I feel I need to write something on the far-right riots. Firstly let me express my solidarity with the families of the dead girls in Southport and now those people who have lost their livelihoods and or suffered injury in the rioting. But this is moving so fast that it’s impossible to keep up.

This is organised, or if not organised encouraged, and it’s political and aimed at a very moderate Labour Government. I can’t understand how the far right organise in such a way to embarrass and even injure the police? Maybe it’s the reduction in police numbers [or might be if the numbers were lower than previously], maybe it’s the tolerance of racism within the police but I’m also curious as to why the intelligence services and Special Branch seemed to be constantly taken by surprise. My theory is they are not looking, which the police deny. The Guardian reports that even a former head of counter-terrorism is condemning the far-right incitement of violence specifically Nigel Farage’s comments.

It’s a bit of a dilemma for liberals like myself but if we’re going to have mass surveillance and spy on anti-democratic, foreign influenced movements then I think the far right need to be on this list, particularly given the foreign influence on Britain’s far-right; it would be good to know the extent to which foreign powers or foreign oligarchs [both US and Russian] influence or provoke these actions. I’ll also be watching to see if any are caught and sentenced and will be comparing such sentences with those handed out to the Just Stop Oil protestors.

The Government has been typically authoritarian in its response, not quite tone deaf, but certainly unaware or in denial as to how its own rhetoric and priorities panders to the racism of the Tories and the far right and failing to make the arguments for solidarity.

There are people who can say a lot of this better than me. One of them, who writes as sianuska, has written an article on substack, She writes of the far right’s organisation, its ideology and recent actions. I suggest you look at the whole article, but I want to finish by referring to Sian’s words on Farage’s disgraceful comments and calls them out; she also blames others for creating the space and allowing them to argue that racism is a ‘legitimate concern’.

While the violence which is now aimed at all people of colour is dreadful, it also now encompasses attacks on ethnic minority owned business and people, migrant housing hotels, and the establishment of racist road blocks. Equally unacceptable are those politicians and media outlets that through their speeches, article and videos permit people to think that racism is a ‘legitimate concern’. It’s not just the politicians, there’s also the media,

While @sianuska highlights the Tory complicity with rhetoric of the far right, and Joe Muhall, the Director of “Hope Not Hate” in an article, entitled, “Some are calling these far-right riots an outpouring of legitimate anger. They are not.” states, “There is a deep well of poison behind this racist violence. Those fuelling and perpetrating it must be held to account”. Also Sayeeda Warsi, a Tory Peer, bravely calls out the political cover given to the rioters and their wranglers, “The poisoning of the public discourse on Muslims, migrants and refugees has been consistent and deliberate. An anti Muslim agenda has been pursued by some in politics , the media and some think tanks and we have to be brave enough to call it out. They have created the climate that we now see play out in our towns and cities and they are as much to blame as the thugs on the street.”

Bit by bit the Labour movement is beginning to react, here is the GMB/Labour Unions’ statement, and the TULO statement on thread reader, here is Brenda Dacres, the Lewisham Mayor’s statement, and here is Nadia Whittome’s post on instagram.

But despite this, many Labour MP and the Party are also guilty, of at best, pandering to the anti-immigrant rhetoric. They/we need to realise that they are equally the targets of the far right and who are seeking to make the country ungovernable. It’s not just morally deficient to be stupidly authoritarian on immigration, to offer the racists a nod and wink of support, to recognise their so-called “legitimate concerns”. These people will never support us or will only do so if we address the questions of living standards, housing, health and education. Even then racists are likely to remain in their comfort zone.

I also wanted to consider one of Starmer’s slogans on defence, about the first duty of a government; it would seem that the first duty of a government is not national/border security, it is clearly the personal security and freedom from violence and crime for all citizens and residents.

If you’ve spent the last decade or more pandering, if not creating space for the lumpens you reap what you sow.

The Labour Government needs to change direction. It’s not just a law and order issue,  this is a challenge to tolerant, multi-cultural Britain.

The image comes from unsplash and does not illustrate the events from the weekend.

It’s not about law and order
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