Dear John,

Have you noticed it? From Walthamstow to Wisconsin, there has been a palpable shift in political momentum. Just a few weeks ago, the far-right seemed emboldened and in control. These last few days, ordinary people have stood up to remind them of the truth – that they’re vastly outnumbered.

Last night, police here in the UK issued warnings about another wave of far-right riots around the country. Communities responded in force, mobilising across Britain in much larger numbers. In the end, last night was a powerful display of tolerance, solidarity, and anti-fascism, rather than another terrible tour of senseless destruction and hate.

Placards last night read “refugees welcome”, “stop the far-right,” “no to fascism”, and “this is what community looks like.”

In the States, too, the far-right seems to be losing momentum. Two rallies in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin both drew a massive turnout for Kamala Harris and her new VP pick Tim Walz. The crowds could be heard chanting the campaign’s new unofficial slogan, “We’re not going back!”

Trump, slipping in the polls and seemingly taking an oddly-timed break from in-person campaigning this week, has resorted to his standard online name-calling tactics. But he just doesn’t have the novelty or the cut-through he did in 2016. It all looks like little more than the rantings of an old and increasingly desperate man.

We’ve been reminded this week that, despite what the likes of Farage often claim, the bigots, racists, and fascists do not speak for us. Most people in this world are genuinely decent, and when they’re given a voice, they’ll drown out the noxious noise of the far-right every single time.

That cuts to the core of our campaign for democracy. It’s about giving ordinary people back that voice, and exposing the far-right for what they really are: divisive and hate-filled extremists representative of a dwindling minority.

A properly functioning democracy would let the truth shine through: those who despise democracy and take pleasure in violence and destruction are vastly outnumbered by ordinary, decent people striving to make the world a brighter, fairer place. Let’s not forget that.

All the best,

Mark Kieran

CEO, Open Britain