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The marches in London today will frighten many, but we must fight for the spirit of Britain, writes Sir Keir Starmer

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yesterday

Today, the voices of division will be loud.

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They are a reminder that our values are not given but earned. And that each of us has a responsibility to affirm the respect and decency that binds us together.

I know that many people across the country will understandably be frightened by what they may see today.

Muslim and ethnic minority communities concerned by the “Unite the Kingdom” march.

Jewish communities worried by the antisemitism that has too often accompanied demonstrations related to the Middle East.

Parents worried about what kind of country their children are growing up in when anger and hatred seem so loud.

I understand those concerns. They are concerns I share – and they are concerns that every decent person in this country should share too.

Because the truth is this: we are in a fight for the soul of this country. And it is a fight for all of us.

In part, it is an economic fight. The world is more dangerous than at any time in my lifetime. We can all see the consequences of events overseas on prices at the petrol pump. That is why we need to strengthen our economic, energy and national security.

But we also need to be fairer too. Fairness is the value that holds us together; that underpins the decency and respect we are known all around the world for.

We see that spirit every day. But we have seen it most clearly when we have faced our........

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