I feel completely relieved and excited that Tommy Robinson failed in his bid to become an MEP in the Euro elections for the North West.
It was pretty scary to think that he could have won—but it’s amazing he only got 2.2 percent.
He’s got such arrogance to think he can just come into a region he has no connection with and win the seat. How dare he?
This is the first time I’ve been involved in a campaign like this.
I got involved because its right on my doorstep, and I didn’t want to be the one who didn’t do anything. I went leafletting at a music festival in Salford with thousands of people there—we managed to reach everyone.
Most people couldn’t believe the small number of votes that Robinson could have won with.
A small minority of people did agree with him—but lots more were asking advice on who they should vote for.
I’ve been making connections to try and get more people involved in the campaign to stop Robinson—and the response has been amazing.
But you don’t know what Robinson or people like him are going to do next—rumour has it he’s selling his house and moving to Manchester but who knows?
Just because you’ve beat one man doesn’t mean you’ve won the battle. If I can, I’ll be involved in further campaigns.
Robinson’s defeat has shown that people can come together across political divides in the face of racism.
It doesn’t matter what party people belong to—they all saw the bigger picture.
And it just shows how you can achieve something within a small space of time if people work together in unity.
If you have the power to do something you should. This campaign proves that when it matters we can really make a difference.
Jennifer Hutchins
Manchester
I read the Daily Mirror’s “Next Generation” issue with interest.
Last Wednesday it published a manifesto from a group of teenagers.
It’s a really positive thing that teenagers are given a chance to speak out on things that are important to them. These included issues such as knife crime and online harassment.
One of the manifesto points was to “declare an international climate crisis”.
Climate catastrophe is a huge problem for our generation—we don’t know what we’re going to do with our lives.
If we don’t do something now it’s going to be a horrible way of life in the near future.
It’s hypocritical that car firm Seat sponsored the issue—car firms contribute to the problem.
The car industry releases emissions and produce nitrates that pollute the air around us.
It’s good that teenagers are increasingly being listened to.
I think people have been inspired by the climate strikes and want to speak up.
Finally teenagers are having the opportunity to have their voices heard in quite a mainstream newspaper.
The climate strikes are all about how listening to young people is important.
The manifesto said we need to reform capitalism not replace it.
But we can’t reform capitalism we need to move beyond reform—why would you want to stay in a system that doesn’t work?
Angus Lees Miller
North London
Gay marriage has been legal in every US state since 2015. But apparently, this doesn’t mean it can be on TV in Alabama.
Arthur—a cartoon featuring an anthropomorphic aardvark—recently premiered an episode where Mr Ratburn, a rat, gets married to his partner, a mouse called Patrick.
However, in Alabama they only believe in marriage between one male rodent and one female rodent. So Alabama Public Television refused to allow the episode to air, because it wasn’t “appropriate for children”.
The bigots are on a roll in Alabama.
It’s been clear since his election that Donald Trump and his evangelical sidekick Mike Pence have emboldened reactionaries across the US.
So If you’re a fan of LGBT+ rodent love, join the demo against Trump’s visit on 4 June.
Bethan Turner
East London
A really important victory was recently won against NHS privatisers Circle Healthcare. The firm sued to win the contract for Nottingham University Hospitals’ treatment centre.
It’s a really big contract—£320 million. The case fits in with what’s happening in the private sector—firms litigating when contracts aren’t awarded to them.
The campaign by Keep Our NHS Public was joined by the local Unison union health branch which has been fantastic. We organised a protest outside the treatment centre and leafletted cars in rush hour. We learned from the tactics of Extinction Rebellion and we got out on the streets and occupied the pedestrian crossing.This is our second success in two years—we forced outsourcer Carillion to be kicked out a year before its contract ended.
If you fight back, you can win.
Richard Buckwell
Nottingham
We need to show solidarity with women in the United States as another state further restricts a woman’s rights over her own body.
Donald Trump in power and appointing a right wing Supreme Court has given confidence to these states to dismantle rights that were hard fought for.
Helen O’Sullivan
Cardiff
Everyone’s shocked by the Australian election. The climate-wrecking right wing government was re-elected, and small racist parties increased their vote.
It’s a reminder of what Labour should have learned in 2015 and 1992 in Britain.
It has to fight to give people reasons to turn out and vote.
A general election is probably coming within the year, and it will be absolutely criminal to let the Tories back in.
Beating Tommy Robinson shows we make a difference.
Dave Sewell
South East London
Nigel Farage had his Brexit Party rally in the same place British Nazi Oswald Mosley had his “democratic” meetings.
Stefan Yeatman
On Facebook
the United Nations has overwhelmingly backed a motion demanding an end to the British occupation of the Chagos Islands.
It’s now used as an US air base.
The Chagossians have been fighting for 51 years for an end to the occupation—they should be allowed to return home.
Janet Dyer
East London
Who cares about the European elections? Once Britain leaves the EU, this election will be even more irrelevant than it is now. Brexit can’t come soon enough.
Sabrina O’Brien
Oxford
Cops mishandled Nicola Bulley's personal information
Solidarity with the Elbit 8
Plus Hong Kong Palestine protests
Don’t ban Palestine march in his name
