HOPE shines on Salford

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Saturday, 23 May 2009, 18:53

Salford was the latest Greater Manchester authority to be targeted by the HOPE not hate campaign as 67 activists distributed 17,000 newspapers across the borough. While Matthew and the HnH bus was encountering the foul Walker brothers in County Durham, down in Salford the day passed off peacefully and without incident. What was most encouraging was that everyone had come to the event through the email system and many were active for the first time.

We were joined by Billy Bragg, who did a few songs as a thank you for those who had turned up. This followed a quick visit to Old Trafford where he did a photoshoot for the Mirror with Paddy Crerand, one of the United legends. I was back at the Unite base but by all accounts Paddy was brilliant. He spoke out against the BNP and pointing to his old friend Sir Matt Busby he said: “If he was here today he would tell you the same.”

There was such a determination to push the campaign forward that a day of action was organised for Tameside next Saturday.