The Annual General Meeting of the rail union RMT, at the end of June, voted to endorse the union’s decision to expel ultra-fascist Patrick Harrington.

Trade union membership should be open to all workers prepared to stand together with their workmates for our common interests. That is why fascists must be kept out of the unions. They are fundamentally hostile to trade unions and to a large section of trade union members (black, Asian, Jewish, gay...)

The TUC in 2002 voted to back any union expelling fascists. In October 2004 the train drivers’ union ASLEF was fined £5000 in the third tribunal hearing over its decision to expel BNP member Jay Lee (Lee won the first hearing, ASLEF the second, and Lee the third).

Since then, the Employment Rights Act 2004, coming into effect in December 2004, has changed the law to make it easier to expel fascists.