No2EU:Yes to Democracy supporters clashed on saturday with members of the BNP in Carlisle as they were out campaigning for for RMT-backed left-wing coalition which is contesting seats across the UK in next months Euro elections on June 4.
Police were called after the BNP reacted with hostility to No2EU campaigners handing out leaflets in close proximity to the regular BNP street stall in Carlisle. In an hour long standoff RMT/No2EU campaigners refused to be moved on by the BNP.
Shoppers told the No2 EU campaigners that they were delighted that at last someone had had the courage to stand up to the BNP on the streets of Carlisle. ASLEF activist and No2EU candidate John Metcalfe said:
"The BNP have been leafletting Carlisle City Centre for months and obviously didn't take kindly to being exposed for the fascists that they are by our campaign. They were openly agressive and hostile and it didn't take long before the mask slipped and they started shouting fascist slogans."
Craig Johnson, from the RMT Executive and another member of the No2EU slate, added:
"I have lived and worked in and loved the city of Carlisle for 45 years. No one is going to intimidate and harass me off the streets of my home town."
Bob Crow, RMT general secretary and convenor of No2EU, said:
"RMT members and No2EU supporters will not bow to intimidation from the BNP in Carlisle or anywhere else in the country. What today's incident proves is that the BNP are worried about the socialist message of No2EU and it's appeal to voters who are sick of the political elite in the UK and in the EU. No2EU is the only left-wing group challenging the BNP on the streets for the votes of the angry and the disaffected on June 4th.
"We will be stepping up our campaign in the coming weeks and offering voters a socialist alternative to the poison and hatred of the far right," he said.
3 comments
noone · 13 May 2009
Well done, however I worry about splitting the anti-BNP vote. I heard that Respect were backing the Green Party to keep Nick Griffin out, and I know that Labour canvassers in my area are openly advocating people vote Green if they don't want to vote Labour. More small parties = more likely Nick Griffin gets to Eruope on PR !!!!
Andrew Wigglesworth · 2 June 2009
No, "noone", you're wrong.
The EU seats are allocated on the percentage of the votes cast. The more votes that are cast in total, the more votes in absolute terms that the BNP have to get. In this case it doesn't matter who these non-BNP votes are cast for.
In any case, I will be voting for "No2EU-Yes to democracy" since it is the platform that I have the most agreement with.
Oh, and well done to the Carlisle No2EU people for standing up to the BNP!
Prinkipo Exile · 2 June 2009
You are both wrong. The EU seats are allocated according to the D'hondt methodology which ranks party votes in order and allocates a seat to the top ranked party and then divides their vote, allocating the next seat to the next highest ranked party. This means that the votes that are cast for parties likely to come well below the likely score for winning a seat are completely irrelevant. It also means that it is not turnout that matters but the order in which parties finish.
In order to defeat the BNP you have to outpoll them. That's why in the North West, where the BNP have the strongest chance of winning a seat, I'll be voting Green as the only left party that can stop the BNP. A vote for No2EU will most likely mean that Nick Griffin will be my MEP on sunday when the votes are counted.
It's not ideal and there are many good reasons for voting for No2EU but in the north west, a Green vote is the best bet. Plus their lead candidate is a good left wing ecosocialist.