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Politicians deliberately provoking language sets off race riots
SOLOMON HUGHES points at the Establishment as the inspirers of recent race riots and explains why Brits have a blinkered view of US politics
GETTING THE MESSAGE ACROSS: (L to R) Tim Walz speaks during the Democratic National Convention yesterday; Demonstrators during an anti-racism protest organised by Stand Up to Racism in Cardiff on August 10 2024

IN 1978 Margaret Thatcher said non-white migration meant voters are “afraid that this country might be rather swamped by people with a different culture.” 

The fascist National Front was growing. Thatcher was accused of trying to win their votes by using their language. Labour general secretary Ron Hayward said Thatcher used “National Front talk” and was “fighting dirty” on race in the upcoming election.

In the last round of fascist-led riots, this process worked in reverse: instead of mainstream parties opportunistically borrowing far-right language, the racist rioters used slogans written by the mainstream parties.

Walz

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