THERE ARE worrying signs in the East Midlands that the political vacuum created by the Labour Party's increasingly right wing agenda is being filled by racism.
The Tories won a by-election in Keith Vaz's Leicester East constituency standing on a "No Mosques or Temples here" ticket.
The BNP has not been idle either - they are to stand a candidate in Kirkby. They have leafleted inner city areas of Leicester, Nottingham and Derby as well as at football grounds. There are regular Blood and Honour gigs in the Notts and Leics areas.
Chased out
In Loughborough they chased the SWP out of a town centre pub. There is a unit of Skrewdriver Security in the area cism. as well as a Nazi Skinzine and Nazi band English Rose in nearby Coalville The local Asian c: munity, concerned at the incre ing level of racist attacks have been told by the police that there is no organised presence of racists and fascists in the area!
Work around the issue of travellers rights and provision of sites for travellers has been important for anti-racist activists in Leics.
The BNP and the Tories have been active in campaigning against a site in Thurcaston. They have drawn in a motley crew of outraged residents and preservationists arguing a "green" case for opposing sites.
The local Labour Council claims the best reason for the site is the increased police powers given to evicting travellers from unofficial sites. Both sides are keen to use racist arguments.
Both Leics and Notts Anti Fascist Alliance have had their resources stretched to breaking point in trying to respond to racist and fascist activities. The Labour movement has got to organise now to prevent the further growth of racism and fasThe Leicestershire Anti Fascist Alliance has organised a dayschool on fighting racism and fascism in the workplace and the community, on April 22 at the Secular Hall, Humberstone Gate, Leicester. The school is especially designed for trade union activists.
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No. 81, April 8 1995, Page 6 ТЕКШ