This resolution on Fighting The BNP was passed unanimously at last week's RMT Annual General Meeting.

This union believes that the fascist British National Party is fundamentally an anti-working-class party: it is also racist, anti-semitic, sexist and homophobic. Everything that the BNP stands for is against the interests of the labour and trade union movement.

We believe that two of the main factors that have enabled the BNP to grow are:

1. The Labour government's betrayal of working-class people, and its abandonment of working-class communities;
2. The relentless attacks on immigrants and asylum-seekers from the Labour government, other mainstream parties, and sections of the media.

We therefore believe that to effectively oppose the BNP, trade unionists need to:

1. Organise against the fascists, politically, ideologically, and - where necessary - physically.
2. Support self-defence by those communities targeted by the fascists.
3. Work alongside activists in working-class communities, campaigning on issues such as housing and local services;
4. Resolutely oppose all forms of racism, including the current demonisation of immigrants;
5. Fight for demands which will benefit and unite workers of all races. eg. for a higher minimum wage, against privatisation, for better pensions.

It is important that we have an urgent, united labour movement response to the BNP. We do not believe that bland condemnation of fascists, with no mention of issues such as those above, is adequate. Further, we believe that our campaign should not involve uniting with anti-labour-movement groups such as the Tory Party, as this would give them 'anti-fascist' credibility which they do not deserve, would prevent us from advocating the working-class politics that are necessary to win support away from the BNP, and would re-sow the seeds from which fascism grows.

The AGM also agreed to support the mobilisation against the BNP's Red White and Blue festival this summer organised by Notts Stop The BNP.