The two events took place simultaneously, but very coincidentally. Both highlight the role of identity politics in the UK, and some political observers fear there may be a rising tide of xenophobic sentiment in Britain. The rise of UKIP and an acknowledgement that immigration has become a serious focus of electioneering among all the political parties has given rise to fears that intolerance may also be on the rise.
But despite the publicity, far right groups have never really taken off on either side of the border.
Speaking ahead of the Scots rally, Grahame Smith, STUC General Secretary said; "The eyes of the world have been on Scotland this year. The Commonwealth Games and the Referendum generated unprecedented media attention on our nation and people."
Scotland’s anti-racism rally was staged to coincide with the national occasion of St Andrews Day.
Newly elected Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon meanwhile said, "We must always be on our guard against racism and prejudice”.
Scotland's multicultural nationalism
Roger Griffin is Professor of Modern History at Oxford Brookes University. He doesn’t read too much into the timing of this rally.
"The STUC has a long tradition of organising anti-racism protests, but right wing populism has never held much appeal in Scotland", he said. "Scotland happens to have an organic, multicultural and multi-faith nationalism.”
Coincidentally, the British National Party, often associated with English xenophobic sentiment, held its annual national conference in Blackpool this weekend.
The BNP was founded in 1982 following a split within the National Front. They won 2 seats in the European Parliamentary Elections of 2009, but since then have had little impact in mainstream UK politics. Professor Roger Griffin says:
"Nick Griffin [the former leader] tried to mould the party in the image the French Front National- right wing populist. But this failed to give them a presence in UK politics.”
Far right sentiment will find other avenues
Rumy Hasan, a senior lecturer at the University of Sussex, believes the BNP has virtually imploded. "There are hardly any white far-right groups thankfully. They hardly exist".
Roger Griffin seems to agree. "There is no Fascism in England worth speaking of. English Fascism reached its peak in the 1930's under Mosley, when the British Union of Fascists had only 50,000 members", he said. "6% of any population anywhere is extreme pathological racist and supremacist. But that 6% has never translated itself into a national movement".
In terms of democratic values, Professor Griffin believes rigid nationalism poses a larger threat. "The challenge is with nationalisms that undermine democracy". He added that nationalism could contribute to forms of economic oppression that can undermine democracy.
Although it may not express itself in mainstream politics, far right sentiment will find other avenues, particularly social media.
‘Britain First’ a far right party founded in 2011 hit the headlines recently when it gained more than 500,000 followers on Facebook. However, its candidate in the Rochester and Strood by-election attracted only 56 votes earlier this month.
