BNP threatens prominent anti-fascist trade unionist

Morning Star | Tuesday, 3 February 2009 | Click here for original article

UNION activists condemned BNP threats against prominent anti-fascist and Merseyside TUC leader Alec McFadden on Tuesday.

Some 20 BNP thugs were reported to have delivered thousands of leaflets at the weekend to homes in the area in Liverpool where Mr McFadden lives, exhorting his neighbours to confront him for organising anti-nazi protests in the city.

The leaflet tries to hijack the current unofficial energy workers' strikes by claiming that the workers' demands in the dispute are the same as the BNP's, and declares that Mr McFadden needs "coaching" to understand this.

Almost three years ago, Mr McFadden was stabbed on his doorstep in front of his daughter by a fascist thug and fellow union activists were quick to respond to the new threats.

North-west TUC chairman Steve Farley said that this "targeting and attempted intimidation" by the BNP "of committed trade unionists like Alec shows the true nature of this so-called political party.

"Union members will continue to oppose the BNP lies and will continue to reject their divisive and opportunist attempts to divide workers on the basis of nationality or race," he declared.

National Union of Journalists Merseyside rep Mike Studley branded the nazi threat "an apalling act of political intimidation" and local Labour MP Angela Eagle has given Mr McFadden her support.

Mr McFadden courageously dismissed the fascists' threats against him, but highlighted reports of BNP activists joining picket lines during the unofficial strikes to point out that unions should not be "complacent" about the nazis.

"The far-right is on the rise and they are attacking trade unionists because they know that we are organised and strong," he stressed.