[Closed] EDL in Birmingham Today

Yunki: The primary school I attended now has 100% Asian children. They do not celebrate any Christian beliefs. They do not celebrate Christmas or Easter.

From Stag Lane's website:
"The highlight of the term, as always, is the Christmas
show which the staff and children have been working very
hard towards for the past several months."

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"100% Asian"? Clearly absolute rubbish.

in this regard I do feel as if we should be trying to listen to their grievances instead of making the problem worse by sweeping social problems under the carpet.

Absolutely. But that doesn't mean submitting to the lies and misinformation they've been fed by the media and the rightwing nutjobs for the past 5 years. Like blaming all social ills on imaginary illegal immigrants and hard-working polish plumbers isn't sweeping it under the carpet?

Oh, and Ofsted describe the school as outstanding. Sounds like an absolutely wonderful little school, actually.

Still dont agree daz....its not the media its actually living in places that have seen massive demographic changes that causes the racism.

On the school.....i have my own rambling story....just another reason as to why I feel people need to understand the social issues instead of labelling one side of the issue....at about the age of 9 my primary school went on exchange with a mostly asian school in leicester....the first thing I heard when we sat down in assembly was hearing all the local children whispering about how we were probably racists. You know being country hicks and all that....any I always wondered how they learnt that.

its actually living in places that have seen massive demographic changes that causes the racism.

Really? It seems to me that many of the key target seats of the further-right parties are very white, often provincial/rural areas where the only fuel is the media, not reality. I live in a very multicultural, inner-"city" part of Reading, and the BNP and even UKIP barely ever show their face here because they'd get laughed out of town.

See working class mining towns/divisions in sheffield....walsall...birmingham etc...plenty of skinhead types there....my experience is different.

You're talking about low grade "I might vote ukip" types....im talking about the types of people that use the term **** with venom. Eg edl members.

I've posted about this before but I think it is possible to have concerns about immigration without being a racist. Sadly though there is often a hell of a lot of crossover between the two, and the amount of myths that get passed around as 'fact' is ridiculous.

That's what really stifles any attempt at sensible discussion on the issue, not PC gone mad, IMO. In any discussion on the issue never far away from 'yeah and they banned christmas in Birmingham' or some other such nonsense.

- Immigration: some 31 per cent of the population is thought to consist of recent immigrants, when the figure is actually 13 per cent. Even including illegal immigrants, the figure is only about 15 per cent. On the issue of ethnicity, black and Asian people are thought to make up 30 per cent of the population, when the figure is closer to 11 per cent.

Oh, they've come out to play in the working class mining area I grew up in, for sure, despite the fact that there is far less non-white-British makeup to the ethnic split there. They play in areas of reduced economic opportunity, regardless of ethnic division, because it's so easy to stir up a sense of immigration being the problem.

Interestingly and on a slight tangent, it's interesting to see how well UKIP does in deprived seaside areas (e.g. Lowestoft) when about the only thing keeping those places afloat is EU support.

Most multi-cultural areas are just normal working and middle class areas, getting on just fine, with the added benefit of a bit of interesting cultural diversity.

There are a handful of places where things have got really polarised, and again that's something the racist organisations seize upon and turn into a nationwide issue. Like I say, I've never seen a single piece of BNP literature in over a decade in West Reading, and I live in (by census measures) one of the three most multicultural wards (out of 16) in an already quite diverse town.

So my view is that racism is absolutely stirred up by the media and the far right on the basis of exaggeration (the "our towns are turning into single-race ghettos") and outright falsehood ("my old school is 100% asian, oh, apart from all the white and black kids in its photo, erm")

its not the media its actually living in places that have seen massive demographic changes that causes the racism.

Sorry. This is b*llox, and another example of lazy thinking. Ormondroyd is right, areas where levels of racism and support for UKIP/EDL/BNP are high are largely very white areas with small immigrant populations. I too live in an area which is very multicultural (the school my kids go to has kids from 20 nationalities), and whilst I wouldn't describe it as a liberal utopia, I can honestly say that racism is at the bottom of the list in terms of problems which need dealing with.

