Mr Ainsworth'I don't know whether some Forum posters will have gone, but the "Unite the Kingdom" rally today has made special provision of portaloos, according to the Rebel News live feed commentator. It does go on until 6pm, after all.'Very witty.I tried but failed to find a news report on this march in the Guardian, other than one from an unbiased reporter called Diane Abbott with a headline -OpinionTommy Robinson"What I saw at Saturday’s rally was racism, pure and simple. Labour won’t tackle it until we can call it what it is".(Why is she not standing for election as Labour Deputy Leader under Starmer ?)Perhaps the Guardian did not wish to reveal the turnout, that in the main it was peaceful bearing in mind the organisers and the marches objective, nor the reasons people gave for attending.So I had to turn to a report in the Spectator ("boo, hiss").Jonathan Sacerdoti"The truth about the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march".https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-truth-about-the-unite-the-kingdom-march/'Most speeches focused on recurring themes: British identity, Christian heritage, the damaging effects of Islam in Britain and Europe, unassimilated immigration, and the scourge of paedophile rape gangs. The rally was framed as a defence of free speech, and on that point, it undoubtedly delivered. Many of the views expressed were met with rapturous applause and cheers. Countless people I spoke with expressed the same sentiment: people felt seen, heard, and less alone. They had long been told their views were racist, bigoted or ignorant. Now, they stood among thousands who were unafraid to speak freely, and proud to do so.A little girl who had been sent home from school on ‘culture day’ for wearing a Union Jack dress captivated the crowd.Whatever the number, it far exceeded expectations. Police maintained control for the most part and eventually guided the hard-left marchers out via Trafalgar Square. By day’s end, at least 26 police officers had been injured by protestors throwing planks, bottles and a traffic cone. At least 25 people were arrested.None of this was visible from where I stood. The atmosphere throughout was mainly jubilant, though at moments, palpably angry. The most frequently heard spontaneous chant was ‘Keir Starmer’s a wanker’, sung to the tune of Seven Nation Army. Putting aside the more extreme voices, the day was, at heart, a powerful expression of justifiable anger. Anger at political leaders who have dismissed the concerns of millions on matters that are neither fringe nor abstract but urgent and real'.
John Hawkes ● 1d