In response to the Exeter University Debating Society's reckless calling of a debate on the question of whether the BNP should be allowed a platform on campus (a position we strongly disagree with as the presence of fascists, which the hard-core BNP members undoubtedly are, leads to intimidation and violence against groups such as ethnic minorities and homosexuals, and also gives the impression that the BNP are a legitimate political party which only lends them credibility), Devon Socialist Party, and other groups such as Exeter Socialist Students, Exeter Socialists and Devon NUT, organised a protest outside the debating chamber.
The debate was won (if not on strength of argument but because the right wingers who see having fascists on campus as a 'cracking wheeze' dominate the Debating Society turned out in force) by those proposing the BNP be allowed on campus to spread their poison and cause safety issues for large numbers of students. They will now undoubtedly try to invite someone like BNP Fuhrer Nick Griffin down to speak, something which will be resisted by all anti-fascist campaigners. As last Friday, the Socialist Party and Socialist Students (who organised the protest last week) will be at the forefront.
On the Saturday, Socialist Party and Socialist Students members travelled from Exeter to London to go on the march to defend the NHS. It would be fair to say that the four main things you could always see on the demonstration were people, banners for the health union UNISON, banners for the general union Unite and Socialist Party members, placards, banners or papers.
The rally held at the end of the demo was kept deliberately non-political by the UNISON leadership, who seem determined to remain several centimetres up the Prime Ministers unmentionable. In UNISON they bitterly oppose any attempt to question the donation of millions of pounds of UNISON members money to the New Labour government that is kicking them in the teeth and the NHS in the direction of private sector fat cats.
We say -
Break the link with New Labour - don't fund those who kick us in the teeth -
Support the Campaign for a New Workers Party and candidates standing on anti-cuts and save the NHS platforms -
Link up the local NHS campaigns to form a fighting national 'Save our NHS' campaign free from the obstructions of the likes of UNISON leader Dave Prentis
To keep this website a place for news, reports and announcements about events, we try to keep articles quite short. We have had a few, but we plan to publish some interesting and insightful articles about key issues such as inequality, low pay and class with a focus on Devon over the coming weeks. We have therefore decided to create a new website for these articles, at http://devonsocialistarticles.wordpress.com . When we add an article to that website we will put a notice on this main website to let you know.