Well my experience with multiculturalism in london is that the its racial segregation in geographically small areas.

The eastern europeans work and hang out together, as do the blacks and asians...I've heard whites and indians call asians ps....ive heard asians call blacks "nig*"....ive heard abuse towards whites by blacks...etc..ad nauseum.. they all seem to hate each other. I'm with merkel on multiculturalism....it did not work....and was in fact the lazy way of coping with needed and beneficial immigration.

Tom_W1987 - Member

For balance though, I am living in a part of london where I am often blanked because I'm white

Do you ask them "scuse me, why did you blank me?" Not being funny but I've lived in a few places where no bugger talks to anyone else or where new people get ignored. Seems to be modern life (the only friendly people in leith are either polish or begging 😉 )

You can just tell, along with the evils if you walk into the wrong shop/street/have a girlfriend on your arms who must be a gold digging whore because shes going out with a white guy.

I'm with merkel on multiculturalism....it did not work.

*looks out of window*

Well, nothing's on fire here.

Do you ask them "scuse me, why did you blank me?" Not being funny but I've lived in a few places where no bugger talks to anyone else or where new people get ignored.

This is exactly it. Mrs Daz is active in the PTA at our kids school, and when she asked the other white middle class mums why none of the asian parents are involved, the answer was, 'well no one has ever asked them and they've never seemed interested'. Then after Mrs Daz went and introduced herself to all the asian parents and got talking to them, they said, 'well no one has ever asked us to take part in the PTA'. Now the PTA has doubled in size and half the parents in it are asian, and they're extremely active in fundraising and putting on events which is all to the greater benefit of the school. It's nothing to do with racism, and everything to do with breaking down personal and social barriers.

There is some of that but it doesn't account for all of the divisions, social barriers have nothing to do with out right ignoring people or giving them evils. At the end of the day many of the different ethnic groups have deep rooted beliefs about other ethnic groups and it shows in who they work with and where they live.

(Eg there is an industrial site near me with loads of auto shops....you'll go past one...it will be full of eastern europeans....you go past the next....it will be full of black guys....then the next one will be full of Asians)....then the kebab shops will have one group or the other hanging out there at lunchtime.

I'd regard the Americans as more of an integrated melting pot than us and you only have to look at the LA riots to see how different ethnic groups...under the surface...hated each other. I don't think we are fairing any better than them, these issues and feelings are just whispered about instead of being dealt with in the open.

Not that I condone the edl but I can now partly understand why the working classes are falling into the laps of the edl, bnp and ukip.

Unfortunately so can I. They are being manipulated and led by groups like the EDL who portray everyday situations in a twisted and perverse manner.

Sorry, I just don't feel it is as simple as the media or the EDL causing the problems...supply and demand etc....there is something that stinks at the root of how we are all living together that needs to be dealt with.

Must say I didn't see this going on for 8 pages...

Yes, and no one is pretending racism doesn't exist. But if you believe the rightwingers who are peddling this rubbish you'd be forgiven for thinking that Britain is on the brink of some sort of race-war in our inner cities when it quite obviously isn't. The trouble is that the more people who repeat these lies second-hand, the more it becomes ingrained in the popular psyche and it becomes self-perpetuating. The real social problems in this country around multiculturalism, race, ethnicity etc are not caused by immigration, but by rightwing scaremongerers who are whipping up false hysteria and creating divisions where previously they didn't exist.

No that's just one problem, I think there is also a problem with the very idea of multiculturalism or at least the application of/policies surrounding multiculturalism in this country. Multiculturalism is an excuse for racial segregation imo.

Integration takes time...

Still don't see a lot of the Indian community being included as much as they could....I just see multiculturalism creating the same kinds of rifts that you see in America....where the black community still hasn't been integrated properly...for how long now? Where poor deprived localities = for black people - Rich areas = for white people....just in this case it can be swept under the carpet in the guise of multiculturalism instead of plain old racism like in the states.

