Border theatrics won’t solve economic hardship says Kevin Courtney in explaining how the Together Alliance can combat the rising tide of the far– right in the UK
In the heart of Central London on 13 September 2025, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson, orchestrated what he billed as a “festival of free speech”. He boasted of three million attendees, but reliable estimates peg the crowd at around 150,000, a staggering number nonetheless. This marks the largest far-right mobilisation in British history, signalling a dangerous resurgence of extremist forces that threaten the fabric of our multicultural society.
The Tommy Robinson demonstration was not an isolated event but part of a broader, well-funded attempt to throw back working class advances.
This new wave of the far– right is alarmingly resourced. Elon Musk, with a net worth exceeding $400 billion, has emerged as a vocal supporter of Robinson, retweeting his content and dismissing even Nigel Farage as “weak sauce.” Such high-profile endorsements from global billionaires amplify the far-right’s reach, blending online influence with street-level agitation. Coupled with the race riots that scarred our cities over the summer of 2024, this street movement poses an immediate risk.
Yet, the electoral arm of the far-right, Reform UK, represents the gravest long-term threat, dragging mainstream politics into the gutter.
Much of the discourse around Labour’s rightward shift on immigration, exemplified by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s adoption of Reform-style rhetoric on refugees, overlooks the true catalyst behind Reform’s ascent. Polling data is unequivocal: most potential Reform voters aren’t fixated on “small boats”. They’re struggling financially: stagnant wages, skyrocketing bills, and unattainable housing for those under 40. Neither Labour nor the Conservatives has presented a robust plan to address these woes. In this vacuum, “tough on refugees”, becomes a low-cost soundbite, allowing Labour to appear resolute without challenging entrenched interests like wealthy donors, non-dom billionaires, private-equity landlords, or the austerity orthodoxy that has stifled growth since 2008.
This strategy is doomed to fail. Voters enraged by economic hardship won’t be appeased by border theatrics. By echoing Reform’s framing on immigration while sidestepping genuine redistribution, Labour inadvertently legitimises Farage, eroding barriers to voting for the real deal. The antidote to Reform’s momentum lies in delivering tangible benefits for working-class and lower-middle-class communities: higher wages, affordable energy, ambitious housing initiatives, and progressive taxation that ensures the rich contribute fairly. Without making powerful elites uncomfortable, Labour’s posturing is a mere deckchair rearrangement, gifting Reform a political lifeboat. If symbolism trumps substance, Labour risks electoral defeat.
Reform’s dangers extend far beyond rhetoric. Nigel Farage recently vowed to “go to war” with “left-wing teacher unions” if in power, a Thatcherism on steroids that would dismantle workers’ rights. For climate-conscious youth, a Reform government spells the end of meaningful environmental action, accelerating catastrophe. Black and brown communities face heightened racism; erecting barriers to migrants and refugees inevitably spills over into domestic bigotry. And for NHS dependents, Farage’s push toward private insurance rings alarm bells, privatising a cherished public institution.
Historically, the far right has been marginalised in parliamentary politics, but Reform shatters that barrier with five MPs – the first time a party to the right of the Tories has gained Westminster representation. Polls show them sustaining unprecedented highs, buoyed by systemic factors. Widespread economic discontent, festering since the 2008 crash, fuels dissatisfaction with housing, healthcare, and wages. The left has failed to popularise inequality as the root issue, allowing the far– right’s racist scapegoating of immigrants to dominate. Labour, inheriting a battered economy, has alienated supporters with early missteps, showing little sign of a rapid turnaround.
Electoral opportunities favour Reform, too. Next year’s Welsh Senedd elections, conducted via proportional representation, could see them surge in South Wales valleys, where they ranked second in many seats during the 2025 general election.
Yet, hope endures. Britain retains an anti-racist majority averse to the violence of the EDL or National Front eras. Most support climate action and stronger workers’ rights. Our task is to mobilise this coalition, exposing the far– right’s false narratives that blame immigrants and Muslims for societal ills, rather than grotesque inequality.
We’ve garnered substantial backing from trade unions, faith groups, refugee organisations, and celebrities such as actors, musicians, and public figures who recognise the stakes. This support amplifies our voice, drawing in diverse allies committed to unity.
Central to our strategy is a national demonstration on 28 March 2026, in London, a beacon of resistance uniting thousands against far-right division. Building toward this, we’re fostering local committees with trade union reps and community leaders, launching membership drives to recruit activists, and hosting positive events like the recent 3,000-strong Leeds demo. Online and union-backed training sessions equip volunteers for persuasive conversations, emphasising economic arguments over hatred.
Post-demonstration, we’ll distribute over a million leaflets ahead of May’s elections, training more to reclaim voters from Reform by highlighting inequality’s true culprits: billionaires, not refugees. Summer cultural events and carnivals will sustain momentum, all in alliance with partners like Stand Up To Racism (SUTR), the Palestine movement, and immigrant groups. SUTR’s weekly counteractions against far-right gatherings provide the grassroots’ backbone.
This programme is ambitious but achievable. By keeping our feet grounded, ears attuned to the people, and eyes on the prize, we can halt the far– right’s advance. Fight the far-right. Tax wealth. Blame billionaires, not migrants. Together, we prevail.
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