"We're still some way from those days, thankfully, but one important aspect is much worse. Back then, racism was a furtive, guilty pleasure: deep down, even bigots knew their bigotry was ugly. No more. What was striking about last weekend's march wasn't the turnout, easily matched by some of the protests about Gaza. It's the lack of shame, the brazen insistence on an Englishman's right to make others feel small. It's the normalisation of what was until recently considered malicious extremism."
"Keir Starmer coughs, splutters and takes the coward's way out. He either pretends not to see racism or panders to it. Just over a couple of months ago, in small towns across Northern Ireland, migrants were burned out of their homes and a mosque was petrol bombed. The prime minister's response? First and foremost, he deplored attacks on the police. Muslims deluged with hate and fearing for their lives got only a promise of every step possible to keep you safe."
More than 100,000 people marched in London chanting 'send them back', echoing 1970s racial politics but without previous shame. Racism has shifted from furtive guilt to brazen public assertion, normalising malicious extremism. Political leadership, especially Keir Starmer and No 10, responded inadequately, often prioritising police concerns over persecuted minorities. Recent incidents included migrants' homes burned and a mosque petrol-bombed in Northern Ireland, met with promises focused on police protection rather than strong condemnation of racism. A heavy-handed crackdown targeted law-breaking while silence persisted on racially motivated violence. The result is emboldened public bigotry and weakened protections for vulnerable communities.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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