Multiculturalism is an excuse for racial segregation imo.

It's not segregation, it's people naturally choosing to live among others who share a similar culture and values. You can't force someone to abandon their identity, even if they have come to live in 'your' country.

When I go to the pub to watch football, I tend to meet up with a load of geordies who support the same team. Is this segregation? Obviously I should integrate with the local community and support one of the Manchester teams?

No but it then goes on to foster segregation and bad attitudes between communities, choosing to live with other people like yourself because you feel safer is in itself just another consequence of your own racism as well.

Comparing football with communities living together on a day to day basis is laughable.

.I just see multiculturalism creating the same kinds of rifts that you see in America....where the black community still hasn't been integrated properly...for how long now?

As for America you seem very confused as to whether it s a good example or a bad example

I'd regard the Americans as more of an integrated melting pot than us ....[next post]I just see multiculturalism creating the same kinds of rifts that you see in America.

choosing to live with other people like yourself because you feel safer is in itself just another consequence of racism as well.

Now you're being silly. You really expect a ****stani to go and live in a white estate rather than an area with other ****stanis where they might have friends, family or other social connections?

Still don't see a lot of the Indian community being included as much as they could....I just see multiculturalism creating the same kinds of rifts that you see in America....where the black community still hasn't been integrated properly...for how long now?

On the whole people of Indian heritage seem to be quite well integrated in this country. People from ****stani origins less so IMNVWIO (I just made that up 🙂 ). Or did you mean Indians as in everyone from the Indian sub-continent?

As for America you seem very confused as to whether it s a good example or a bad example

It's both bad and good, good because they have a better idea of how immigration should work. (American first, wherever you came from second). Bad in that they still haven't solved the huge scar left by slavery.

Now you're being silly. You really expect a ****stani to go and live in a white estate rather than an area with other ****stanis where they might have friends, family or other social connections?

Yes, if I move to Japan I don't expect to live in an area full of Brits and then complain when the Japanese are irritated that I have not taken them time to integrate myself with their culture. My actions would foster more racism on their part.

Or did you mean Indians as in everyone from the Indian sub-continent?

No.

Like everything else, it's not black and white... At one end of the scale, you've got monocultures, not desirable. At the other, you can have that voluntary segregation thing, also not desirable. But multiculturalism covers the whole grey area inbetween which is where the good stuff is.

"voluntary segregation" isn't comparable with mandatory IMO.

You are comparing multiculturalism to the treatment of a race who were slaves in that country and only recently got the end to segregation and are still the victims of open racism....WOW what a poor choice and strange comparison.

I'm going to take this as a failure to read properly before you typed angrily, I didn't say the cause was the same I said the end point was.

"voluntary segregation" isn't comparable with mandatory IMO.

It creates the exact same misunderstandings and divisions within society if those "voluntary" segregations produce exactly the same socioeconomic divisions.

It's amazing though how given time and money most immigrants move out of enclaves - if they even moved into them in the first place...

Oh incoherent and patronising - this seems like a familiar sales pitch to avoid defending your contradiction

I didn't say the cause was the same I said the end point was.
WOW accuses me of not reading then does that Oh the ironing - [ I suspect I need to explain this ] I said you were comparing them and behold your denial explains how you compared them ...AWESOME
SO we agree you are comparing them 🙄

I think next you pretend you dont understand my point and suggest I am an idiot? You do this because you missed the next stage which would be to accuse me of being angry or emotive but you have done that with the patronising move

 

Yes, if I move to Japan I don't expect to live in an area full of Brits and then complain when the Japanese are irritated that I have not taken them time to integrate myself with their culture. My actions would foster more racism on their part.

I'll repeat what I've already said. You can't force someone to abandon their identity, or live, work or associate with people of a particular group. You seem rather confused in that you oppose segregation but apparently you think it's ok to force people to live in particular places against their will? Do you not see the inherent conflict there? Do you really want to live in a country which has a Stalinist policy of forcing people to live, work, socialise and behave in a particular place and in a particlular fashion?

