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Make Poverty History event in Swindon – pics and report

Simon | 11.09.2005 13:52 | Globalisation

On Saturday 10th September 2005 there was a Make Poverty History stall in Swindon. There were postcards, a big board to sign, two members of parliament, a mayor, an acoustic band, and lots and lots of white ribbon. Here are some photos of the day and a short report.

There was a Make Poverty History stall
There was a Make Poverty History stall

… where people could sign a large board …
… where people could sign a large board …

… calling on Tony Blair …
… calling on Tony Blair …

… to commit to the Millennium Development Goals
… to commit to the Millennium Development Goals

Anne Snelgrove MP signed the board
Anne Snelgrove MP signed the board

There were postcards to send to Tony Blair …
There were postcards to send to Tony Blair …

… and plenty of ribbon for people to make their own white bands
… and plenty of ribbon for people to make their own white bands

Someone got a bit carried away
Someone got a bit carried away

Pixies decorated a few of the local landmarks …
Pixies decorated a few of the local landmarks …

… but they took the ribbons off again before the end of the day
… but they took the ribbons off again before the end of the day

Michael Wills MP turned up for a photo opportunity with the mayor
Michael Wills MP turned up for a photo opportunity with the mayor

Kids give their message to Tony Blair
Kids give their message to Tony Blair

Poverty kills a child every 3 seconds
Poverty kills a child every 3 seconds


Just over two months ago, the world’s most powerful leaders were meeting at the G8 summit in Scotland, and Tony Blair was promising that their number one priority was bringing an end to poverty and climate change.

But then the suicide bombers attacked London, and in a frenzy of inflammatory headlines from the gutter press about “clerics of hate”, the scene was set for Charles Clarke to resume his own agenda of eroding human rights and introduce a new round of illiberal “anti-terror” laws.

Meanwhile, international trade rules are still stacked in favour of big companies in the rich parts of the world, against the poorest producers and workers. Protectionist import duties prevent growers from adding value to their crops themselves (for example, by shelling their own peanuts) and keep prices at rock-bottom to fulfil the West’s demand for ever-cheaper goods. “Aid” is tied up with agreements to “open” their markets to western companies and privatise their public services, putting control of their industries even more firmly in the control of those who have too much money and power.

In short, it’s business as usual, and poverty has dropped off the government agenda.

Time for a reality check.

Terrorists have killed 52 people in the UK this year. Poverty kills a child every 3 seconds, and I make that over 10 million dead each year. The terrorists have got a lot of catching up to do before they are even close to being as big a threat as poverty.




Saturday 10th September 2005 was White Band Day 2, and in Swindon town centre, supporters of the Make Poverty History campaign were putting poverty back on the agenda in the minds of local people, and were doing their best to get as many white bands onto people as possible. Lengths were being cut off reels of white ribbon printed with the words “Make Poverty History”, and wrapped around people, trees and street furniture, to ensure everyone knew what the event was about. Local band Hanza provided entertainment with an acoustic set.

Whilst members of the public were being wrapped in white ribbon, they were also encouraged to fill in postcards and to sign a big board supporting a statement calling on Tony Blair to commit to ensuring trade justice, dropping debt and delivering more and better aid at the UN World Summit. One of those who signed was Anne Snelgrove, Swindon South’s new-Labour MP, who can be seen in the big group photo, albeit partly hidden behind a member of the public.

The mayor came to visit the stall, and stayed around for quite a while, talking to people at the stall and joining the group photo. I think he mistook me for the “official photographer” (he wasn’t the only one to make this mistake during the day), and I found myself trying to explain the concept of Indymedia to him, which was a slightly surreal experience.

Michael Wills, new-Labour MP for Swindon North, turned up briefly for a photo opportunity with the mayor, but didn’t stick around for the group photo.

At around 2pm, all 200 or so postcards had been completed and the board was full of signatures, so with the threat of rain looming, the MPH campaigners decided to call it a day, and carefully removed the white ribbons which were decorating the town centre so well, before posing for a photo with the board full of signatures.


Disclaimer

The opinions expressed in this article are my own, and are not necessarily those of the Make Poverty History campaign, or any of the organisations or individuals involved in it.

