We are living in dark times. The division and hate which has so often in history led to conflict and misery is rearing its ugly head once again.
It starts with a comment. A nod, a nudge, a wink. It’s thinly veiled racism, misogyny, homophobia or ableism.
Then it breeds. “Why should anyone else have anything when I want everything?”
The race to the bottom gathers pace. “Send people home, back to where they came from. Take away benefits, support, charity.”
And then it gets nasty. “Send in the army. Shoot them in the water.”
We are living in a time, sadly, where many people genuinely think it’s acceptable to kill immigrants or let them drown in the Channel. To take lives. Snuff them out. Fellow human beings.
All the problems in society are blamed on black people, brown people, gay people, disabled people, anyone, basically, who is different to them. Forgetting that most crimes in the UK are committed by white, British men.
Here in Wigan, we have people spouting their fascist bile on social media and gaining support because they are promising the impossible: to turn back time, reverse progress and somehow control the town so that only white, working, able-bodied straight people are welcome.
Labour will not stand for facism.
We are inclusive, we are stronger together, we are progressive.
We want a country where everyone is welcome, supported and thrives.
Obviously we have a system in place to regulate immigration, and to tackle crime, discrimination and hate.
And people must be held accountable to that system.
But we will not allow the far-right to stoke fear and division and to attack anyone in our town.
Join us to stand in their way.
Click on the button below and hit “Join” in the top right.
On joining, you will be contacted by our Wigan team.