Citizens’ Campaign
Keep the Far Right, Right Out
www.emmatrust.com

What makes Britain so Great? EMMA believes that our nation’s strength lies in our diversity. Social cohesion can bring our nation great benefits, leading the example for a meritocratic civic society upheld by equal opportunities for all. This ethos has been embodied in the work of EMMA, and our Citizen’s Campaign wishes to further promote this vision in to practice. By alerting the British public in the dangers of the growing far-right and the very real threat in the re-emergence of Fascism, we are urging all citizens to use their vote responsibly, and to understand the implications of voting for the BNP.

Having experienced the worst UK recession since the 1930’s, the upcoming General Election poses as the most crucial in the nation’s living memory. EMMA Trust is campaigning with the advertising creativity of ‘Team Saatchi’ and the PR work of ‘Here & Now 365’ to promote political responsibility from the public. The EMMA Trust Election Awareness Campaign will consist of 6 print ads for UK press, outdoor ads, and 3 online viral Ads each 20 seconds long. The online viral campaign will be linked to online social media networks, and will be delivered to a database of EMMA’s 75,000 contacts. We are hopeful that this message will galvanise the public to engage in the democratic process. Apathy will certainly not counter the far right movement, which has enjoyed successes in numerous elections throughout Europe.
With the electioneering now well under way, the media focus is strongly on the three main parties. Whilst the British political and media community have understandably favoured tactics of denying the BNP the “oxygen of publicity,” the far-right is now gathering support hidden from the media gaze. The internet, which was central in the victory of Obama’s election campaign, is having an unprecedented shape on politics. Strengthening the voice and the convictions of those otherwise too reticent to express their views, the anonymity of the web has paved a hotbed for extremism. The internet is where the BNP is gathering momentum, and their influence on others exposed without open debate. Our campaign will therefore gather a strong online presence to inspire the British public to take a strong stance against the far-right.


EMMA was established in 1997 out of the growing need for inter-community social cohesion. It was clear that from Enoch Powell’s “rivers of blood” speech in 1968, the Brixton Riot of 1981, through to the death of Stephen Lawrence in 1993 that the racial tension mounting in the UK needed to be seriously confronted. More importantly, the notion of a united Great Britain had to be re-envisaged to reflect the true nature of our diverse society, allowing marginalised voices to be heard, their talents proudly recognised, and their negative stereotypes dispelled.

In 1998, the vision of the organisation’s founder, Bobby Syed, was materialised through the launch of the EMMA Awards, which sought to celebrate the diversity existing within the media industry. The awards acknowledging the merits of the likes of Mohammad Ali, Nelson Mandela, Lord Attenborough, Maya Angelou and Ray Charles, and received support from the UK’s three main political parties- including their current leaders. In commemorating the talents and role models from a diverse range of backgrounds within the media, the awards drew appeal and support from all communities with a common humanitarian cause, regardless of race, colour, and creed.

Since its inception, EMMA has pushed itself further to play a role in campaigning against discrimination. In the summer of 2001, the growing support for the National Front and the BNP in Oldham, Bradford, and Burnley led to race riots throughout the region. Dissipating the racial tension, EMMA responded by spreading an anti-racism campaign, which received letters of support from Nelson Mandela, and the ex-Prime Minister, Tony Blair. Despite the successes of the campaign, it is sadly evident that the far-right continues to gather in strength, demonstrated by the emergence of the English Defence League.

Britsh ethnic minorities are still attributed with a static identity of colonial past, adhering to the notion that one’s ethnicity remains synonymous with one’s culture, creed, and religion. We cannot sustain the belief that British identity is premised on ethnicity. A British identity built on civic participation, on the other hand, can galvanise our citizens towards a common belief that Britain’s greatness stems from our humanitarian principles. Were it not for such unity in WWI and WWII, and the combined effort of the millions of Black and Asian people, our population would not currently enjoy the democratic liberties that we take for granted today.

EMMA believes that it is of the utmost importance that a democratic government should reflect the collective voices of all citizens actively participating by securing their vote. Sadly, the last two UK general elections have witnessed more people abstaining from voting, than participating in the democratic process. Our campaign aims to foster the awareness of the importance in voting and the very real threat that the reemergence of Fascism poses for us all. Today, we question why the Nazi party wasn’t challenged before it became a legitimate political force, but what have we learnt if we don’t actively tackle another Fascist party, such as the BNP, from doing the same in the 21st Century.                      

We are also excited to announce the re-launch of our EMMA Awards in November, which will continue to carry our philosophy in to the long future. EMMA Trust is entirely supported by donations to help achieve our aims. If you wish to support our cause, you can make a donation through our website: www.emmatrust.com. EMMA is an apolitical organisation that campaigns against all forms of discrimination to better our human existence in the UK, and beyond.