You can just tell, along with the evils if you walk into the wrong shop/street/have a girlfriend on your arms who must be a gold digging whore because shes going out with a white guy.

Maybe I've just chosen the 'right' shops but I (as a non-Asian) have been into lots of Asian shops for curry ingredients and never noticed this. In fact a few of them were staffed almost entirely by eastern Europeans! I also coped just fine when I needed a haircut in a hurry and ended up in a Jamaican barbershop.

Would it be mad to suggest that some of it might be in your head? And "multiculturalism doesn't work because a black looked at me funny" is clutching at straws a bit.

I have been told "no offence, it's just that I was brought up not to trust people like you" though. Which was nice.

And given some of the other posts I'm happy to report that despite being different colours my parents live in the same (happily mixed) neighbourhood, in the same house actually, as unbelievable as that might be.

When I see the passion Ian Wright shows watching an England match I would like the EDL people to explain to me how he is not English.

my parents live in the same (happily mixed) neighbourhood, in the same house actually, as unbelievable as that might be.

I live in East London, and there's certainly groupings of migrants, but that's just common sense in that it means people can speak their own language and have access to goods that they want.
Certainly no blanking in the street no harassment and no racism that I ever see, just a nice vibrant culture with the ability to get excellent food and meet great people.
Every business I use seems to be delighted to see me regardless of the ethnicity of the staff/owner, it's brilliant.

Is there any objective evidence that the appalling EDl is a 'working' class phenomenon. I ask because I believe that prejudice is present throughout all classes.
Further to that we are failed by the politicians as an example the only parties that bothered to canvas my old neighbourhood a poor part of Falkirk. . . BNP and the tories Shame on all the rest.

Is there any objective evidence that the appalling EDl is a 'working' class phenomenon.

Is there any objective evidence that the appalling EDl is a 'working' class phenomenon. I ask because I believe that prejudice is present throughout all classes.

Well given that the leader of the EDL 'Tommy Robinson' is actually called 'Stephen Yaxley-Lennon' but changed his name by deed poll, as he thought the double barreled name didn't quite fit his salt-of-the-earth, working class man-of-the-people persona he'd manufactured from himself, I'd suspect not

The fact that you'd go out on the streets on the say so of someone who is clearly something they're not just reinforces the idiocy of these people.

I wouldn't even be remotely surprised if in 5 years time, given recent revelations, he was unmasked as an undercover police officer 😆

For what it's worth I voted snp but the local campaign was very disappointing. I guess labour just thought they would weigh their vote as usual . The point is that established parties made little or no real effort to engage with people and this left a gap for the extremists .

I thought the EDL were anti Islam rather than racist per se. I really must read the Guardian more.

6 pages and 48 hours too late with that point and hilarious joke

actually called 'Stephen Yaxley-Lennon' but changed his name by deed poll, as he thought the double barreled name didn't quite fit his salt-of-the-earth, working class man-of-the-people persona he'd manufactured from himself, I'd suspect not

Wow Binners - talk about prejudice, an assumption that a double barreled name is a class issue!

[i]"Stephen Yaxley is the name on my birth certificate. I was born to a father by the name of Yaxley, who I have nothing to do with. He is not my Dad, my dad is Thomas Lennon, which is why I changed my name to Lennon, when he adopted me"[/i]

I thought the EDL were anti Islam rather than racist per se

Funny how an anti-islam organisation attracts racists though, eh?

Wow Binners - talk about prejudice, an assumption that a double barreled name is a class issue!

I didn't. He did.

"Stephen Yaxley is the name on my birth certificate. I was born to a father by the name of Yaxley, who I have nothing to do with. He is not my Dad, my dad is Thomas Lennon, which is why I changed my name to Lennon, when he adopted me"

He didn't change it to Lennon though, did he? He changed it to Yaxley-Lennon. Then he changed it again to Robinson, and changed his first name while he was at it. Apparently in honour of a famous Luton Firm Football Hooligan!

