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.

Angel Pond: Then and Now

This morning I started yet another New Year's Resolution to get fit by going for a jog around nearby Wanstead Flats. Less than 50m from the start of my run is "Angel Pond" seen then (early 20th century) and now in collage above.

It was named after the first ever West Ham Council Engineer,  Lewis Angell, who was responsible for its construction in 1893/94. It used to have rowing boats for hire and a bandstand. The fascist leader, Oswald Mosley, used to speak from the bandstand during weekends in the 1930s, nearby was the local headquarters of the British Union of Fascists in Woodford Road. He would have had a lively reception from anti-fascist locals.

The bandstand caught fire and was replaced by a circle of trees which you can see in the bottom photo. Angel pond is looking very full at the moment due to recent rain but the plan by Epping Forest is for it to be an aquatic nature reserve that is a pond in the winter but marshland during the summer.

Hopefully my resolution to get fit this year will last longer than it usually does (which is not very long but fingers crossed). 

Fascism in 1930's East London

Fascinating post by local history blog "E7 Now & Then" on Fascism in  Forest Gate, Newham, East London during the 1930s.

I have lived in Forest Gate since 1988 and I knew that Mosley and his fascists use to hold open air meetings at the old bandstand  near to where I now live in Wanstead Flats.

I didn't realise that I passed the former local British Union of Fascists district headquarters everyday on the way to and from the railway station.

The post is largely about Forest Gate but mentions fascist activities elsewhere in East London.

I think we should be proud that despite the mass unemployment and economic hardship of the 1930's that the fascists were never able to win any significant level of electoral support in London.

The Forest Gate fascists seemed to have been composed solely of racist middle class anti-semitics and working class jack boot uniform fetishists. I suspect they differed very little from our modern day racists and  fascists.

London Marathon 2012 training Wk 3: The Grotto, useless watch and useless dog owners

I’ve felt this week wasn’t as tough as last. Probably because there was only one run involving “maximum effort” reps. I bought a Timex “Ironman 30 lap” watch from Sweatshop for £50 to help me time the reps and recovery walks. It came with the most useless set of instructions I have ever come across. Despite being told by the assistant that this watch could programme reps I have no idea how to do it. So I’m taking it back.

“Run of the week” was on Sunday. The weather was marvellous for the time of year. I started off walking at Angel Pond in Wanstead flats, past the site of the old bandstand where Mosley and his fascist thugs use to try and hold open air meetings in the late 1930’s. Then started warm up jogging past the amateur footballers until I reached the pub “The Golden Fleece”. One of the better pubs in Newham. After stretches I started the 35 minute run towards the City of London Cemetery which is one of the largest in Europe. I ran in between the Cemetery and the Railway line. Turned left, past the allotments and along the Roding Way for a little while then into Wanstead Park. Then I got chased by a dog which nipped my left ankle. It didn’t break the skin and was more of a shock than painful. After many years of jogging I don’t think I have ever actually been nipped or bitten before even thought there has been a few close calls. Anyway I don’t blame the dog, rather the completely useless owners who just stood there with their mouths open like goldfish and didn’t even have the grace to apologise.

I carried on along the Ornamental Water and went past the Grotto (see painting) built 1761 and the site of a Roman-British temple. Up the Long Walk to Warren Road then down and past the ponds (where a German V1 landed in 1944 killing a solider and his girlfriend) into the flats again. The 35 minutes finished a few minutes from Angle pond and I jogged the rest of the way home. 

I am running the London marathon next year using the official advanced training programme and will be raising funds for Homeless Youth charity "Alone in London".