Yesterday’s by election in Rochester and Strood gave UKIP its second by-election victory this year. All of us who wants to stop this racist party from playing on people’s fears and desperation, need to redouble our efforts. The experience in South Yorkshire shows they can be stopped if we show them up for what they are.

UKIP went even deeper into the racist sewer after Mark Reckless said that EU migrants could be forced to leave Britain if UKIP was in government.

It is urgent for those of us who oppose UKIP to step up campaigning.

UKIP poses as an alternative to the discredited mainstream parties. But in truth Nigel Farage, Mark Reckless and the rest are the very same people who are the winners in “austerity” Britain. If they had a chance, they would push through even more swinging cuts than the Tories, who in their view are “not quite Tory enough”. It’s the same old crew, with an added nasty racist twist.

UKIP has managed to turn people’s anger and frustration with “austerity” and cuts onto migrants, Europe, LGBT, people with HIV and AIDS – aanyone except those who actually caused the crisis in the first place.

Jo Cardwell of Stand Up to UKIP says:

We are campaigning against UKIP and played a role in their defeat in the South Yorkshire police commissioner election. We have plans for national days of action and targeted campaigns in a number of key seats. We will show UKIP for what they really are – a party that panders to racism, sexism and homophobia to protect their millionaire backers.

If you are based in one of UKIP’s target seats, or would like to join the campaign against them anyway, come to our National Activist Meeting on Sunday 30 November in Central London. We’ll be discussing how to tackle UKIP in the general elections, and sharing ideas from other recent campaigns across the country. Register here.