STOP THE WAR COALITION
‘TIME TO GO’ DEMO; SAT 23rd SEPT 2006


Over 60,000 peace protesters descended on Manchester this warm and sunny Saturday to cast a long shadow over the Labour Party Conference with a message for Tony Blair… “IT’S TIME TO GO”.
The illegal and immoral wars and occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq, coupled with support for the recent Israeli attack on Lebanon and it’s continuing aggression towards the Palestinians have shown Tony Blair up to be a cruel and heartless warmonger who says there is no money to invest in his own peoples needs such as pensions, housing, education, hospitals, manufacturing and public services whilst being able to FIND £25 Billion to replace Trident and continue to wage war and occupy oil rich countries of the middle east. At the same time he is demonising all Muslims as potential suicide bombers, even encouraging parents to report their own children, as John Reid’s recent address to Muslim leaders suggested.
As it weaved its way around the streets of Manchester Saturday’s demonstration warned against invading Iran, demanded the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, condemned the replacement of Trident and called for Blair to go. At Deansgate the march halted for 3 minutes silence whilst Merseyside STWC staged a Die-in, covering themselves with fake blood and playing dead while a Blair- masked Grim Reaper stood over them.
The demo then headed to Albert Square where a host of speakers addressed the crowds. Tony Benn, after a rapturous welcome, told of the many changes he had seen in his lifetime from the Suffragettes to Apartheid and that it was always a struggle for people to take control of their lives from the rich, the powerful and the arms traders, stating that persistence is the key.
Respect MP George Galloway referred to Blair and PM-in-waiting Gordon Brown as ‘2 cheeks of the same arse’ and that they should cut the umbilical cord of the ‘special Monica Lewinski style relationship’ with US President George Bush.
MSP Tommy Sheridan, the Faslane peace activist, gave his vision of the world we want to live in and build for our children. He pointed out that over the next 30 years the cost of Trident would be £76 Billion and the money could be better spent on pensions, wages and decent student grants. He also revealed that the Annual Global Expenditure on weapons and bombs was £561 Billion compared to only £32 Billion on feeding the poor- that’s 17 times more on killing people than saving people. Malcolm Kendall-Smith, the RAF surgeon jailed for refusing to go to Iraq on the grounds of receiving Unlawful Orders, revealed that many more soldiers are becoming aware of the terrible truth of their mission. Rose Gentle of Military Families against the War called on Blair to ‘Bring our boys home’.
Professor Ergelet from Iran highlighted the ‘unprecedented catastrophe’ facing the people of the middle east and told of the US Navy’s plan to deploy a massive armada there by 21st October, shortly before US elections, ready to launch a massive bombing campaign and air assault on Iran.
Other speakers including Salmia Rasheed, Musician Brian Eno, Sondes Malik of the Muslim Association of Britain, Tony Woodley of the T&G, STWC convenor Linsey German and many more rammed home the message to Blair that he is finished, it is TIME TO GO and that he should go immediately.