19 June 2018

Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP, has joined more than 50 other parliamentarians, trade unionists, faith leaders and anti-racism campaigners to sign a letter to The Guardian.

The letter warns of an emboldened far right, and argues that we must defend our multicultural society.

Read the full text below, or on The Guardian here.

 

We must come together to fight the resurgent racist right

The 15,000-strong violent far-right protest to “free Tommy Robinson” on Saturday 9 June has raised major questions for all those who value our diversity. The racist right are using Robinson to reorganise. Nazi salutes and Islamophobia were at the centre of the mobilisation. This is the first serious attempt since the collapse of the English Defence League (EDL) to develop a racist street movement and give it a political form. It is supported internationally by notorious figures including from the US and the Dutch Islamophobic right.

It is absolutely vital that all who oppose this come together in a united mass movement powerful enough to drive these new developments on the far right back. Donald Donald Trump has played a major role in galvanising the racist right. We will take to the streets for the Together Against Trump demonstration coinciding with his visit on 13 July. And when Robinson’s supporters take to the streets again on 14 July, we will protest against them too. Wherever the far right’s support grows so does racism and violence. Let’s come together to defend our multicultural society from those who spread hatred and division.

Jean Lambert MEP

Diane Abbott MP Shadow home secretary
John McDonnell MP Shadow chancellor
Len McCluskey General secretary, Unite the Union
Dave Prentis General secretary, Unison
Talha Ahmed Treasurer, Muslim Council of Britain
Mohammed Kozbar Chairman, Finsbury Park Mosque
Rabbi Lee Wax
Sabby Dhalu and Weyman Bennett Co-convenors, Stand Up To Racism
Ged Grebby Chief executive, Show Racism the Red Card
Richard Burgon MP Shadow justice secretary
Laura Pidcock MP Shadow minister for labour
Cat Smith MP Shadow minister for voter engagement and youth affairs
David Lammy MP
Emma Dent Coad MP
Marsha De Cordova MP
Andrew Gwynne MP
Peter Hain Labour, House of Lords
Claude Moraes MEP
Julie Ward MEP
Tim Roache General secretary, GMB
Kevin Courtney NEU, Joint general secretary
Mark Serwotka General secretary, PCS
Dave Ward General secretary, CWU
Matt Wrack General secretary, FBU
Mick Cash General secretary, RMT
Ian Lawrence General secretary, Napo
Steve Gillan General secretary, POA
Manuel Cortes General secretary, TSSA
Mick Whelan General secretary, Aslef
Kevin Maguire Journalist
Michael Rosen Poet
Salma Yaqoob
Roger Huddle and Red Saunders Founders, Rock Against Racism
David Rosenberg Author
Alan Gibbons Author
Dr Siema Iqbal Co-founder of Avow (Advancing Voices of Women against Islamophobia)
Julia Bard National Committee, Jewish Socialists’ Group
Claudia Webbe Labour party NEC and Islington councillor
Margaret Greer National race equality officer, Unison
Harish Patel National equalities officer, Unite the Union
Ian Hodson National president, BFWAU
Tony Kearns Deputy general secretary (postal) CWU
Steve Hedley Deputy general secretary, RMT
Jane Loftus Vice president, CWU
Phyllis Opoku-Gyimah Executive director, UK Black Pride
Shahrar Ali Home affairs spokesperson, Green party
Maz Saleem Anti-racism campaigner/Stand Up To Trump
Kate Hudson General secretary, CND
Lindsey German Stop the War Coalition
Kerry Abel Chair, Abortion Rights
Asad Rehman Executive director, War on Want
Sam Fairbairn People’s Assembly