Letter to the Morning Star published 27/9/25

THE Star’s front page reporting on the Unite the Kingdom rally under the headline of ‘Rampage’ does a disservice to your esteemed paper (M Star September 15).  For it is a ludicrous misrepresentation of the day. If  “thousands of far-right demonstrators” “went on a rampage” as this article claimed, then our screens would have been filled with scenes reminiscent of the poll tax riots with way more than “at least 24 people” arrested. This huge rally was overwhelmingly free from disturbance.

 Factual reporting matters, regardless of political standpoint. Propaganda is for the other outlets. Or should be.  Police estimated those attending the rally at 100,000. They also stated that 5,000 counter-protesters were present, a number which your report chose to inflate to 20,000 despite accepting the police figure for the “far-right” protesters.  Either way, describing the high numbers in support of the rally as “far right,” “racist” and “fascist” is an unthinking generalisation. 

 Some may be that way inclined and deserving of being referred to as such.  But the labelling of all who express concern about undocumented migration, gender recognition and the like as “fascist” is infantile and counterproductive.  For this constant and often hysterical branding risks becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy, making some less wary of genuine “Nazi scum” and viewing anything “leftie,” such as the illuminating Morning Star, as an enemy to dismiss rather than a friend to debate with.  Lazy unthinking divisive hyperbole cuts both ways and is all too fashionable today among what passes for the Western left which now seems obsessed with performative narcissistic posturing over identity and point-scoring in the woke Olympics rather than challenging an Establishment that is taking the world towards destruction. 

The usually excellent Star regularly ponders on why it is that the Western left seems in retreat and the right on the rise? The answer to that can sadly be found within your own pages — alongside so much brilliant and essential reading that should be required reading for everyone.

CHRIS NATURAL

PROTESTS

Don’t attack the working class

I THOROUGHLY agree with Chris Natural’s analysis of the recent large working-class protest in London (Letters September 20). Because that was what it was: a working-class protest. Instead of standing behind police lines (who are no friends of the working class), we should be joining these protests and talking to the working-class people who support them. 

We need to understand the root causes of their frustration and anger and redirect it towards the correct target — the ruling class.  We need to understand that nationalism and the England flag are key elements of working-class identity.  We should go to areas where these flags are flying and talk to the people. 

Stereotyping them all as racists is not productive.  This is an opportunity for the left and we should grab it with both hands. 

JOHN PATEMAN