Far right groups in Epping have attempted to create anger, fear and resentment in my community. They have exploited legitimate concerns over crime and the use of hotels as accommodation for asylum seekers. The way that this has developed is entirely predictable and could easily happen anywhere else in the country, given the right combination of circumstances.
During the summer, protests and marches through Epping were a weekly routine. The protests outside the Bell Hotel were taking place every Thursday and Sunday from July to the end of September, some of which started peacefully but turned violent. In all cases, the town was effectively locked down so the police could manage the protests and marches. The protests are not being led by Epping residents. We have seen groups of agitators coming from outside the town, most recently from as far away as Bournemouth. White supremacist groups have distributed leaflets and the protests have drawn support from far-right groups like the Homeland Party, the British Democrats and right-wing parties like Reform UK.
One important development that has not received widespread publicity has been the arrival of a ‘Community Safety Organisation’ calling itself the 'Essex Spartans'. The Spartans organise community patrols at night, claiming to be supporting vulnerable women and children in the town. Local neighbourhood watch groups, schools and the police all dispute claims from the Spartans that they cooperate or collaborate with them. Individuals behind the group are believed to be involved in the far-right and, in some cases, seem to have expressed racist or misogynistic views online.
I intend to call this as I see it: the far-right have cynically exploited years of austerity and cuts to public services to break community resilience and undermine social cohesion. In Epping, they calculated that the police would be overstretched and unable to control both anti-hotel demonstrations alongside counter demonstrations. It benefits the far-right to paint a picture of communities on the brink of civil breakdown and disorder, and there are parallels with the riots that followed the tragic events in Southport last year which were shamefully incited by misinformation. This Labour Government must accelerate action to ensure that all police forces have the resources they need. We must also implement in full the recommendations contained in the Khan Review of social cohesion and threats to our democracy as an urgent priority.
These changes alone would only constitute the bare minimum. We must take civil society more seriously, particularly if medium-term increases in public spending are going to be limited. As a movement, our instinct is to see state intervention as preferable to charity. However, civil society organisations are essential in building community cohesion and given the cuts to public services since 2010 they have desperately tried to fill the gaps left behind. The Essex Spartans are trying to fill a void left by austerity and cuts. It is incumbent on the Labour Party and the left more widely to support progressive alternatives.
The momentum behind the Bell Hotel protests accelerated because of misinformation being spread online, especially by the far-right. Political parties have a moral responsibility to tell the truth and present the ‘bigger picture’ behind complex political situations and difficult decisions. A key feature of reactionary politics is the need to keep voters in a state of irrational fear or suspicion so they are more politically malleable. Minute-by-minute exposure to social media and constant bombardment with information and clickbait provides an ideal medium for doing that. The Government is neglecting the situation by failing to promote its policies sufficiently and explain the context for difficult decisions, leaving others to control the narrative.
Part of the Labour Party’s mission must be the moral and ethical imperative to build a collective political consciousness, recognising that many political issues can only be tackled by society as a whole rather than being left to individual efforts and behavioural changes. Epping Forest District is typical of many places in the country where residents find themselves ‘just about managing’ with the rising cost of living and a fear that the opportunities taken for granted by older generations are not available for younger people. Feelings of insecurity are being exploited and directed at asylum seekers. Labour must reframe the narrative, taking an internationalist approach, recognising that Brexit, conflict, climate change and inequality are exacerbating global migration.
An important cause of support for the far right is an historical feeling of being ignored or undervalued. I have benefited from talking to Labour activists who were involved in defeating the far right in places like Tower Hamlets and Dagenham. Politicians can be guilty of a top-down approach to politics that assumes strategic decisions are best taken by self-appointed groups of ‘experts’ as opposed to those with real expertise and experience. This technocratic approach creates fertile ground for the far right to promote populist alternatives, even though parties like Reform have their own self-appointed groups of ‘experts’ (e.g. the DOGE unit).
There has been a complete lack of political leadership over the events in Epping. In particular, the behaviour of Tory-controlled Epping Forest District Council and its leadership has been reckless and appalling and I will not waste time repeating their well-reported activities. By way of contrast, Epping for Everyone (EFE) is a group that started amongst parents concerned about the rhetoric and division which the protests created. The aims of EFE are to build community cohesion and change the narrative about the issues affecting our town and the surrounding villages. EFE has organised two ‘community walks’ through Epping as well as social events where the community has been invited to come together. Their Facebook group has over 2,700 followers, a fantastic achievement in only a few months. I am proud to support EFE and its courageous, brave and inspiring members.
I hope this positive development will not only provide cause for optimism but give our Government the impetus to change its approach urgently and take action on social cohesion.
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Kevin Hind is Vice Chair of his local CLP and lives near Epping. He has served as a councillor and as a parliamentary candidate.
All blog posts represent the views of the author alone and not necessarily those of Mainstream.
