22 September, 2010 – Hope Not Hate

Over the past year we have achieved some major victories. We annihilated the BNP in Barking & Dagenham and Stoke-on-Trent. We defeated 26 of its 28 councillors up for re-election, removing the BNP from council chambers across the country. More recently, in seeing off an English Defence League march in Bradford, we built such a large campaign in the community that a new, more positive spirit has taken hold in the city.

This is all down to you.

Thousands of you got involved in our campaign – leafleting, signing petitions and giving money. Over 1,500 people got involved in our Barking & Dagenham campaign alone and over 7,000 of you made donations.

But the fight is not over. We are living in difficult times and as the cuts begin to bite so the likelihood is that the BNP will begin to regroup.

I have written a campaign memo about the coming dangers and I would like you to be the first to read it.

http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/HOPE-not-hate-campaign-2011

However, the threat from the far right is not just in the ballot box. Racism and Islamophobia is rising in our society as people become more scared and insecure about their own situation. The racist English Defence League is tapping into this darkening mood. We need to work in the communities to win people away from these racist ideas and, through community organising, use the threat of the EDL to actually bring people together.

I will shortly be letting you know how you can get involved in our campaign, but for now I would like you to read the campaign strategy I’ve mapped out that can beat the BNP at the ballot box and see off the EDL in our communities.

http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/HOPE-not-hate-campaign-2011

This year we have achieved an amazing amount but there is still work to be done. With your help and involvement I have no doubt that we can win again and ensure that HOPE triumphs over hate.

Thanks
Nick