Battle of Cable Street 90th Anniversary - Fight for the future – remember the past

 

Back from leave and looking forward to this event.

This is a model motion for UNISON branches, and any other parts of the Labour Movement, to support the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street on 4 October 2026.

I have submitted it to my branch and hope that as many branches as possible will support it and, if they can, attend the march and rally.

I will post further details as they become available.

"UNISON [name of branch] supports our region's priority to tackle the rise of the far right in Greater London and agrees the importance of having a visible presence in the fight against fascism and racism.

Our branch believes that the Cable Street 90 event to be held 4 October 2026 is an important opportunity to use the battles of the past to bolster the victories of the future.

Promoting the Battle of Cable Street not only reminds people of that important struggle in 1936 but illustrates our ongoing role in fighting against fascism and the politics of hate. Commemorating Cable Street 90 will draw parallels between the rise of fascism in the 1930's and the current social and political climate

Give a tangible example of successful community action and create optimism that hope and unity can triumph over division and hate

Promote collective action to prove that the politics of hate will not be tolerated on our streets

In line with our rules, this branch therefore resolves to donate (£??? as much as possible)  to the GLATUC Cable Street 90 Appeal fund, contributing to the cost of organising the event to be held in Tower Hamlets on Sunday 4 October 2026.

Debated at a quorate Branch committee [insert date]

INFORMATION:

Sunday 4 October 2026 marks the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street in London’s East End when more than 100,000 people came together to prevent fascist Blackshirts led by Oswald Mosley marching through Whitechapel, Shadwell, and Stepney to intimidate the East End’s Jewish population.

Workers from across England, Scotland and Wales joined Irish, Jewish, English and other local London residents in a display of working people's unity against racism and fascism inspired by the anti-fascists in Spain resisting a fascist military coup. Their slogan was: 'No Pasaran!' ('They Shall not Pass!')

In 2026, Cable Street’s lessons are as vital as ever. When far-right, racists and fascists seek to divide and intimidate our communities, we say:

No to Antisemitism, No to Islamophobia, No to Racism. They did not pass! They shall not pass.

The Cable Street 90 Organising Committee is working with Tower Hamlets Council to put on a fitting event to commemorate and teach the lessons of the brave people who made a stand against fascism in Cable Street 90 years ago. We are organising a public march and rally on Sunday 4 October, which will involve local communities celebrating our unity and diversity against those who try to divide us.

On Sunday, 4 October 2026 a public march and rally will take place. Full details will be released soon:

ASSEMBLE: 12:00PM at Tower Hamlets Town Hall, 160 Whitechapel Rd, London E1 1BJ

MARCH: 1:00PM to St. George in the East, Cable St, London E1 0BH

SPEAKERS – MUSIC – POETRY - CHILDRENS EVENTS.

Commemoration of Battle of Cable Street march and rally Sunday 3 October 2021 @ 1pm – 5pm

 

Commemoration of Battle of Cable Street march and rally Sunday 3 October 2021 @ 1pm – 5pm

The march assembles at 1pm at the junction of Cable Street and Leman Street and will move off at 1.30pm towards the Cable Street mural for the rally.

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/battle-cable-street-85-march-us-weekend

(Check out West Ham Tommy on left of banner)

Max Levitas - Battle of Cable Street Anti Fascist Veteran RIP

Life long anti-fascist and former "Red Stepney" Councillor for 15 years, Max Levitas, has passed away aged 103. I first met Max many years ago when he was probably in his late 80s and he addressed a meeting of Tower Hamlets residents opposed to the stock transfer of its Council estates to housing associations.

To my surprise, after savaging the Council, he then turned his fire on certain left wing anti stock transfer protestors, who he also attacked in no uncertain terms. I asked a trade union colleague, who was a member of the trotskyist SWP sitting next to me, what was going on? He replied "We are still the Wreckers and Splitters".  Max was of course also a lifelong supporter of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB). Fabulous photo of Max above by Charlotte Barnes.

Max was the son of Jewish refugees who fled Eastern Europe to escape Russian persecution. He and his brothers Sol and Maurice fought alongside thousands of local residents and stopped the fascists marching through East London at the Battle of Cable Street in 1936.  See the Battle of Cable Street Memorial above.

Check out this marvellous interview of Max on Channel 4 News.

Max used to take number 25 bus from Stepney to do his shopping twice a month in the Stratford Centre, Newham and occasionally he would join our regular Saturday, West Ham Labour Party street stall and have a chat with us, warn us about Trotskyists, exhibit the "Morning Star" and happily pose for photos. He told us that he would always vote Labour unless a "real communist" was standing.

Definitely end of an era and an important link in our history but the modern day battle against fascism in all its forms continues. RIP Max

East Enders pulling together

"All this bad press about Tower Hamlets is really getting me down. So here is a bit of good news about how East Enders pull together, My 82 year old aunt just rang to say a few nights ago an Asian man she had never seen before knocked and asked to use the phone as his wife had gone into labour.

Tonight he and his wife knocked on the door on the way home from hospital to show her the baby. In good East End tradition she ensured the baby was given a silver coin and explained the custom to her grateful neighbours".

Hat tip Michael Tyrrell - stolen from Facebook

#Lab13 Unions Together Reception

Straight after close of conference yesterday I went to a packed "Unions Together" reception.

