'Hope Not Hate' Unleash Their Secret Weapon Against The BNP

K.Bullstreet | 02.06.2009 16:29 | Anti-racism

- GORDON BROWN!!!

With only a couple of days to go until the Euro elections, the ‘Searchlight’ front, ‘Hope Not Hate’ (HNH) have unleashed their secret weapon in their campaign to stop people voting for the British National Party (BNP) – The Prime minister!

Beleaguered Gordon Brown was happy to take a photo opportunity with the HNH bus, and to be the prime signatory among politicians and liberal luvvies signing a statement pushing the HNH line. While astute antifascists have always been aware that the real message HNH wished to promote was ‘Vote Labour’, it is hard to think of a stunt more likely to push voters into the arms of the BNP than the kiss of death from Gordon Brown, the leader of a struggling corrupt government, and the man most people are likely to blame for the current economic crisis. The stunt certainly makes HNH’s real role crystal clear though, as little more than a Trojan horse for New Labour and a cynical attempt to con antiracists into backing a viciously racist authoritarian party in order to prevent the encroach of the viciously racist and authoritarian BNP.

The SWP front ‘Unite Against Fascism’ (UAF) may not be as solidly in the New Labour camp as HNH, but they are still bleating the same tired line – ‘Don’t WASTE your vote’ – As if a chance to put a cross against the name of one scumbag or another has any WORTH. Ordinary people KNOW they are being conned, not only by New Labour and the Tories, but also by the liberal Left, whose credibility in most working-class communities doesn't even rival that of the BNP. If the fascists fail to make a breakthrough in the Euro elections, it will be no thanks to the UAF or ‘Hope Not Hate’.

K.Bullstreet
Homepage: http://www,antifa.org.uk

Comments

Hide the following 15 comments

Sorry

02.06.2009 16:51

Sincere apologies for the repeat postings IMC.

K.Bullstreet

UAF in Leeds

02.06.2009 17:05

It was pretty sad that to try and get out supporters on Saturday to do their leafleting, the UAF in Leeds had to lie about the BNP supposedly leafleting on Briggate. The Trots have been using the same tactic for decades. For them the BNP are just an opportunity to swell their party numbers and their party coffers.

Antifascist

disapointed!

02.06.2009 17:34

damn, the post title got me all excited, my imagination running riot - maybe hnh's secret weapon would be a huge inflatable penis that secretes fash killing fluid! no such luck, just 'dead duck' brown desperately trying to pretend the last few months havent happened. ho hum.

to antifascist

02.06.2009 20:56

the SWP were not lying, they were misinformed. The week before the BNP had done a flash-leafletting for about 10 minutes at four after all the lefties had pissed off. It wasn't unreasonable to assume that it could happen the next weekend.

I was at a meeting during the week where somebody said that she worked for a media company and had heard reports that the BNP would leaflet this saturday as well. Now I am not entirely sure, but I think she is new SWP member/ supporter. She was not one of the typical hacks who actually lie.

On the day itself Tony White and a couple of spotters were seen in the morning. It was very possible that they were intending to do an action/stall/leafletting but saw the amount of lefties who had turned up and decided it wasn't worth the risk.

I have as much criticisms of the SWP, their politics and their actions as you do but this wasn't a deliberately constructed lie on their part, just some information which was either unreliable or changed on the day.

anonymous

Leeds

02.06.2009 21:10

I heard all sorts of rumours and speculation in the run-up to the weekend. None of it seemed to have any real basis and all of it emenated from the UAF.

Tony White is not in the BNP.

Antifascist

Dear anonymous

02.06.2009 21:25

Who actually saw the BNP do their 'flash leafletting'? As someone involved in local antifascism for many years, I personally think it very unlikely they would have even dared attempt this in Leeds. This all sounds like a case of 'Chinese whispers' at best. Some people see fascists everywhere. Everyone from AFA to Antifa, from Workers Power to random skinheads have at various times been 'mistaken' for fascists. Tony White is not a member of the BNP, he's an idiot and a trouble-causer for sure, but has been in hiding for some time. I heard the rumour he'd been seen, but am unconvinced that most of those gossiping could even identify White. He's a coward, but his usual MO is to hide screaming behind the cops not to simply fuck off. I doubt he'd have been put off by a few young students, and the Antifa contingent leafleting further up Briggate didn't see hide nor hair of White or the BNP.

Antifa member

dono about last week but he's been about...

