated in a scary situation.
Forthcoming Events
Bicester
PUBLIC MEETING
Refugees Welcome in Bicester
No to racist camps
Stand Up To Racism wants to ensure there is a strong anti-racist current in Bicester that welcomes refugees and opposes any far-right activity.
Bicester residents should not be frightened to walk down the street because they are not white – as some have reported. people are saying how appalled they are at the outpouring of racism in local community facebook groups.
On Sunday 12th July a protest has been called against the camp that has drawn support from far-right and fascist groups. The organisers have invited the Pink Ladies – a group notorious for its strident opposition to migrants who have marched with fascists on hate marches on multiple occasions. They will be pushing the racist lie that Black men are a sexual threat to white women and girls.
It is vital that the far-right do not protest unchallenged and do not build a base of racist hate in Bicester.
Join us opposite Coventry building Society, Sheep St, Bicester. Meet 10:30 AM.
National
Stand Up To Racism is pushing for a wave of unity demos/events across Britain in the autumn/winter to help push back Reform UK and the rest of the far right – and to undermine support for them in working class areas.
We are organising a workshop style event on Tuesday 21 July (7pm) for local Stand Up To Racism activists to discuss how best to build unity events.
It will be led off by local groups that have organised successful unity demos and events in recent months.
Please register at least two delegates from your local group for the event.
Register your delegates here 👉🏿 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ovwcmHMjQbGjwMelA5i-gQ
Date for the diary:
Stand Up To Racism’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), Saturday 12 December. central London
The Stand Up To Racism AGM will be held in Central London on Saturday 12 December.
Details regarding delegation entitlement for local groups and affiliates and how the event will be run will be available soon. image omitted
Monitoring Group Report
The last couple of weeks have shown that the far right can be pushed back.
Across the UK, anti-racists have outnumbered fascists, blocked their attempts to march and, in some places, forced them to pack up and go home.
In Shrewsbury. Around 300 anti-racists turned out against 100 or so on the far right. Stand Up To Racism supporters joined trade unionists, Pride activists, Palestine campaigners, climate activists and local campaigners to make sure the racists couldn’t dominate the town.
Dorset saw a string of successes too. Nearly 100 people protested against Katie Hopkins in Wimborne. Activists say the protest has already led to the beginnings of a new Stand Up To Racism group there.
The momentum carried into Bournemouth and Poole. Around 60 anti-racists turned up at the RNLI in Poole while only around 15 far-right supporters appeared. Seeing they were heavily outnumbered, they abandoned their planned march altogether.
There were similar scenes elsewhere. In Taunton, about 90 anti-fascists faced around 25 fascists. In Newham a Restore Britain event was cancelled after local campaigners had organised a counter-protest—but activists went ahead with their rally anyway, refusing to let the far right set the agenda.
These weren’t isolated protests. They were built by local campaigning over weeks and months.
In Epsom, around 100 people came to the first Stand Up To Racism unity event after the far right had tried to whip up racism around a local assault. Faith groups, trade unionists, campaigners and local residents came together to answer division with solidarity.
Oxford activists are now trying to do the same in Bicester. A public meeting is planned alongside street stalls and campaigning before another far-right mobilisation later this month.
None of this means the danger has gone away. Reform’s electoral gains are giving confidence to racists, while fascist groups continue trying to organise around refugee accommodation and other local issues.
But recent weeks have also shown that when anti-racists organise early, build broad support and turn out in numbers, the far right struggles to get a hearing.
However there can be no complacency. Fascist & antisemite Ryan Ferguson joined Nazi White Vanguard in Liverpool on Saturday. About 50 fascists held an unannounced flashmob march from the County Road area to the city centre.They chanted “white man fight back” and “deport them all”.
Although Dover held a good counter demo the far right turnout was larger than we expected with a predominantly female composition folowing the call from the Pink Ladies and it aplification from Tommy Robinson
The answer to the far right isn’t to ignore it. It’s to organise against it—and bring far more people onto the streets than they can.