THE horrific attack by far-right thugs on a Merseyside refugee hotel showed the dangerous rise of racism and fascism in Britain today, the annual conference of North West TUC in Warrington was told on Saturday.

It heard that anti-immigrant rhetoric from the government was fanning the flames of hatred.

The trade union movement must respond by working in communities, including the community where the attack took place, to combat racist and fascist lies, the regional TUC’s executive committee said.

The Suites hotel in Knowsley was attacked by 200 racists and fascists on Friday, February 10, ending in a riot in which a police van was set on fire.

Since the attack police have reported “assaults, malicious communications and verbal abuse, both of staff, residents and people wrongly assumed to be connected” to the hotel.

The committee said in its statement: “Recent events in Knowsley have shown us this hate and division up close.

“The far-right are organising and agitating in our communities right across the region and the UK.

“Fuelled by anti-migrant rhetoric of this government and elements of the media they’re stoking the fires, giving people disenfranchised and disillusioned someone, or something, to blame.”

The committee said that the trade union response “cannot be just to stand at our rallies and condemn, or shout ‘Nazi’ at people in our communities.

“We have to engage and do the hard work with those in our communities.

“That means education with our reps, activists and members, working with the community and ensuring that trade union values are in the minds and actions of the community, not those of the far-right.”