The Chair of the Parliamentary Trade Union Group, Ian Lavery MP spoke first and called for us not to be divided but to unite and remember who the real enemy is - the Tories.

This was followed by a trade union speaker from Columbia who thanked the Labour Party and the trade unions for their support and solidarity against their oppression.

After his speech, GMB General Secretary, Paul Kenny made a brilliant intervention by reminding people chatting at the back of the room that if everyone here (400 people?) were trade unionists in Columbia, over the course of 10 years -  two thirds of you would be dead.

Ed Miliband (above) in his well received speech, stressing the repeal of bedroom tax, action on blacklisting and zero hour contracts.  He spoke about meeting a Labour Party member who was 107 years old and had took part in the famous Cable Street protest against the fascits in 1936. He also echoed the words of Ian by stressing that the real enemy is this Tory Government and that we must win the battle against them not for the interests of the Party but for the British people.

Writeidea: East End literature and history event

Next Weekend is the start of the Writeidea free Reading festival taking place in Tower Hamlets (11-16 November). Check out details here. I was interested to read that the "match girls" threatened "Jack the Ripper"!

The Gilda O' Neill Memorial Lecture. Striking a Light: Looking for the Real Matchwomen - Friday 11 November 2011, 7pmThe story of the unexpectedly successful strike of 'matchgirls' against a powerful employer continues to exert a strong hold on the public...
David Rosenberg: Battle for the East End - Saturday 12 November 2011, 2pm75 anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street Throughout the 1930s, Oswald Mosley's blackshirts increased their campaign against the Jewish...
Matthew Parker: The Sugar Barons - Sunday 13 November 2011, 2pmFamily, Corruption, Empire and War in the West Indies 'The Sugar Barons' tells how the West Indies became by far the most valuable and important...
Is Class an Issue in Fiction? - Monday 14 November 2011, 7pmAlex Wheatle and William Nicholson in conversation. Alex Wheatle Alex Wheatle is an award winning British novelist, playwright and DJ who has...
Dreda Say Mitchell: Geezer Girls and Hit Girls - Tuesday 15 November 2011, 7pmWomen in crime fiction. Dreda Say Mitchell is an award winning crime novelist and all-round media personality. With her 'Geezer, Gangster and Hit...
I & I The Natural Mystics: Marley, Tosh and Wailer with Colin Grant - Wednesday 16 November 2011, 7pmStir it up! The Wailers are the undisputed kings of reggae and their music still has a massive influence across the world today. Bob Marley, Peter...
Total Sin: What Makes London Interesting? - Thursday 17 November, 7pmPanel discussion with Catharine Arnold, Paul Willetts and Jonathan Kemp. Paul Willetts Paul Willetts is the author of 'Members Only: The Life and...
33 Revolutions per Minute with Dorian Lynskey - Friday 18 November, 7pmA conversation with Dorian Lynskey on his book about protest songs in the twentieth century followed by live music from Tower of Dad. Dorian...
Michael Rosen's Storytime - Saturday 19 November, 2pmA workshop for children aged between 6 and 11 years. Michael Rosen Michael Rosen is a poet, scriptwriter, broadcaster and performer and has been...
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists Exhibition - Saturday 12 - Saturday 19 November 2011An exhibition of letters and posters from the Robert Tressell family archives. Robert Tressell's 'The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists' is one of...

Hat Chris Weavers and the Tower Hamlets Labour Party e-newsletter.

Battle of Cable Street 75th Anniversary Rally

I wasn't able to make the march but I did manage to turn up to the Battle of Cable Street 75th Anniversary rally at St George in the East park, East London.   Home of the famous mural. Former UNISON General Secretary Rodney Bickeerstaffe was speaking as I came in. He reminded the rally of the close connection of Cable Street with the International Brigade who fought in Spain against the fascists 1936-1939.

I was sorry to have missed Max Levitas, a 97 year old real life veteran of the Battle speak. I have heard Max a number of times over the years on many issues but never at this event. Max still lives in Tower Hamlets but he comes shopping to Stratford and has stopped off at our Labour Party stalls over the years to have a chat. He is still a convinced communist but is pleased to see the Labour Party out campaigning and is still very vocal about the dangers we all face from the splitters and wreakers. 

The video is of Kosru Uddin, Tower Hamlets Labour Councillor, talking not as a polititian but as someone who had lived through racism and who stressed the importance of being united in order to defeat it.  

I was pleased that my UNISON Housing Association branch banner was there – thanks to activists Tony and Mary. There was a number of UNISON folk about including my former Branch secretary Jean Geldart (daughter of another Cable Street veteran and former Red Stepney Communist MP Phil Piratin) and Head of UNISON Local Government Heather Wakefield.  

There was some sectarian silliness by the usual suspects. But such ritualistic howling at the moon amidst grandiose claims of betrayal politics just adds to the colour of the occasion.   

The final speaker was former BNP member turned Hope Not Hate activist Matthew Collins whose recent book “Hate – My life in the British Far Right” I have just ordered. Just saying you are going to Smash the BNP or the EDL is not enough. We will not let them pass - but we also need to fully understand our enemy in order to overcome them.