Real classy. Doesn't sound remotely suspect at all really, does it? 🙄

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Cheers binners a quick Google reveals that Mr Yaxley lennon was a BNP member and has been convicted of assault and fraud.
I am still wondering though does the EDL support not grow because other parties do not engage with people who have been let down by the 'political process'. That's to say that no party has addressed the needs of poor people at national or local level. Jobs decent schools and hospitals and services and a feeling that there's one rule for everyone ...at the moment it seems that there is one rule for the masses ...and another altogether for the elite . Leaves a gap for the extremists.

Indeed. The BNP managed to get a few local Councillors elected in some of the northern mill-towns a few years back.

They managed this by correctly assuming that the labour party just took for granted the fact that poor white communities would vote for them. So they didn't even bother to campaign. The BNP did. And when canvasing, they didn't bang on about race all the time. They did their research and found out what local problems were and made out that was their main concern, and pointed out (correctly) that the mainstream political parties couldn't care less about them. Fixated as they are with 'Key Marginals'.

So people (again correctly) came to the conclusion that seeing as the main political parties, including labour couldn't give a toss about them, why not vote BNP

And if the labour party can't see that the more socially acceptable face of racism and xenophobia - UKIP - are likely to pull exactly the same stunt at forthcoming elections, in disillusioned northern wards, then they need to wake up. They won't of course.

Does this look like a man who's either familiar with, or remotely bothered about the problems of poverty in the suburbs of Rochdale?

[img] [/img]

[img]http:// https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=eric+Joyce&source=android-browser-type&hl=en-GB&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=zkbtUYLTKZD30gWYsICIDg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&rlz=1Y1XIUG_enGB531GB531 [/img] the face of labour in Falkirk. ..

One day I'll learn how to put a photo on here

[img] [/img]

In fact Mr Joyce and Mr Yaxley-lennon both like a scrap

Bang on the money, Binners.

I read through some of the BNP propaganda that came through my door around election time, for a giggle. Somewhat surprisingly, they'd managed to come up with some attractive and sensible policy proposals (aside from the whole 'send them back where they came from' schtick, naturally).

If folk didn't know any better or were prepared to overlook the ideals they're better known for, it's not hard to see why they started winning votes.

It's not only labour though all the parties are to blame.

They managed this by correctly assuming that the labour party just took for granted the fact that poor white communities would vote for them.

It's even worse than this. In the places where they do campaign and the times they bring up the subject, the labour party do a very good job of positively reinforcing the rightwing agenda by paying lip-service to it, rather than outright opposing it. How tragic is it to see labour MPs trotting out nonsense about 'having a conversation' about immigration or supporting workfare or some other equally pernicious rightwing policy which would have Atlee, Bevan and Beveridge turning in their graves?

Agree Cougar - we had some BNP stuff through our door and it was incredibly well written. Not the perfect use of English and the like - far from it but absolutely bang on for its target audience (more coppers on the beat protecting YOUR family, more jobs for local people, local houses for local people - stuff like that).

Reading between the lines it was quite clear what the party stood for but it wasn't an overt message that could offend anyone too much.

The mainstream parties could learn a thing or two about how to attract voters from their propaganda...

But you expect nothing else from the Tories. A party that is bank-rolled by hedge funds and City Financiers is never going to give a toss about anyhting outside the home counties. And so it has proved

But a party still funded by union subsciptions, and returning the MP's from Northern constituencies should be doing something more than just parroting the same nasty, self interested, ultra rightwing claptrap as the Tories

Its difficult to see what on earth the point of the present labour party is.

Answers on a post card....

I'm having more of a problem seeing what the point of the Liberals / coalition is, TBH. Doesn't look like much of a joint effort to me.

ultra rightwing

What's the Democratic party then? Ultra ultra right wing? How about the ultra ultra ultra right wing Repuplican party? Not enough ultras?

I have no idea how many ultras Golden Dawn would get.

