NINE major trade unions will join Labour to launch a new anti-racist front this weekend.

London United, which was initiated by London Assembly member Unmesh Desai and is backed by shadow chancellor John McDonnell, is calling upon all wings of the labour movement to unite against a renewed far-right presence in society.

The Star understands that Aslef, BFAWU, CWU, GMB, NASUWT, RMT, TSSA, Unison, Unite and Usdaw are backing the new movement.

Mr Desai told the Star that he believed that a newly renewed anti-racist movement was long overdue.

“We need to be reactive to the growth of street armies like the DFLA and people like Tommy Robinson,” he said.

“But we need to make people aware of how the respectable right is linking with the populist right, and how the likes of Boris Johnson are shaking hands with far-right activists like Steve Bannon.

“Unity comes through action, and it is high time the labour and trade union movement united together.

“We need to mobilise this huge membership under Jeremy’s leadership on the streets against the far-right, but to educate people in the union movement about what the far-right are up to.”

The campaign will be launched at Labour’s London regional conference at the Alevi Cultural Centre & Cemivi in Hornsey on Saturday and Sunday.

It will coincide with a motion calling on the London Labour Party to join in on a “co-ordinated labour movement campaign to roll back the insurgent far right.”

Unite assistant general secretary Steve Turner said: “Right-wing extremists have been adept at exploiting genuine grievances created by neoliberalism, the systematic undermining of social cohesion and austerity.

“But they have no answers to the real fears and concerns of ordinary working people.

“Trade unions and the labour movement must be at the forefront of the fight against the populist propaganda of the extreme right.

“We need to be addressing the concerns that the far-right pander to and offering solutions, as well as talking to people about who the far right are and what they really stand for.

“We are calling on London Labour to join with London trade unions to form a co-ordinated labour movement campaign to organise against this growing threat.”