NORTHERN ROCK PROTEST MANCHESTER

NORTHERN ROCK PROTEST - STOP THE REPOSSESSIONS!
11am
Saturday November 1.
Northern Rock, 1 Princess Street, Albert Square , Manchester

Protestors are gathering outside Northern Rock’s Manchester HQ to campaign against Northern Rock’s policy of repossessions on a scale twice as fast as any other bank in the country.

Supporters of the Convention Of The Left which has organised the protest, say nationalised banks should be run in the interests of working people and that Northern Rock should not be pursuing a policy of taking their homes and making them destitute.

More information at http://www.conventionoftheleft.org/resources/Northern%20rock_homeprint.pdf

PROTEST AT PLANS TO RESTRICT PEACEFUL PROTEST

Over the years I have taken part in many protests in central London. Most marching past the House of Commons and down Whitehall.

But our rights to do so could be further eroded under plans to extend already draconian protest laws.

Sections 132 to 138 of the 2005 Serious Organised Crime and Police Act ban protests in the vicinity of Parliament which are carried out without obtaining permission from the Government six days in advance. The law was originally passed in an attempt to get rid of peace protestor Brian Haw (pictured) - but a judge ruled that the powers did not apply to his long-standing demonstration. However, many others have since been arrested for staging small protests. Now there are plans to "harmonise" ( lovely Orwellian word) those police powers . Which is why representatives from all political parties were outside Number 10 yesterday.
Labour 's John McDonnell, Liberal Democrat Simon Hughes, Tory MP Daniel Kawczynksi, and Plaid Cymru 's Adam Price joined Green Party Greater London Assembly member Jenny Jones, Lib Dem peer Baroness Miller, Labour NEC member Walter Wolfgang and campaigning comic Mark Thomas to deliver a petition. They are urging people to respond to the consultation before the January 17 deadline and register their opposition to further restrictions on the right to freedom of assembly.

John McDonnell said: "We're hoping that, once people become aware of what the government's plans are, they'll be outraged. We'll be able to prevent any further assault on civil liberties."
Details of the consultation can be found at http://www.repeal-socpa.info/

TIME FOR MANCHESTER LABOUR TO SHOW KAREN SOLIDARITY

Enough of internet spats. I will be getting on the train to Manchester tomorrow to show a spot of solidarity to sacked UNISON activist Karen Reissman, who got a standing ovation at last week's LRC conference . The demo starts at 1pm tomorrow in the Peace Gardens in St Peter's Square. My comrade Miles has lots of background on this and .I note with particular concern that Manchester's Labour councillors have not been supportive. With, apparently, one interesting exception. I can confirm Miles's suggestion that Moston councillor Bill Risby was the only one to speak out in support of Karen at a Labour group meeting. Which is a) pretty ironic and b) a bloody sad reflection on the state of the Labour group . I've known Bill for over 30 years and he's a friend, a lifelong socialist and former trade union leader (SLADE) In my (long-gone) youth, we in the Manchester LPYS regarded Bill as a "sell-out" and indeed he was on the right of the Party then. He thought we were a bunch of barmy young Trotskyists ( we probably were) Even more ironically, many of those councillors who now are NOT coming out in support of Karen were regarded then as dangerous lefties. So I suspect the reality is this.

Bill has stayed where he always was politically - a decent moderate Labour man committed and supportive of any trade unionist wrongly sacked. Others, I suspect, prefer to dwell on the fact that Karen is an SWP member and somehow justify her treatment on sectarian grounds. Toeing , of course, the New Labour line....Why in God's name haven't the Manchester MPs spoken out in support of a woman who only last week received a letter confirming she was to be promoted - days after she had been sacked for speaking up for patients. Yet again, Labour is wrongfooted on a seriously important issue. It is enough to make one despair.

STATE BANQUET SICKENING SPECTACLE

Not much time to blog today but would just like to wish tonight's protest outside the Saudi Embassy every success - caught a glimpse of the celebrations on last night's Newsnight and what a sickening spectacle it was. Gordon "I could not possibly sit down with Mugabe" Brown in his best white tie and tails. The Queen, Camilla, tiaras. Vile. Clare Short and Peter Kilfoyle have now added their names to an open letter in protest at King Abdullah's visit signed by 30 prominent politicians and trade union leaders. Well done all who have raised awareness of the iniquities of this despicable regime.

SAUDI STATE VISIT IS AN OUTRAGE

WELL done to the Independent today for using its front page to highlight the appalling hypocrisy of this Government in extending the hand of friendship to King Abdullah, the man who heads up one of the most loathsome regimes in the world.

In Saudi Arabia, according to Amnesty International, "Fear and secrecy permeate every aspect of life. Every day the most fundamental human rights of people in Saudi Arabia are being violated."
And, as the Indy points out, in his Labour Party conference speech last month, the Prime Minister declared that he would oppose dictatorship everywhere: "The message should go out to anyone facing persecution from Burma to Zimbabwe ... human rights are universal." He has refused to even attend the same summit as the Zimbabwean dictator, Robert Mugabe.David Cameron has also just promised to put "human rights" at the heart of his "foreign policy vision".
Yet astonishingly both political leaders refuse to make a commitment to even mention human rights to the king. Instead, he will ride in a golden carriage with the Queen, and be guest of honour at a Buckingham Palace banquet. Today is the start of a three-day state visit, funded by the British taxpayer. The decision to lavish large sums and the rare prestige of a state visit on King Abdullah has attracted severe criticism in Westminster, led by Labour's John McDonnell

who says: "We are feting this man because Saudi Arabia controls 25 per cent of the world's oil, and because we sell him billions of pounds' worth of weapons. It is an insult to everything Britain stands for to put these geopolitical concerns ahead of the rights of women, trade unionists and all Saudi people."

Well said, John and I'm sorry I can't make Wednesday night's protest from 6pm outside the Saudi Embassy where the equally feisty MP Katy Clark will be joining trade unionists and socialists protesting at this disgraceful spectacle. An EDM on this matter has been tabled by John McDonnell - so far signed by 21 MPs. Which just isn't good enough, is it? We get weasel words from many in this Govt. And very very few MPs who will even think about putting their heads above the parapet. Thanks to John and Katy for being two we can always count on.

PS: Credit also to Acting Liberal democrat Leader Vince cable, who won't be attending the state banquet.