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350,000 Against Blair

vngelis | 22.09.2002 18:58

2 Marches Against Blair

With handwritten banners many of which were from farmers in the NFU 2 demos occured in Central London today against Tory Blair.

"Only Stypid Sheep Hide under BUSHes"
"Supermarkets Killing Countryside"
"End of Farming Killing Livelihood"
"Tony Wants to Attack His Own Country"

The demo run by the Countryside Alliance was full of contradictions. On the one hand the poor farmers facing an end to their existence and on the other many members of the Alliance supporting the City of London directly in ending their existence, by supporting globalisation whether it is in shares or by voting Tory, who want to deregulate and abolish CAP.

The scale of the demo should worry those who refuse to try to influence such large numbers of people who are facing extinction. Does the left want:
Sainsburys to dictate farming policy.
No agricultural production left.
The end of the green belt for the construction companies.
vngelis

vngelis

Comments

Hide the following 5 comments

The pro-hunters hijacked the march!

22.09.2002 19:25

This was billed as a countryside march to support the people of the countryside who are faqcing loads of problems such as farmers going bankrupt or facing economic hardship. The loss of rural services like local schools, post offices, pubs, and bus services. The loss of farm land to the building of roads, houses and airport runways. Yet it was dominated by the pro-hunting lobby who swamped it with ppro-hunt plackards and banners.

A ban on hunting is the least of the threats to the countryside and an issue that only concerns an elite minroity. The vast majority of those on that march were marching for other causes and didn't give a damn about hunting! It is such a shame that this march will be viewed as a single issue pro-hunting march and all the other issue of the countryside will be overlooked.

steelgate

Congrats

22.09.2002 20:08

The grievances of 400,000 people can't be ignored, but lets hope as many are against escalating the Middle Eastern tensions with more aggression and the Anti-War demo gets half as much media exposure.

Solidarity

tweed and nazis

22.09.2002 21:30

I found it to be an odd march..i never believed that much tweed wearers existed, and how many swastiksa and photos of Hitler were there? herr adolph banned hunting in 1935 apparently.

Wonder when they will turn to direct action? I cant wait to see the first terrier man on top of House of commons!

tony

CA Leadership are for Big Business

23.09.2002 08:18

Steelgate argues that the pro-hunting lobby hijacked the march. True. But a chorus of opinion ranging from Peter Wilby Editor of the New Statesman, Polly (privatise everything)Toynbee, Suzanne Moore, the SWP condemned the march even before it had started.

The left by refusing to influence events becomes just a spectator on the sidelines of the EU policies which aim to abolish CAP in the UK first and then head to do the same in France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Greece etc.

The Daily Mail is no more concerend about the countryside that Tory Blair. Their are connected directly to the construction companies, the agri-business lobby, the GM lobby and the Supermarket lobby.

vngelis

unite!!

23.09.2002 12:18

Both the marchers and the anti-hunt demonstrators had a lot in common. Must have been puzzling for the antis to find themsleves shouting down people who ALSO held up effigies of Bliar! Rather than a respectful silence as the march went past the Cenotaph the two groups- pro and anti should have got together- over 400,000 storming the gates of Downing St. Now THAT is the way to make Herr Blair take notice.

muzikin

UK Indymedia