Faces and Places: Sarwan Singh and the Indian Workers Association [cont.]

Description:RACISM AND POLITICS

In 1964 general election there was a contest between labour candidate Gordon Walker and Conservative candidate Peter Griffiths that was run on anti-immigration platform. The slogan was if you want a nigger for a neighbour, vote liberal or labour. On the basis of this racist campaign, Tory won the seat. Later both the parties supported the racist immigration controls. The Tory MP for Wolverhampton south west Enoch Powell had once welcomed the nurses to Britain from abroad and in 1968 Powell delivered his infamous speech ” Rivers of Blood’’ in Birmingham and called for the repatriation of immigrants. He was sacked from the shadow cabinet for making this speech, but the letters written to him by the public supported him.

This campaign spread across the factories in Birmingham. This made an impact on black people. On one hand it was frightening and on the other hand the progressive organisations were united and gave the call to form a co coordinating committee against racial discrimination .a Committee against racist immigration laws.


THE INDIAN WORKERS ASSOCIATION

Indian workers association (GB) had played an important role in all progressive struggles against racism in a factory or foundry, public houses, housing, trade unions, equality, sex discrimination, deportations and against immigration and nationality laws and is still working for the same. I am very proud of working in the Indian Workers Association for these causes. I, on behalf of the Indian Workers Association, thank you and pay my respects to the other progressive organisations for bringing the working class movement to such a great unity for our collective causes.

The End