02.06.2009 23:10

Whilst im not sure about last week or that before, tony white has definatly scouted the SWP saturday stall on brigate in the last few months, along with some other guy.
There was a rationale behind the alleged "chinesee wispers" that the BNP would be leafleting, it was the last saturday before the election, and they could expected that the left would be thin on the ground, due to LMHR gig in stoke- just as the BPP attempted to "reclaim the streets" with their "white music for white people" 'demo' (ie farse and anti-facsist victory) on the weekend of the manchester anarchist book fair.
UAF has leafleted briggate several times in the last few months (again being filmed by nazi's) as well as a fair chunk of housing in leeds, so we don't need to "make up" stories to get people out. This whole idea that the swp is some sort of baby eating conspiracy is childish and ridclous. Of course we need constant and serious debate the direction of the anti-fascisit movement, and the left in general- now more than ever, but if these debates are going to get some where people need to grow up a bit.
finaily whilst facisits have and will never been defeated at the ballot box, to abstain from voting merely makes it easier for them to get in due to the fact that they need only about 10% of the total vote to get in- this doesn't mean voting labour- ok, neither no2eU yes to democracy or scargills stalinist-left outfit are perfect but its better than abstentionalism or spoiled ballots- for this election anyway.
A disapointment in the elections will massivly damage the BNP- bankrupting them and propelry leading to a split, wich will bring there true nazi nature even more in to the publics eye.
But of course THEY WILL ONLY BE SMASHED ON THE STREETS, and the need for a politcal alternative is as real as ever.

"dave"

What?

03.06.2009 10:23

So let me get this right - you think that voting is a waste of time, yet you don't want people to vote BNP? Perhaps if there was actually a full electoral turnout, the BNP would be less of a "threat". You can't have it both ways.

And if you don't like the choice of candidates, stand for election yourself.

The SWP

03.06.2009 15:23

"Some baby-eating conspiracy"?

No, just a bunch of lying manipulative wankers with shit politics.

Kronstadt

Methinks 'Trotsky' protesteth too much

04.06.2009 10:15

Lenin, an epic liar himself, wrote about what he referred to as "revolutionary morality" (as opposed to "bourgeois morality") - by which basically any amount of amorality can be justified. The SWP has a transitory paper membership, and many of their young members are probably decent people (and I doubt many of them have read Lenin.) The leadership of the party however, it's unelected committees and organisers, while often inept, can be absolutely ruthless, often lying to their own membership, let alone those outside the party. I learned this first-hand, many years ago, as a one-time SWP member myself, and my encounters with the SWP since then have only increased my disgust at their perpetual political manouvering, opportunism, and deceitfulness. There are good reasons why most political activists outside the SWP regard them as anathema to any form of radical struggle. In my experience as an anti-fascist both before AFA (Anti Fascist Action) was set up and during its existence I have lost count of the times these arch manipulators lied, often effectively assisting the fascists, to suit their own narrow political agenda. After decades of deceit and the worst kind of Machiavellian practices, it is hardly surprising that anti-fascists are reluctant to take the SWP's word for anything. Personally, I think they'd be foolish to trust them in any way or to work with them to any extent. There are good reasons why the SWP are distrusted and disliked, and after 'crying wolf' so many thousands of times over the years, they are not in a position to get on their high horse when anti-fascists are sceptical about their veracity now. To quote Emma Goldman: "Trotsky protests too much."

Ex AFA

Leeds and Fascists

10.06.2009 01:30

I think more than ever we need to see a more concentrated effort on Yorkshire in general for active antifascism. I have seen the rise in West Yorkshire of people supporting the BNP and other groups and have heard of people speaking up for the likes of filth like Tony White while i am at work.It's sad day when we all know what odious creatures these people are but sadly their names keep coming up in different circles outside of politics. In Pudsey I hear people in general talking about the BNP or NF and the same old names crop up. I also know that he and other nutters have been visiting houses or have been spotted taking photos in the streets of anti racist campaigners and activities and have become so blaise yet again. Are we going to see a time again when they freely attack shops and businesses as they did in the 80's and 90's? They need stopping physically not electorally and having heard white and other nazis on Talk Sport radio this morning I believe more than ever that we need to stop them having a platform support UAF
Smash the nazis off OUR streets

Robbie D

Leeds

11.06.2009 10:42

White is a cowardly idiot and enjoys being a pest to the likes of UAF, who he knows won't give him the beating he deserves. In terms of stopping fascism the UAF are a waste of time and those in their ranks who really want to do something to stop the rise of the BNP should look elsewhere or organise themselves.

Antifa

Nazi Scum

11.06.2009 19:04

White and Foye work here as security working alternate shifts.
Go to the security kiosk at the car entrance and you will find them there.
www.city-island.co.uk
City Island
Gotts Road, Leeds, LS12 1DE
0845 226 0345

Call this number and ask for Tony and you will get one of them another guy works when they are off.

Anti-Nazi

@Antifa

12.06.2009 19:53

It's allright condemning hard working activists for not resorting or talking of the methods you maintain Antifa but remember the Socialists who come under fire time and again by these same people. Its all well and good saying these cretins are cowards but they have proven time and again that they are willing to attack people physically and attack property and homes. Look at the attacks on trade unionists and vehicles a number of years back.
When White was imprisoned property and people were attacked and this has been happening again since the BNP had their homes or cars daubed. Who bears the brunt of these actions? Sit back and laugh since it's not you under attack. I have seen the comments before that seemed to say that others deserved it for their complacency and that you don't get attacked because you are more security conscious. Your actions only provoke them.

Cal

"Cal"?

15.06.2009 20:10

A piss-poor attempt at trolling, as usual, from arch dimwit Tony White. Have you been drinking today Tony, you worthless sap, or are you back on the glue?

TwatWatch