John --

I hope you're well.

It's been a busy summer at HOPE not hate, and I wanted to send you an update on what we've been working on. I'll go into more detail on some of our key projects below, but first I wanted to briefly discuss the current political situation and the far-right.

We all saw the terrifying footage in June. Far-right thugs took to our nation's capital, and many other cities across the country. They used the flimsy pretext of protecting statues that did not need their protection in order to wreak havoc, attack police and journalists, and foment a sense of fear.

Since then the far-right threat has developed significantly. Two seperate reports from the HOPE not hate research team detail the rise of new fascist groups.

The first is called Patriotic Alternative - a Fascist, antisemitic white nationalist organisation that launched in September 2019 and have been working hard to unite the far-right. The second is called The British Hand - a group of teenage fascists led by a 15 year old, who openly discuss making weapons and attacking refugees.

This is not to say that these groups pose an immediate threat. They are both relatively new, badly organised and too extreme to ever impact mainstream politics. But they exist as a warning sign about the changing threat of the far-right as we enter a new decade.

This of course all exists with a new backdrop that sits behind all of our lives: COVID-19.

The HOPE not hate policy team have spent the summer tracking public sentiment on the virus, and it makes for fascinating reading. They've covered everything from the way the virus has impacted BAME communities, to young people, to red wall seats - and so much more in between. If you're not subscribed to Rosie Carter's weekly Coronavirus briefing email, I would recommend signing up here.

Finally, I think it's important that we all remember how vital it is that we continue to HOPE - and how many reasons we have to do so. This summer we saw people of all races, ages, genders and nations rise up in opposition to systematic racism, spawning an ongoing movement for real, radical change. Across the UK we watched as people everywhere came together in the face of a terrifying pandemic to care for one another, providing support for at-risk neighbours and developing a sense of collectivism and community where many had thought that was impossible.

Those who trade in hate will always exist, but as long as we have HOPE they can never win.

Best wishes,

Nick Lowles
HOPE not hate