For the first time, this book tells the inspirational story of how British South Asians organised against racism in the past and how they continue to fight in the present.

‘A consequential recounting of a long and illustrious history.’ – Priyamvada Gopal
‘A story that needs to be told as a matter of emergency.’ – Sathnam Sanghera

British South Asians have a long tradition of radical political activism. The 1970s and 1980s saw the community grappling with prejudice in the workplace and violence in the streets. But this history is deeper than you might think, from students agitating for independence at the heart of the British Empire to seafarers organising global strikes on the eve of the Second World War.

In Come what may, we’re here to stay, Taj Ali reveals how successive generations fought for rights, dignity and a sense of belonging while actively shaping the country they now call home. He shows that British South Asian political life has often been defined less by religious difference than by shared commitments to anti-imperialism and anti-racism. In pursuit of these goals, alliances have been forged with other movements, from Irish republicanism to Black Power.

As racism rears its ugly head again, Come what may, we’re here to stay asks: are we doomed to repeat the past or will we learn from our mistakes and build a better world together?