JOINT STATEMENT OF PROTEST AT REFORM UK HEAD OFFICE 23 July, 17:00

We are an alliance of UK-based Ukrainian organisations, Ukraine solidarity campaigners, trade unionists and others – united in our condemnation of the apologetics for Putin and Russia’s imperialism propagated by Nigel Farage and Reform UK.

Farage repeats Putin’s lie that Russia’s war on Ukraine was provoked, echoes Kremlin disinformation used to justify the invasion and occupation of Ukrainian territory and disparages and undermines Ukraine’s resistance.  Meanwhile he clearly expresses his admiration for Putin and his regime.

Reform UK’s entry into the UK Parliament provides a new opening for Russian propaganda and political influence – as well as for a wider far-right politics that threatens democracy, the rights of workers and oppressed people, and the values of equality, freedom and solidarity across borders.

We must not allow the expansion of far right and authoritarian politics to be normalised: it must be exposed and challenged.

On 23 July at 5:00 pm, we will protest at Reform UK’s offices in Westminster to oppose Putin’s friends in Parliament, standing with Ukraine in its battle for freedom and with all victims of Russian imperialism. We urge democratic, labour movement and internationalist opponents of Farage, Putin and all the new kinds of fascism to join us.

Signed

John McDonnell,  Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington

Nadia Whittome, Labour MP for Nottingham East

Rachael Maskell, Labour MP for York Central

Julie Ward, Labour MEP for NW England 2014-20

Mick Whelan, General Secretary of ASLEF train drivers union

John Moloney, Assistant General Secretary Public and Commercial Services Union

Oksana Holota, representative of Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Ukraine

Maria Exall, Communication Workers Union

Mariia Pastukh, VSESVIT, Ukraine Solidarity Collective

Olena Ivashchenko, Campaign for Ukraine

Jana Pedan, VSESVIT, Ukraine Solidarity Collective

Yuliya Yurchenko, Social Movement of Ukraine

Christopher Ford Ukraine Solidarity Campaign

Peter Tatchell, Human Rights Campaigner

Alena Ivanova, Another Europe is Possible

Sacha Ismail, Ukraine Solidarity Campaign

Eric Lee, Founding editor of  LabourStart

Zoe Gardener, Another Europe is Possible

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