Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has called on “all Labour members and anyone who cares about the future of our country” to join a Momentum demonstration to oppose far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who intends to lead a march in London on Sunday 9 December.
it doesn’t matter whether you voted leave or remain, Tommy Robinson doesn’t represent you
John McDonnell
McDonnell said Robinson and other far right figures “threaten the very fabric of our nation” and called on supporters to “stand firm against the poison Robinson is trying to inject into our politics”, arguing that “it doesn’t matter whether you voted leave or remain, Tommy Robinson doesn’t represent you”.
McDonnell said that “the working class of Britain have a proud history of beating the far right” and that “this history must continue”. He also called on the labour movement to be “front and centre” in opposing the far right.
The march, organised by Momentum and a coalition of partners including London Young Labour, Labour Against Racism and Fascism and the Stop Trump Coalition, is to take place in central London on 9 December. Momentum is also planning a social media campaign comprised of digital communications and a series of videos to mobilise members.
McDonnell said:
This march isn’t about Brexit, it’s about far right extremists dressing up in suits and pretending to be respectable.
They don’t care about communities who voted to leave, the towns that have been ravaged for decades by heartless globalisation and held back by Tory austerity. Only Labour has a plan to rebuild these communities, with more investment and decent jobs in every region across the country. These far right extremists only care about themselves.
The working class of Britain have a proud history of beating the far right. In Lewisham in the 1970s the National Front were outnumbered by nearly ten to one. At Cable Street, the local Jewish community and socialists from across Britain stood firm against Oswald Mosley’s blackshirts.
This history must continue. A newly energised, well funded network of hate is emerging, from Steve Bannon in the US to the former EDL leader Tommy Robinson at home, and it threatens the very fabric of our nation. The labour movement must be front and centre in opposing them, and I’m glad that Momentum are leading the way.
It doesn’t matter whether you voted leave or remain, Tommy Robinson doesn’t represent you. I call on all Labour members and anyone who cares about the future of our country to join the demonstration on 9 December and stand firm against the poison Robinson is trying to inject into our politics.”
Momentum spokesperson Becky Boumelha said:
Tommy Robinson is trying to position himself as the leader of the leave voters by pretending to care about Brexit. This is a lie, and all he seeks to do is legitimise himself and a politics of fear and division which blames refugees, migrants and Muslims for theproblems in our society.
Tommy Robinson doesn’t have the answers, and neither do his friends in the Tory party who have presided over the catastrophic ideological destruction of our country.
We need a future of investment in our communities alongside access to decent healthcare, education and housing. The first step is to stand together against right wing extremists who look to destroy our country.
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