Its difficult to see what on earth the point of the present labour party is.

Answers on a post card....

To get into power. By any means necessary. That is it.

The saddest thing is that they actually still seem to believe they're on the side of normal people. I nearly spat out my beer the other week when I saw Miliband on the news at question time calling the Labour party the 'party of the people'.

Its difficult to see what on earth the point of the present labour party is.

Indeed. There's something very disturbing about the way Labour MPs now go on TV to defend the current government's policies. 😕

I thought the EDL were anti Islam rather than racist per se. I really must read the Guardian more.

'This video was taken at the EDL’s very recent Newcastle demonstration, which attracted over 1,500 people.

This clip was edited out of the official video.

It features a key EDL operative, who is brought on stage by leader Tommy Robinson, saying: “send the black ****s home”.'

Luckily the EDL crowd expressed their disgust at the vile racism by the guy on the mi......

Oh no wait, actually they all cheered.

So if the political parties are not doing the job .....change them but politics is too expensive to get into.

The biggest winner from the other-world, south east-centred policies of the main parties are playing right into the hands of Parties like UKIP. The Labour Party has been complacent about them, making the frankly stupid assumption that they'll only pick up disillusioned Tory votes

Farage has already said he intends to target northern seats. And you can put your house on them employing exactly the same tactics as the BNP did so successfully. If your working for minimum wage in Burnley, why on earth would you vote for the present Labour Party?

The 'anyone but the Tories' vote they've taken for granted, while giving nothing back, isn't going to win them elections like it used too. The worlds changed! And the beneficiaries of labours complacency (or betrayal, depending on your point of view) could be very unpleasant indeed!

Farage has already said he intends to target northern seats. And you can put your house on them employing exactly the same tactics as the BNP did so successfully.

Didn't the BNP adopt 'Old Labour' policies in order to win votes in traditional Labour heartlands though? Can't see UKIP doing that.

Didn't the BNP adopt 'Old Labour' policies in order to win votes in traditional Labour heartlands though? Can't see UKIP doing that.

Not sure you can categorise it as 'old labour', I can't remember the labour party ever using foreigners, benefits scroungers, and public sector workers as scapegoats for all the world's ills. I think you're getting confused with 'New Labour v2.0'.

Farage is a clever sod. He'll run on a ticket of anti-politics. The massively increasing 'none of the above' vote.

I doubt very much he'll be making many policy commitments at all. Just like Call me Dave didn't. Just make some vague noises and give no detail.

Farage will get tied down if anyone actually asks him about his policies

a man for whom the right wing tory party under thatcher was not right wing enough so he left

The privately educated ex investment banker and broker does the man of the people bon homie exceptionally well to be fair

I think they will struggle up north tbh

Not sure you can categorise it as 'old labour', I can't remember the labour party ever using foreigners, benefits scroungers, and public sector workers as scapegoats for all the world's ills. I think you're getting confused with 'New Labour v2.0'.

Nope. The BNP talked about renationalising industries and there was lots of anti-banker rhetoric etc.

Not sure if it's still the case but I looked at their policies on their own site a couple of years ago and a lot of it sounded surprisingly socialist.

JY - That lazy assumption that they'll struggle up north is exactly what's happening in the Labour Party, because they are now so completely detached from the constituencies they are supposed to represent, they haven't got a clue what people really think.

I reckon that they could be in for one hell of a shock in the European elections. Remember: Nick Griffen got himself elected last time out! And the Labour Party wasn't quite the pointless shambles it is now.

Binners you cannot base an actual election that matters on what happens in the EU elections- is one massive proitest vote basically. Its like a national by election

Of course UKIP will do well in those as will the BNP
I doubt it will translate to an MP for either party though in a real election that matters

I am not suggesting they be ignored I would simply ask fol to read the manifesto it is fairly barking tbh

Flat rate tax being but one example and proper climate change denial

He is to the right of Nigel lawson and some publicity will make the average folk realise that he is no ton their side even if they hate Europe

I imagine by the election everyone will promise [ perhaps PLEDGE ] a referendum on this so UKIP offer little different

I'm sure their manifesto is completely bonkers! So was the tory's. people still voted for them

My point is that with all the mainstream parties will lose loads of votes to frankly barking mad fringe parties, some of whom will have some pretty damn unpleasant agendas, like the BNP.

