Working together to stop the BNP

Good article in the Guardian today by Peter Hain with regards to the challenge we all face in defeating the BNP and the far-right.

This time last year I posted a blog commenting on how the main political parties were being far too complacent in their handling of the BNP. For a long time it has seemed all too easy to ignore them, or treat them as a minor annoyance. Twelve months later, here we are facing the very real prospect of the BNP gaining seats at the Euro elections in June; a risk that we have to all take very seriously.

Now, more then ever, the time has now arrived for unity amongst our three major parties. This has to happen at national and at a local level; there needs to be a clear agreement as to the best way to confront this problem head on, and in Labour's case, on how to reconnect with a section of our local support who now feel more aligned to the BNP and their dressed up policies.

The old ways of protest no longer work, no amount of shouting or banner waving is going to seriously damage their chances next month or beyond. The second part of the answer remains at grass root level, we need to be out there, on the doorsteps challenging the BNP's policies at each and every opportunity,showing people the truth behind the spin, and more importantly, reconnecting with the white, working class vote before we lose them for good.

The problem is real and growing, the challenge is there. We must all face this head on, work together, and hopefully make some real progress in our communities and the country as a whole.

Just imagine the prospect of BNP Euro MP's....