29TH APRIL 2006

I’m proud to be standing here today as a representative of over 5 million students in the UK because students have always been at the forefront of campaigning against the fascist BNP and other far right groups.

Uniting against Islamophobia after 7/7, protesting outside the court where BNP leader Nick Griffen was being tried and most recently uniting to demand the racist lecturer Frank Ellis be removed from Leeds University we will as a movement continue to be an integral part of the anti-fascism, anti racism campaign, because there is no way we can become complacent.

To the threat they pose to the amazing multiculturalism of our country the BNP use spin to try and turn naïve voters to them. We must educate young people and society about who the BNP are and what they really stand for. They are not a legitimate political party and never will we recognize them as one.

They oppose the very principles of diversity, equality and collectivism that are central, not only to the student movement, but to living in a just, decent society.

We must be clear – their image may have changed, their rhetoric may have changed, but they are still racist, still sexist and still homophobic. We have seen when we let the BNP on our campuses – violence increases and our student’s safety is under immediate threat.

It is events like this and the rallies, meetings and protests that happen on our campuses, and up and down the country and across the globe that proves that there is no place for fascists or racists on our campuses or in our communities and where we find them we must unite to drive them out.

May 4th is your opportunity, our opportunity to prove that the BNP have no place in British politics – use your vote to keep the BNP out.

Have a fabulous day. Keep united against fascism.

Thank you.

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