Lets be honest, when it comes to subjects like immigration, do you see much difference between the BNP, and the more lunatic fringe of the Tory Party? Or UKIP and the tories on Europe? Because I don't.

Labour will be in trouble because nobody will be arsed to actually get off there sofa to go and vote for them, they're so devoid of policies, and completely uninspiring! The nutters on the right always get out and vote!

Unfortunately - without PR - it is swing voters who decide elections not the stalwart supporters on each side of the divide

Whilst personally I want a lurch to the left I am less sure it would lead to the success we hope for but I would at least like to hear them try.

sadly Nu Labour think dont be as big a bunch of ****s as the Tory is a winning electoral strategy and they may well have a point

Lets be honest, when it comes to subjects like immigration, do you see much difference between the BNP, and the more lunatic fringe of the Tory Party? Or UKIP and the tories on Europe?

There's a huge difference between "the more lunatic fringe of the Tory Party" and the BNP imo.

By "lunatic fringe" I'm assuming you mean the Thatcherite right, which while they might champion and encourage greed and the vast accumulation of personal wealth, whilst seeking scapegoats to detract from their own political failures, are in a completely different category to the BNP.

The BNP is typically made up of white supremacist racists who idolize the memory of Adolf Hilter and the German Nazis Party. I would never accuse the Tory Right of being in that league.

The manifestos of the likes of BNP and UKIP may well be completely barking mad .If there is no political party prepared to address people's legitimate concerns about jobs schools nhs, local services and addresses the issue of different standards being applied to working people and the elite then groups like the EDL will continue to flourish and spread their hatred.
There's no reason for complacency in Scotland either as there's an SDL too which also seems to consist of a lot of BNP members. There is also some organised opposition to it ..mainly Scotland United.

If there is no political party prepared to address people's legitimate concerns about jobs schools nhs, local services and addresses the issue of different standards being applied to working people and the elite then groups like the EDL will continue to flourish and spread their hatred.

AFAIK the EDL has no political programme and doesn't stand for election.

And it's worth remembering that the UK electorate freely votes in vast numbers at election time for candidates who are committed to cutting local services.

The BNP is a political party, albeit not very successful...

I may be wrong but I thought the there was a strong connection or even an overlap between the BNP and the EDL. My other point is that there is no party offering an alternative to the cuts imposed by the current government with the exception of the SNP . Not much use if you're not in Scotland.

I may be wrong but I thought the there was a strong connection or even an overlap between the BNP and the EDL.

I doubt it. The EDL are just a bunch of football hooligans out looking for a fight. Now they can't do it at football matches they do it in city centres under the premise of protecting our fair country from those evil muslims who want to chop our heads off. The BNP are even more deluded, they think they should actually be in power 🙂 Also I think the far right has a fair amount of the People's Front of Judea v Judean People's Front thing going on so I bet there's no love lost.

My other point is that there is no party offering an alternative to the cuts imposed by the current government with the exception of the SNP . Not much use if you're not in Scotland.

The electorate in England isn't interested in voting for anti-cuts candidates, that's why all three maim parties are committed to spending cuts. There are anti-cuts candidates but they get nowhere at election time.

If there was significant support against austerity then you can be sure that the self-serving careerists and political opportunists which make up New Labour would be jumping on the bandwagon and shouting loudest against austerity.

Of course if the Labour Party was still the mass party of ordinary working people, as it once was, then it would be providing the leadership required to counter the misinformation from a Tory dominant press, and making the case that austerity isn't working and it is simply an ideologically motivated stunt to redistribute wealth in favour of a privileged few.

Instead of allowing the Daily Mail to dictate Labour Party policy.