IN THE last two years, our trade unions have put anti-racism at the centre of our work, and with good reason, as the Conservative government is now returning to its business as usual agenda — scapegoating and attacking refugees and unions and blaming our communities for their disastrous management of the economy, our public services and for the ongoing cost of living crisis.

The age-old Tory tactic of divide and rule is being played out with the government’s legislative programme, including the Illegal Migration Bill and Minimum Service Levels Bill which build on other legislation to extend police powers and remove rights to public protest. 

And we know that black communities are bearing the brunt of these measures, just as they bore the brunt of the government’s handling of the Covid pandemic.