The event will explore how nationalism and populism can be countered by building alliances with marginalised groups such as women, indigenous peoples, LGBTQ+, environmental groups and trades unions.

The meeting is the latest in Stroud District Green Party’s regular Cloud Café debates. Organiser Elizabeth Lee said: “Nationalism and populism often work by setting marginalised groups against each other. We need to identify what unites us, so that we can counter the negative force of pernicious politics.”

The speakers

Aurelien Mondon is senior lecturer in politics, languages and international studies at the University of Bath. His research focuses predominantly on the impact of racism and populism on liberal democracies, and the mainstreaming of far Right politics.

His first book, The Mainstreaming of the Extreme Right in France and Australia: A Populist Hegemony?, was published in 2013 and he recently co-edited After Charlie Hebdo: Terror, racism and free speechpublished with Zed. His latest book,Reactionary democracy: How racism and the populist far right became mainstream, co-written with Aaron Winter, is out with Verso.

Molly Scott Cato is vice-chair of the European Movement, former Green MEP for the South West of England and former Professor of Strategy and Sustainability at the University of Roehampton. She is the national Green Party speaker on economy and finance. Molly has seen the growth in fascism in Europe close up and is disturbed by the way its methods are spreading in the UK. She will offer insights into what we are looking for and what we can do to counter it.

Following the presentations there will be an opportunity for the audience to ask questions or join the discussion.

The event is open to everyone and is free to attend but there will be the chance to make donations to Green Party funds.

Register here to join the event live, or to receive a link to a recording to watch another time.

The post How we can fight nationalism, racism and fascism through alliances with the marginalised appeared first on Stroud District Green Party.

Four Green councillors spoke on the subject during the Council debate. Cllr Beki Aldam (Brimscombe and Thrupp) told the meeting that, just as buildings are altered, pulled down or restored, according to need, statues are subject to how society re-evaluates and re-examines its values.

“Everyone who loves history knows that this isn’t destroying history,” said Cllr Aldam, who is a history teacher. “Statues are looked after, wherever it is decided the best place is for them to reside. This is looking again at who is venerated and represented in our public spaces, and how we do that.”

Cllr Chloe Turner (Minchinhampton) accepted that the consultation attracted polarised responses and that the issue was emotive. “But the majority view is very much in favour of removal.”

She pointed out that Blackboys House is not the first home of the clock. Its first location was a shop front then it was moved to a pub before being erected at its current location. “Its next resting place may well be a museum if that’s the view of the majority of residents of Stroud,” she said.

Cllr Norman Kay (Nailsworth) mentioned another recommendation voted through by councillors: to restore and promote the Anti-Slavery Arch in Paganhill, which was built in 1834 and most recently restored by the council in 2001. “The Arch isin its own way as important as the Blackboy clock and statue,” he said. “It’s something about which we should be extremely proud. We should think about how best to celebrate the Arch as it’s a very important aspect of our views about colonial history.”

Green Group leader Cllr Catherine Braun (Wotton-under-Edge) said at the meeting she was proud of the cross-party work that led to the report, which included a statement by the leaders of all four political groups following the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, condemning racism and reaffirming the council’s commitment to promoting equality and tackling discrimination. 

The whole community had been involved in the consultation, said Cllr Braun. “This kind of work has to be done in a space of reflection and understanding, and the review panel has done that. The consultation had a phenomenal response. It’s rare that residents take time to respond to issues that don’t concern them on a daily basis.”

She added that the words most frequently used in residents’ responses when asked to describe how the Blackboy clock made them feel, included “uncomfortable”, “ashamed” and “saddened”.

Cllr Braun commented: “We have to listen to what people are telling us and listen to the majority of voices about how this should be taken forward. It may not be possible to proceed with removal, due to complications around ownership and planning, but we will proceed at every stage with community engagement and with consultation.”

Reacting to the council being described as ‘woke’ in the Daily Mail’s coverage of the Blackboy story, Cllr Braun commented: “Presumably the word ‘woke’ is intended as an insult, but for the progressive parties – and the people of Stroud who overwhelmingly support these recommendations – it is a compliment, a badge of honour, the derogatory term ‘woke’ actually meaning empathetic, caring about social and racial justice and being sensitive to the feelings of oppressed minorities.”

Of the 39 councillors present at the meeting, 25 voted for the recommendations and two against. There were 12 abstentions.

Photo: Susan Fenton

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