Council Leader's Blog: St Helens - No Place for Hate
Over the last few weeks, our borough has seen anti-immigration protests. I want to say this right at the start: those protests do not represent who we are.
St Helens has always been shaped by working people from every walk of life. Migrants are our NHS staff, our carers, our shop workers, our neighbours and our friends. They are part of the St Helens story, and they'll always be part of our future.
This town has a long tradition of kindness and solidarity. We look out for each other. And when people arrive here after fleeing war, persecution or unimaginable hardship, we know it's right to offer compassion and welcome. That's what #LoveStHelens is all about - standing up for one another.
A moment I won't forget
After the protests, I visited Chain Lane Community Centre to see the volunteers at Café Laziz who were collecting donations for families at the OYO Hotel.
The hall was busy, full of donated toys and clothing, but one moment cut through the noise and will stay with me forever.
As I arrived at the centre, it was very busy. Suddenly, a young toddler - one of the families from the Oyo Hotel - gently tapped me on the leg and motioned for me to follow her. I did, and she led me to a table at the far side of the hall. She motioned for me to sit beside her, then pulled out a colouring book and some crayons. She took one crayon and handed me another, and together we coloured a picture of a horse. No words were spoken. I had never met this child before, yet the simple act melted my heart.
When we say our priority is to give every child the best start in life, we truly mean every child. I cannot imagine the hardships this little girl has already faced in her short life. A small act of kindness - ironically, I went there to help but left being helped by the innocence of a child who saw me and decided I needed a friend to colour with. I'll never forget her or the lesson I learned that day.
The danger of false stories
What worries me most is how quickly compassion can be forgotten when lies and rumours take over..
Misinformation isn't harmless. It's used to stoke fear, anger and division. And all of us have a role in stopping it spreading.
So next time you see something online, pause for a moment:
Is this from a credible source?
Is it written to inform, or to provoke outrage?
If I share this, am I helping truth — or helping hate?
That small pause could stop misinformation in its tracks.
That's why we launched our Don't Be Misled. Be Informed campaign, sharing the facts about immigration and asylum. You can find more on our Don't Be Misled. Be Informed webpage.
Pastor Martin Niemöller sums it up best
First they came for the Communists And I did not speak out Because I was not a Communist Then they came for the Socialists And I did not speak out Because I was not a Socialist Then they came for the trade unionists And I did not speak out Because I was not a trade unionist Then they came for the Jews And I did not speak out Because I was not a Jew Then they came for me And there was no one left To speak out for me
Choosing love
The truth is, hate is on the rise globally. Around the world, we see horror and heartbreak: atrocities in Ukraine, Gaza, and Syria; conflicts across Africa driven by ethnic and political divisions; continuing unrest in the Middle East, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
In America, we witnessed the appalling assassination of a young man on a university stage - set against a backdrop of Trump division and chaos. We see attacks on workers, civil rights being rolled back, universities defunded for refusing to bend to ideology, and equality under threat. And closer to home, we see the rise of the far right across Europe, and yes - even here in our own country. That is deeply worrying.
That is why campaigns such as No Place for Hate matter. They set us apart from those who spread fear, lies, and hate. They mark us as different from those who hurl abuse at vulnerable women and children under the cover of protest. No Place for Hate works hand in hand with our #LoveStHelens campaign. Together, they remind us of a simple truth: we must choose love over hate. That's why I was proud to stand with Rev. Shuttleworth and launch the #LoveStHelens campaign in the Town Hall.
My faith is important to me, faith is personal, but it's also practical. If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be love. The greatest commandment is to love - to love your neighbour, those to whom you show compassion whether you know them or not. Love is not just a feeling, it's an action. It's the greatest and toughest action you will ever do. It's the decision to turn away from hate and to choose compassion.
Choose #Love
St Helens is a brilliant place from Rainhill to Billinge and every area in between. What makes it so brilliant is it's people. We achieve so much when we work together, when we look out for each other, when we Love Our Neighbour. We are at a place in time when we need to come together more than ever, to dispel the negativity that's out there, to stand against the hate and fear that's out there, and to spread the act of #Love. We #LoveStHelens
With Love ❤️
Cllr Anthony Burns Leader of St Helens Borough Council
