WELSH trade unionists agreed today that unions should take the lead in organising counter-demonstrations when the far right mobilises in Wales.

TUC Cymru’s Congress backed a motion which also called on unions to train reps and members to steward such demonstrations.

Moving, Dave Bartlett of Cardiff trades union council said: “The only way to defeat the racist right is to develop a united front campaign built around the organised might of our 400,000 members in Wales.”

Conference heard from delegates who had been on the receiving end of racist abuse.

Raktima Sarkar of Usdaw recounted being abused on a bus for speaking in her own language to her mother on the phone, for wearing traditional dress and being told to “go back to [my] country” despite having lived here more than half her life.

Others said they had started to fear taking their children to the park and that black teachers found some pupils were emboldened to racially abuse them because of their parents supporting Reform.