In this series of guest blogs, we asked the leaders of the main political parties in Scotland to share their thoughts ahead of the annual St Andrew’s Day Anti-Racism March & Rally which takes place this Saturday. Next up is Richard Leonard MSP, leader of the Scottish Labour Party.
On Saturday 24th November 2018, we will come together in Glasgow for the annual STUC St Andrew’s Day anti-racist march & rally.
In the summer we came together and stood firm to say to Donald Trump no pasaran!
And there are challenges closer to home. The Tories’ hostile policy to immigration has also increased intolerance.
Failing to challenge this intolerance normalises it, and we must not allow such a culture to take root.
So in the summer, Glasgow challenged intolerance towards asylum seekers
The Glasgow community, trade unions and housing associations led protests against the planned evictions, alongside politicians, and this forced Serco to pause this morally unjustifiable action.
This is not the type of country we want to be in 2018.
And that is why Labour is clear that the entire hostile environment policy approach to immigration must go.
History teaches us that truth has to be fought for every step of the way.
And each generation has to fight the same battles over and over again.
To people experiencing racism or discrimination
We say to you that you do not stand alone. We stand with you. Your destiny is our destiny. Until you are free from injustice. No-one is free from injustice. In the words of that old trade union slogan: An injury to one is an injury to all.
This is not about right versus left. It is about right versus wrong.
We stand against the values of hate and intolerance, but we stand for hope and for common humanity. We stand for freedom of speech. We stand for an ideal of world peace.
We stand for the waging of a war on world poverty and inequality. 36 million people will die this year of hunger and yet the richest 500 increased their wealth by one trillion dollars last year.
Our modest goal is a common victory for justice, for peace, for human dignity and racial harmony, by breaking down barriers not building them up.
In the modern world the real test of democracy is not nationhood.
The answer to the challenges of our age is not nationalism: it is internationalism.
We know this as democratic socialists, trade unionists and co-operators.
The real test of our age is whether the mass of people who create the world’s wealth secure economic justice from the few.
So let’s work together to create a better society for all: let’s start in our own communities but let’s understand that we are part of a worldwide movement for real change.
Read part 1: Patrick Harvie MSP, leader of the Scottish Green Party
Read part 2: Ruth Davidson MSP, leader of the Scottish Conservative Party
Read part 3: Willie Rennie MSP, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats
Join us on Saturday at the biggest annual anti-racism event in Scotland: Find out more and let us know you are coming along here.
Scottish Trades Union Congress 