Vote Hope Not Hate

 

Saturday was the Love Music Hate Racism Festival at the home of the Mighty Potters, the Britannia Stadium. 

We (Unison) had a stall there amongst the other Trade Unions, Pressure Groups, and sellers of colourful things. It was a scorching hot day coupled with a blustery wind left me regretting my choice of summer dress for two reasons. Firstly a couple of Monroe style incidents of billowing skirt. Love Music hate Flashing. An secondly my telltale sunburned shoulders and décolletage (always wanted to use that word). The mainstay of activity on our stall seemed to be the supply of Helium filled balloons. I wondered why all these supposed cool teens were so into balloons, but it turned out that they were actually into inhaling the Helium. Made me feel just a bit like a drug pusher. By the end of my stint on the stall I was highly proficient in the balloon inflating department developing a two handed technique that could surely see me through in next years Britain's Got Talent, failing that a sideline as a children's party clown, Jolly Jenny and her Amazing Balloons…or something

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We didn’t get to see the show, but certainly heard it. If the cheering crowd was anything to go by it was a roaring and whooping success. The one person I would have bitten off a small finger to see was the TransFather Himself  and all round comedy god Eddie Izzard, who was doing a spot of comparing. I love Eddie from the first time I saw him on the Royal Variety Show, with a routine that involved monkeys, trees and French. I can still remember the day when I heard he had announced that he was a transvestite. Somebody famous that I liked, was like me (I identified as a transvestite back in those days). He will never know it, but he had a profound effect on me at a time when I was struggling for self acceptance.

 

Anyway enough of the Fluff. There is only one real reason why  this important event was in Stoke for the first time and that is the insidious presence of those cloaked fascists the BNP (British National Party).

They currently hold 9 seats on our council, more than the Tories and its not beyond credibility that they could take control of the local authority in the medium future. I have a BNP councillor, and lets get this straight they are not only racist but homophobic and haters of anyone of difference. I love my idiosyncratic city, but I can only feel ashamed of the current state of its local politics. If these nasty hate filled bile mongers ever do get control it will not just be a stain on my city but it will give them a power base to spread their infection throughout the country. If you don't believe that, then just look at France and the rise of Le Pen, who eventually stood for president. Europe’s history is peppered with examples of what happens when these racists gain a the veil of credibility and as the quote sort of goes, “Evil prospers when good people do nothing”

So at the risk of being preachy (understatement alert!) I come to my main point and that is the upcoming European Elections on June 4th. Hands up who is not intending to vote (gotcha, you voted now!). Turnout for the Euros is poor enough at the best of times, but right now after all the expenses kerfuffle the major political parties reputation ranks below even that of Bankers, Spammer’s and Loan Sharks  but maybe. However, this must not stop us from voting. Everyone, but everyone needs to vote for someone or something, just as long as its not for the BNP (or maybe UKIP too. If the BNP are bad the UKIP are their mad cousins). Of course as a lefty Trade Unionist I hope that people vote for progressive parties, but even if you are misguided enough to be a Tory, just damn well make sure you vote. Every vote not cast is sucker to the racists. They only need to few percentage points more to get a couple of seats in the West Midlands or a seat in the North West or Eastern region. For every seat they gain, will mean a chunk load of money from the European Parliament. Now we know they are not interested in Europe at all. Nationalists as Internationalists just doesn’t work. The money however does. They may well use this to fund paid organisers in cities like Stoke. Indeed, I understand that if Nick (Holocaust Denier) Griffin gets elected in the North West then he intends to buy a house in Stoke on Trent. What is happening in Stoke could be coming to a council ward near you.

If you have never had to fight the BNP locally, then you do now. Everyone gets to vote in these Euros and every single vote matters. These elections are important, they do matter.

Anyone says they “Don’t do Politics” is wrong. Life is Politics. An uncast vote in the Euro elections is doing politics, a politics that sees the fascists prosper.

Vote Hope not Hate… Vote on June 4th

http://unison.org.uk/stopthebnp/doing.asp

Preaching over…normal service will resume with more tales of my misadventures (mainly falling over)