By Andy Ford, at the Unite conference
Taranjit Shukra, a Unite rep in the Aerospace and Shipbuilding sector, made an excellent speech moving a resolution on Reform UK at the conference. It is worth reporting in full:
“In the wave of violence post Southport, my parents were too terrified to leave the house, for them it was a retun to the race riots of the 70’S 80’s
“In Bristol a hotel was targeted over the weekend, and the following wednesday more violence was expected or planned, as such a counter protest was organised, in which Bristol slowed up in overwhelming numbers!
“In the build up to the counter protest the region organised a call so that visible minorities could plan how to remain safe… in my own city! I made plans to meet up with others a safe distance from the protest to then travel together.
“Despite these precautions my wife was terrified and begged me not to leave the house. Despite this I went along .
“Since Southport I worry it will happen again. The police response to that car driver who drove into the crowds in Liverpool, and events in Northern Ireland validates my concern. The root causes of the violence last summer have not been dealt with.
“I hear so often about the disillusionment people feel about Labour. I get it but Reform are considered by some to be the anti establishment party.
“There are now a lot of commentators who get attention for the self evident statement, “Britain is broken”… and they look for a strong leader to solve these problems. They conflate all the small problems like people jumping the barriers on the underground with a greater malaise in society like housing and jobs. They say they have the simple answers to life’s complex problems.
“As it happens, I went to school with Tommy Robinson. I last spoke to him 20 years ago before he gained significant notoriety. He has since mined racist content for attention. He avoids serious challenge as do people like Nigel Farage / Fraser Nelson / Matt Goodwin/ Charlie Kink. if they ever are, they return to personal insults or attack the questioner and evade the meat/substance of the question
“Colleagues, let’s not simply attack those who support parties or ideas we disagree with such as Reform.
“Let’s have the respectful conversation to change hearts and minds demonstrating the best values of our trade union.
I move”
