As I write my first editorial it is clear that the nightmare prophesied by Searchlight and others has become a reality.

A grinning Griffin and Andrew Brons entering the European Parliament may be a sickening sight for all anti-fascists, however there is some cold comfort when the truth behind the headlines is that the BNP have gained in popularity but Griffin in fact received a fewer number of votes than he received in 2004.

Nevertheless evidence is growing that the rise of the Rabid Right in Britain is becoming less of a blip on the political landscape. On Thursday, the lesser known English Democrats secured their first major electoral win when Peter Davies became the elected Mayor of Doncaster. Davies, a longstanding anti-EU and anti-immigration campaigner got elected on the promise of limiting the mayor’s wage to £30,000, abolishing “politically correct” (read community cohesion and diversity) council jobs and cutting translation services for non-English speaking immigrants.

This has resulted in Peter Davies vowing to end Doncaster Gay Pride event, not too dissimilar to Boris’ decision to end the Rise Festival. This comparison isn’t lost on them either as their website proudly proclaims Peter Davies as “truly the Boris Johnson of the north”.

In the fog of groans about the growing and gaining Right, The Multicultural Progressive will be a voice of a new and energised multicultural Left.

We make the call not only to debate new ideas but also to inspire others to act and organise. We aim to break out and open up cultural barriers and ghettoes by incorporating a range of voices in the debate about making a different and better world for all.

To breakdown barriers, friction and diversity is needed and a variety of opinions will be embraced rather than avoided. From Centre-Left to Radical Left, we aim to present and be a bearer for social innovation, to champion social projects, community initiatives and people that are making progressive and real change in low to middle income people.

The guiding thought behind our articles and debate is how our beliefs in solidarity, egalitarianism, liberty and democratic socialism can bring about a better world.

TMPOnline will not just be a showcase for exciting projects and initiatives but also ideas. We believe that politics isn’t about chasing the gossip of Westminster village, but about the fundamental and important questions about how our society is organised and run.

In addressing those questions the new TMP Online will reflect on the contemporary issues and questions that impact multicultural Britain; on internationalism versus immigration, combining ecology and economy, and opening up ideas perceived by some as “special interest” from feminism to pan-Africanism. Tough and intriguing questions on popular culture as well as politics will be tackled.

Before I end this post I’ll leave new subscribers with a glimpse of what to expect in the coming weeks from TMP:

1) As public disaffection with New Labour and Parliament grows and as even establishment papers such as the Times calls for constitutional reform we will look at the question of what constitutes a real democracy?

2) From Church to Reggae – is black culture institutionally homophobic?

3) What shape will the defence of public services take when Budget 2009′s cuts kick in 2011 under a probable Tory government?

4) Does the politically slow response to the climate crisis mean that we should prepare for an age of austerity?

5) What and where are examples of working class communities successfully resisting the recession?

Interested in writing on this blog? Contact Justin@tmponline.org