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Thousands ready to march through London to stand up to racism and fascism

TENS of thousands will march through central London tomorrow in a show of unity against fascism and racism as the Tory government totters.

The TUC-backed march, organised by anti-racist campaign groups Stand Up to Racism, Unite Against Fascism and Love Music Hate Racism, was called to highlight the growing far-right menace following large mobilisations by supporters of Islamophobic poster boy “Tommy Robinson” over the summer.

And as Prime Minister Theresa May struggled to maintain control of her own party with the Tory right threatening to call a vote of no confidence over her Brexit deal with the EU, organisers said the huge demonstration was a chance to show confidence in the real alternative to her government — Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour.

Stand Up to Racism co-convener Sabby Dhalu told the Morning Star that the Tory meltdown occurring when US far-right organiser Steve Bannon was in the country should “ring alarm bells.”

Ms Dhalu added: “Bannon’s meeting with Michael Gove, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson in the summer indicates that whatever happens in the present crisis there are sections of the Conservative Party that would like to take the country in a Trumpian direction.”

Mr Johnson’s resignation as foreign secretary in July was followed by an an article in the Daily Telegraph in which he compared Muslim women to “letterboxes” and “bank robbers” — prompting a spike in reported Islamophobic incidents — which was widely seen as an overture to the racist right.

Ms Dhalu said the government faced a crisis of “its own making” as it sought to deliver Brexit after years in which it had “implemented austerity, attacked the working class and stirred up racism and Islamophobia.” 

Tory encouragement of racism long preceded the European Union referendum, with campaigners pointing to the “hostile environment” policy that led to the deportation of black British citizens who arrived on the Empire Windrush in the 1940s, the Islamophobic campaign against Sadiq Khan fought by Conservative hopeful Zac Goldsmith and David Cameron’s depiction of refugees as a “swarm” heading for Britain as factors that helped to legitimise racism in society.

“We need a Jeremy Corbyn-led Labour government and a robust movement against racism and fascism,” Ms Dhalu said.

The demonstration will bring together campaigners from across the left, with blocks organised by Football for All, peace campaigners, the Jewish Socialist Group, Refugees Welcome, the People’s Assembly, Momentum and many major trade unions.

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