THE result of the Caerphilly by-election is a victory for anti-racists and anti-fascists.

The by-election was triggered by the sad passing of Hefin David, the Caerphilly MS, and soon became not just a local matter, but a test of the political landscape in Wales and the whole UK.

Nigel Farage vowed that Reform UK would “throw everything” at this election — and they did. From Farage’s trips to Caerphilly,  bussed in canvassers, thousands of leaflets and placards, a barrage of online comments, several media articles and far-right groups lining up to stoke racism, they used all the weapons in their arsenal — and they lost.

That would not have been possible without the on-the-ground organising of anti-racists and anti-fascists, including and especially Stand Up to Racism and its Valleys branch. And the hard work of Plaid Cymru campaigners and their candidate, Lindsay Whittle, whose roots and respected status in the local community helped secure and mobilise votes.

Stand Up to Racism Valleys and its supporters undertook a truly herculean effort — we ran several sessions where we distributed thousands of leaflets, engaged with constituents at stalls and organised a “Defend the Nation of Sanctuary” counter-demonstration, opposing a far-right demo, where we gathered more than 100 people, outnumbering the fascists 10 to one.

But we need to be clear — although many voters were genuinely enthusiastic about Plaid’s message, and Lindsay Whittle’s record and standing in the community is indisputable — for many members of working-class communities, this was less of a vote to get Plaid in than a vote to keep Reform out. We were asked repeatedly who was best to vote for to beat Reform, and even Plaid explicitly called for a tactical vote to defeat Reform.

So, what can we learn to beat the far right at the ballot box, in the streets and in our communities?

The first lesson is that we need to have confidence in the working class.

While many commentators — including some on the left — warned us not to talk about racism, claiming that it wouldn’t dissuade the people of Caerphilly and urging us to “tone down” our message, one thing was clear; it was precisely our anti-racist, pro-working-class message that resonated most and mobilised people to defeat Reform. Reform’s message was all about immigration and against Wales’s “Nation of Sanctuary” scheme, a scheme that helps refugees and asylum-seekers rebuild their lives.

Although a section of the working class may be drawn in by Reform’s lies, the wider layers of our class roundly reject them. A viral clip from the BBC Wales debate, where a mixed-heritage family from Caerphilly spoke about being afraid to leave the house because of Reform’s racist rhetoric, really struck a chord, as did Stand Up to Racism’s message of working-class unity against racism, division and anti-working-class policies.

It definitely changed some minds, but most importantly, it mobilised the vast majority of people that are anti-racist but justifiably disillusioned with electoral politics. It helped them realise that this election was not just for another seat, but a test where we needed to stand up for our class — against hate, racism, austerity, and the capitalist class that promotes and sustains it.

The second lesson is that there is no substitute for hard work and on-the-ground organising. Social media is important, but Reform relied heavily on it — every single post by anti-racists was swarmed with “Vote Reform” comments. And they lost.

It was the work of anti-fascists and community organisers — campaigning on the streets and communities not just to explain the danger of Reform, but to boost the anti-racist mobilisation — that led to this result.

Because this was far from being a predetermined outcome. 

There is no magic formula to stop Reform — those that are looking for a simple fix will not get it. Stand Up to Racism and other organisations worked tirelessly on the ground and will continue to do so — that is what wins people over, that is how a movement is built.

The third lesson is that you do not win by kowtowing to racism. Labour’s and Welsh Labour’s government legacy is one of managing and imposing austerity and capitalism. The lurch of the Labour leadership to the right, promoting racist ideas — from Keir Starmer’s “Island of Strangers” speech to the deportation videos and the new indefinite leave to remain rules, while at the same time facilitating the life of the profit-makers at the cost of the working class, has decimated the Labour vote in Wales. For too long, Labour and Welsh Labour took Wales for granted, treating Wales not as a diverse, inclusive and rich nation but as a fiefdom that owed it loyalty. The consequences are clear.

The fourth is that a genuine anti-racist, anti-austerity, socialist alternative, rooted in our diverse working-class communities, is needed. Plaid Cymru ran a great campaign. It deserves credit for the candidate it ran and the message it spread. Many of its members are genuine socialists who fight tirelessly for equality — but its record in power is less spotless. Plaid has implemented cuts in councils where they are in power. Most recently, it ceded ground by engaging in the manufactured discourse of “legal v illegal” immigration — before admirably rallying in defence of equality.

We need a movement that not just counteracts racism, but the system that breeds it. An alternative that not just challenges, but replaces the current system that exploits and profits from our diverse working-class for the benefit of a few. And that alternative should not be restricted to a Parliament or the Senedd, it should be in the beating heart of our communities.

Wales is a nation with a long history of anti-racism and anti-fascism. Next May are the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) elections, where a proportional representation system will be in place. These will provide both opportunities and challenges for anti-fascists and anti-racists, but whatever we do, we need to be clear — the fight for a genuinely inclusive, equal and free society is made every day, not every five years.

Joao Felix is secretary of Stand Up to Racism Valleys. He writes in a personal capacity.