Stop the War coalition, Newsletter - 09/08/24

Posted: 10th August 2024

From the UK to Palestine – Unity Is Our Strength

Echoing through the racist violence of the past ten days are the lies used against Muslims to justify the so-called “war on terror”. As Lindsey German wrote at the start of the week:

“Islamophobia in Britain has been significantly aggravated since the outset of the “war on terror” in 2001. The hateful propaganda against Muslims used to justify the failed wars in Afghanistan and Iraq is still echoing to this very day. It should also be noted that some of those being attacked in hotels housing asylum seekers have most likely fled the chaos left behind by those wars. They are here because we were there – this must not be forgotten.”

The reclamation of the streets on Wednesday was also intertwined with the anti-war, pro-Palestine movement that sprung up in resistance to those wars. Throughout the anti-fascist demonstrations, Palestinian flags and chants could be seen and heard. Unity of our movements is our strength and long may it continue.

With that in mind, we cannot allow Palestine to slip down the agenda. Not content with a genocide in Gaza, Netanyahu clearly wants a wider war in the Middle East in order to attempt to destroy Iran and its allies. We cannot allow them to take us into another war. On this anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan, we must assert that peace, not war, is the only possibility of avoiding barbarism.

While there is never an excuse for the racism we have witnessed recently, the deprivation and poverty evident in many communities in Britain creates an environment in which hatred can thrive. Investment is desperately needed. The new PM could start by cancelling the £3 billion a year being sent to Ukraine to prolong the NATO-Russia proxy war which would cover the cost of lifting the two-child benefit cap, significantly improving the lives of 1.6 million children impacted by the policy. With Ukrainian troops, tanks and armoured vehicles entering Russia this week the potential for catastrophic escalation is rising by the hour.

Meanwhile, Starmer and Yvette Cooper’s reluctance to directly call out racism and Islamophobia continues to create a vacuum in which those who seek to divide our communities can profit. Labour’s purely ’law and order’ attitude to the quelling the violence will not succeed in the long run. While the government’s praise has been exclusively lauded on law enforcement we must remember that this week’s resistance to the fascists is down to the people, not the police.

It is high time for the Labour government to join the anti-racist majority in this country and speak out against attempts to demonise Muslims, black and brown people and fight openly for the cohesion of our communities in opposition to racism.

TUC Fringe: Why War, Peace & Palestine are Trade Union Issues

Stop the War TUC Fringe Meeting
Why War, Peace & Palestine are Trade Union Issues

Mon 9th Sept – 6.30pm

Friends House, Ship St, Brighton, BN1 1AF

At Stop the War the trade union movement has always been at the heart of what we do. We continue to work with trade unions in recognition that war and peace are class issues and because it is through the power of organised working people that we have the capacity to change society. This year we have seen acts of solidarity in workplace days of action for Palestine and union banners aplenty on the national Palestine marches.

British-made bombs and components have rained down on Gaza before our eyes, the Ukraine military is being equipped with British-made arms and ordinary working people are paying with their lives as the needless slaughter continues.

Labour has pledged to raise military spending in line with the Tory plans. There’s always more money for bombs, while the rest of us face austerity. Every pound spent on militarisation is a pound less for tackling the cost of living and housing crises, rebuilding our crumbling schools and hospitals and reducing NHS waiting lists. Working people need welfare not warfare.

To address these issues and more StW is holding a fringe meeting at the TUC in Brighton. We will be joined by Fran Heathcote, PCS General Secretary, Alex Gordon, RMT President, Riccardo LaTorre, FBU National Officer and others. Please come along and find out more about why war, peace and Palestine are trade union issues.

RSVP Here

This Week’s Anti-War Briefing