Trade union movement rallies against fascism

The trade union movement is taking a central role in the campaign to defeat far-right parties like the British National Party (BNP) at the local, European and Greater London Authority elections next month.

Last month saw TUC-organised anti-fascist rallies in London and Birmingham and the launch of a new activists' handbook, Organising against racism and fascism, produced jointly by the TUC and the Searchlight anti-fascist organisation.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "We will not stand on the sidelines and watch organisations of the far right spread their poison in workplaces and communities throughout the country.

"We will work with local communities to ensure that everyone understands that there is much more that unites communities than divides them, and that we should celebrate our diversity as a strength - not a weakness."