Simon

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Comments

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More photos

11.09.2005 15:06

Someone made a t-shirt specially for the day
Someone made a t-shirt specially for the day

Group photo
Group photo

Mayor talks to local band Hanza
Mayor talks to local band Hanza

The MPH team proudly display their board full of signatures
The MPH team proudly display their board full of signatures

Next step – lobby parliament 2nd November
Next step – lobby parliament 2nd November

More photos

Simon


Working for the Blair agenda

11.09.2005 18:38

and posting it on Indymedia.

mickey


Swindon Not Full of Toadies

12.09.2005 08:30

Bit harsh and purist Mickey.

You infer that the activity is of little or no value. Do we not have to work from where people are at? The considerable support that this event gathered from residents of Swindon is surely to be acknowledged.

Perhaps you could expand upon your seemingly harsh view that the reporter and all involved were following Blair. The record on a number of political action by some of the people involved shows the opposite. (You were not to know that). Swindon is not full of Toadies.

I look forward to the explanation you give for your dismissive remarks.

It would be particularly helpful if you could find the words to expalin your thinking, and the evidence behind it, in terms that are understandable to people who do not usually get involved in political action ie the majority who have to be won over if there is a chance of significant change towards equity.

Thanks

Tony

Tony Hillier
mail e-mail: tony.hillier@ntlworld.com


tony hillier

12.09.2005 18:17

There is one particular country that is greatly impoverished since a couple of years. It is called Iraq. People are dying like flies over there due to poverty today (not only due to direct hits by bullets and schrapnels).

Need I say more ?

Need I really speak about Geldof, Bono, Madonna and the magazines Hello and OK ?

Look at the pics and try to understand why those people are on them.

An assault on Africa is planned. That's all it is.

>> Michael Wills, new-Labour MP for Swindon North, turned up briefly for a photo opportunity with the mayor, but didn’t stick around for the group photo. >One of those who signed was Anne Snelgrove, Swindon South’s new-Labour MP, who can be seen in the big group photo, albeit partly hidden behind a member of the public.<<

"But when the Evening Advertiser asked Anne Snelgrove whether she supported the decision to go to war she again refused to be drawn.

"My answer is that I think we should move on. I have said that in public meetings and I will no doubt be saying it again. I also wasn't in parliament at the time.

"I am really glad the Iraqi people have had free and fair elections. In 1991 (during the first Gulf War) I do not think we went far enough."

 http://archive.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/2005/4/27/88126.html

Do you get it Tony Hillier ?

mickey


Blair agenda?

12.09.2005 18:52

Thank you Tony for your support. I also would be interested to hear exactly how Mickey thinks this works for the Blair agenda, when he was probably hoping that everyone'd forget about poverty after the G8. MPH may not be as radical as many of the campaigns featured on Indymedia, but it is a very worthy cause all the same.

Simon


@Simon and addendum to my previous post

12.09.2005 19:41

Sorry I cocked up with my previous post. This was missing :

>> Michael Wills, new-Labour MP for Swindon North, turned up briefly for a photo opportunity with the mayor, but didn’t stick around for the group photo. <<

Michael Wills voted very strongly for the Iraq war.

Michael Wills voted very strongly for introducing student top-up fees.

 http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/michael_wills/north_swindon

Also, "Helping Africa" was the very subject of the G-8 summit in case you forgot it. It has been trumpetted enough everywhere.

Let's move on as Anne Snelgrove and Tony Blair said. We are helping Iraq since a couple of years and now we are going to help Africa.

Please spare me your blindness.

mickey


Interesting articles on MPH/Live8

13.09.2005 10:44

Worth a look:

Critique of Live8 & corporate involvement:
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/07/318036.html

Critique of (lack of) debt cancellation etc at G8:
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/07/318106.html

Lefty US critique of Africa debt/G8/Geldof
 http://www.counterpunch.org/rodino08012005.html

mh


Reply to Mickey (ignore my previous comment)

13.09.2005 19:29

Oops, I think there was a slight time-lapse yesterday - Mickey's comment "tony hillier" wasn't showing on this article when I started composing my comment "Blair agenda?", otherwise I'd have written a different comment.

But thank you Mickey for explaining yourself. You are quite right in pointing out that Michael Wills was a keen supporter of invading Iraq, and also that Anne Snelgrove prefers to repeat the party line rather than state an opinion on the subject. I suspect that if she'd been our MP in March 2003 she'd have followed the party line and voted for war just as her predecessor Julia Drown did.

