John --

On 23 December, Luke Hunter, a far right activist from Newcastle, was sentenced to several years in prison for terrorism. He was charged days after HOPE not hate reported him to police following a year-long investigation - after our team picked up changes in his behaviour that led them to believe he might launch an attack.

I am proud of HOPE not hate’s work to track and expose the increasing number of violent far right activists and I hope you are too.

Our successful investigation into Luke Hunter was thanks to the hard work of our dedicated research team, but their work was only possible thanks to our supporters - especially those who have signed up as members.

There will be more work like this in the year ahead. We know the threat from far right terrorism remains high. 

In addition countering the threat of violence, our team is also preparing for the economic fallout from Covid. Rising unemployment and debt, pay freezes, tax rises and public sector cuts - the results of this crisis are yet to be fully felt, and will be devastating. Deprived areas will be hit hardest, especially because of local council cuts to services - all coming after 10 years of austerity. History tells us economic stress leads to stresses within communities, making people vulnerable to the siren calls of the far right. 

I should also mention the threat of conspiracy theories. People who are drawn into anti-vaxx/lockdown conspiracies, but this is provides witha gateway to wider and more traditional conspiracies - particularly antisemitic conspiracies. We will all have our work cut out. 

But while a new year brings new challenges, there are also opportunities to build an agenda of hope. 

2020 saw communities pull together. People looked out for each other, and our NHS heroes, and frontline workers put themselves in harms way to protect the rest of us. In 2021, we’ll find new ways to support communities, through projects like the one in Bradford, where our team has fundraised for, and delivered, holiday hunger projects in an estate where support for the BNP and UKIP was once very strong.

All the best for 2021, and I’ll be in touch soon with more on ways we can work together for HOPE this year.

Nick Lowles
HOPE not hate CEO