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Yearly Archives: 2015
Nigel Farage is NOT welcome in Leeds
Stand Up to Racism – Stand Up to UKIP
Refugees and Migrants are Welcome in Leeds…
Nigel Farage – the ‘Poundshop Enoch Powell’ – is NOT welcome here…
Racism out of the Referendum
UKIP Leader Nigel Farage plans to speak in Leeds on Monday 30 November as part of his ‘Say No To EU’ tour. Farage will use the rally to ramp up racist scapegoating of migrants and refugees at a time when they need our solidarity.
Whether you are in favour of leaving the EU, want to stay in or have not made your mind up yet join us at the protest to say racism out the referendum and don’t let the likes of Farage divide us.
PROTEST AT UKIP’s LEEDS RALLY with NIGEL FARAGE
Assemble Monday 30 November, 6.30pm, Centenary Pavilion, Leeds United A F C Ltd, Low Fields Road, Leeds, LS11 0ES (51 bus from M7 Vicar Lane)
*NB NEW VENUE*
Called by Leeds Stand Up to UKIP – for more info email sutuleeds@gmail.com @LeedsSutu
https://www.facebook.com/events/552895051531196/
Download leaflet here:
Refugees Are Welcome Here
Two Upcoming Protests in Leeds
- National Day of Action – Saturday 12 September – meet 12 noon Briggate Leeds City Centre
https://www.facebook.com/events/954034927986109/
The National Day of Action to say Refugees Are Welcome Here – Called by Stand up to Racism, BARAC, Stop the War Coalition, Migrant Rights Network War on Want, Peoples Assembly Against Austerity, Movement Against Xenophobia, Love Music Hate Racism and Black Out London has also called for events around the country in solidarity with refugees. We want to show solidarity in Leeds for those who can’t travel to London.
http://www.standuptoracism.org.uk/2015/09/refugees-welcome-here/
We will also collect for the Stand Up to racism solidarity delegation to Calais on 17th October.
This event has been called in response to various reports of refugees fleeing war, persecution, torture and poverty losing their lives or struggling to find a safe haven. This includes the death of 200 refugees off the coast of Libya, around 70 refugees in a truck in Austria and on going reports of refugees drowning crossing the Mediterranean, stranded in Hungary and prohibited from moving around the EU, and those in Calais struggling to find sanctuary.
The government response to this has been disgraceful. Unlike Germany, Italy and Greece, Britain has not offered a safe haven for these people.
On Monday 14 September Home Secretary Theresa May will be meeting with EU leaders about the refugee crisis. We must learn the lessons of history and call on the government to take a humanitarian and compassionate response to refugees, and to meet its share of the responsibility for providing protection. Let’s send a strong message: we say refugees are welcome here.
2. Leeds No Borders have called a protest outside the Home Office in Leeds on Waterside Court, 471 Kirkstall Road, LS4 2QB on Monday 14 September – 12-1.30pm – details here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1642483946032221/
Leeds UNISON (offices – 160a, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9EN) have provisionally very kindly agreed to accept donations – as have Leeds Beckett Students Union (ring them in advance)
– men’s clothes – sweatshirts, jackets, trousers, socks (think camping!)
– sleeping bags and tents
– They do not need clothes for women or children, except shoes (trainers) sizes 4-6.
– Basic food products – flour, cooking-oil, sugar, tea, coffee, dried veg (pulses), canned tuna and tomatoes, long life milk.
The Stand Up to Racism second solidarity delegation to Calais is scheduled for Saturday 17 October.
Sally Hunt speaks on ‘Why immigration is good for us’
After the Election: Resisting Marketisation of Education and Campaigning for the Public University
Speakers: John Holmwood, Andrew McGettigan and Sally Hunt
Date: Wed 1st July 2015
Venue: Rosebowl Lecture Theatre A (Leeds Beckett University)
Time 5.00-7.00
Prof John Holmwood is a leading figure in the Campaign for the Public University and editor of A Manifesto for the Public University (Bloomsbury: 2011). He will defend the idea of a public university as an arena of dialogue and debate and promoter of social justice.
Sally Hunt is the General Secretary of the University and College Union (UCU). She will defend the social and educational benefits of immigration.
Andrew McGettigan is the author of The Great University Gamble (Pluto Press: 2013). He will speak on the malign consequences of, and the struggle against, marketisation of HE.
Making Farage History – Good Riddance!
Congratulations to all the anti-racists involved in stopping UKIP making an electoral breakthrough into parliament – and especially to the local Stand Up to UKIP / Stop Farage campaign for helping to #MakeFarageHistory in South Thanet – which precipitated his resignation as UKIP leader – a victory to savour indeed over the ‘poundshop Enoch Powell’!
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/08/ukip-frustrated-share-vote-fails-translate-seats
Statement from Stand Up to UKIP:
Today is an enormous victory for everyone who stood up to Farage’s politics of scapegoating and division.
Jo Cardwell Joint Convenor of Stand Up To UKIP said;”Farage came to South Thanet thinking that he could divide working class people by using racist scapegoating. But what Farage did not envisage was the level of resistance to both his Thatcherite politics and attempts to divide us”
It is notable that upon losing the election Farage stated “I feel an enormous weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I’ve never felt happier.” This demonstrates the insincerity and lack of commitment of Farage’s campaign to represent the people of South Thanet.
Farage promised us that UKIP would create a political earthquake after the European Elections. This has certainly not been the case precisely because many working class people have seen through UKIP’s lies. We are proud that Stand Up To UKIP have been able to galvinise anti-UKIP support up and down the country. Our campaign involved delivering hundreds of thousands of leaflets across Britain and our national and local demonstrations has had an effect in ensuring that UKIP did not win any additional MPs.
Neverthless, it is now crucial we are not complacent. UKIP have scored some high votes nationally off the back of the disgusting scapegoating of migrant that mainstream parties and the media have also been engaged in. It is essential now we continue to build a broad campaign to challenge UKIP’s racism, bigotry and anti-working class agenda so that legitimate anger around the effects of austerity is not misguidedly aimed at migrant and minority communities.
http://standuptoukip.org/good-riddance-statement-regarding-farages-election-loss/
Leeds May Day March and rally
Saturday 2 May, assemble 11.30am Victoria Gardens (outside Leeds City Art Gallery)
Join trade unionists in spreading a strong anti-racist message on this important march and demonstration!
Leeds Stand Up To UKIP 