March 25 2019
I want to thank grassroots members from the bottom of my heart for the extraordinary solidarity they’ve shown since my suspension.
It’s been incredibly heart-warming and humbling to be the recipient of such an outpouring of support, and to witness the vicarious indignation felt by thousands as result of this decision.
But this isn’t just about me, it’s about all of us.
I’m proud of Labour’s record in standing up to racism and bigotry in all its forms throughout our history.
Whether it was standing shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish community in Cable Street against Oswald Mosely’s fascists, or confronting the fascist National Front via the Anti-Nazi League in the 1970s, Labour Party members have always been at the forefront.
Let’s remember it was people like Ken Livingstone, when he was the leader of the GLC, who were dismissed and disparaged as “Looney Lefties” for challenging casual racism in the 1980s.
That’s one of the reasons why we owe Ken a debt of gratitude.
He was in the vanguard of those challenging all forms of bigotry at that time, he played a huge role in shifting public opinion.
And let’s also remember that Jackie Walker has spent her life fighting racism, as well as being a target of it.
She helped to spearhead the efforts to stop Nigel Farage obtaining a parliamentary platform for his bigoted credo, when he stood as a parliamentary candidate in South Thanet in 2015.
Thank you, Jackie, for your tenacity and your bravery.
But there is of course more to do, which is why we need to unite to stand up to bigotry that manifests itself in racism, Islamophobia, misogyny and anti-Semitism.
So, let’s stand together and keep our eyes on the prize of a Corbyn-led Labour Government.
A government that will transform our country.
A government that will implement an irreversible shift in the balance of power in the interests of working people.
And a government that will implement a genuine ethical foreign policy.
That’s why we’re being subjected to unjustified, and unjustifiable, smears and attacks.
And that’s why my motto is that solidarity is crucial when it’s difficult, not just when it’s easy.
We’re not just trying to win an election, we’re in the process of changing the course of history.
So, let’s make history together.