In fact, Swindon Stop the War wrote to Anne Snelgrove when she was selected as the Labour candidate for Swindon South, to assess her views on Iraq and related matters. As far as I know, she still hasn't replied.  http://www.swindonstopwar.org.uk/docs/SSTWC_letter_anne_snelgrove_2004-11.pdf

Swindon Stop the War also sent a questionnaire to all the candidates in Swindon North and South before the general election in May. Neither Anne Snelgrove nor Michael Wills replied.  http://www.swindonstopwar.org.uk/2005election.htm

I don't care whether Blair says (and Anne Snelgrove dutifully parrots) that we should "move on" and forget about Iraq, I haven't forgotten what has been done in my name and with my taxes, and I think Blair and his masters in the White House should be brought before an international court and held accountable for their war crimes.

I think we'll find that you, me and Tony are all agreed that invading Iraq based on a lie was utterly wrong, costing (hundreds of) thousands of lives, billions of pounds that could have been spent on constructive things instead, and has provided a perfect recruiting ground for terrorists. There's a Stop the War demo in London on the 24th September, with a coach going from Swindon -  http://www.swindonstopwar.org.uk/events.htm - see you there?




Back to Make Poverty History. I am well aware that the MPH campaign was co-opted by Blair and co to give the impression that the aim of the G8 was to put an end to poverty and global injustice, and it turned into a bit of a celebrity bandwaggon. I am also aware that the real aims of the G8 were to ensure that the rich and powerful few maintain and increase their stranglehold on the rest of the world. And then there was all that guff about "good protestors" (the ones on the state-sanctioned march) and "bad protestors" (anyone who wanted to do anything other than attend the state-sanctioned march).

The G8 was never going to Make Poverty History. The world's most powerful leaders need to seriously change their attitude, but so also do the ordinary public, chosing the more expensive fairly traded goods rather than the cheap exploitation goods.

But does that make it wrong to support local MPH campaigners or report their event on Indymedia? At least those people who organised the stall in Swindon were doing SOMETHING, reminding people that the problem hasn't gone away. They could have just stayed at home watching drivel on the telly, but instead they were giving up their spare time, so I was happy to take some photos of them for Indymedia, especially seeing as the event seems to have gone unnoticed by the Swindon Advertiser. I believe the free monthly Swindon Link magazine will be covering the event in their next issue though:  http://www.swindonlink.com/



And on to the MPs. I was hoping to show how Michael Wills was using the event as a cynical publicity stunt, by the way he turned up long enough to have his photo taken and then disappeared again. Maybe that didn't come across too well in the report - it was rather brief after all. However, I gave him quite a hard time when I covered the previous MPH event in Swindon, shortly before the general election, where he was somehow booked as the headline speaker. Very odd considering that he's more into Free Trade than Fair Trade, and makes his Tory opponent in the election seem almost left-wing by comparison. Here's a quote:

"What Mr Wills neglected to mention is what he's actually doing about this situation, or what he's managed to do about it during his eight years as MP for Swindon North. The cynical voice in my head points out that maybe all he's done is researched the facts of the campaign well, put together a polished speech, and firmly identified himself with the campaign in people's minds just in time for the general election." Read more:  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/04/308871.html

I provided what I believe to be an accurate report of the MPs' activities around the stall - Michael Wills turned up for a photo and disappeared again, and Anne Snelgrove stayed around a bit longer and signed the big board (which Wills didn't do). I prefer to provide the facts as I observe them, and let people draw their own conclusions. Maybe I should have made more of this and explicitly pointed out that neither of them were actively taking part, drawing people in to the stall and decorating them with white ribbon. Maybe not. I don't know.

In the end, the main aim of this article was to get some photos of the day on-line where people could see them, and the words were just to provide a bit of context for the photos (better than just posting a load of photos without any explanation at all).



The issues of poverty, war, terror, environmental destruction, globalisation and others are all interlinked. War causes poverty, and poverty makes people easier to recruit into wars. Terror feeds off both poverty and war. War causes massive environmental damage, and the corporations who are recklessly consuming the earth's resources and polluting its air and water are often the same ones which make massive profits from wars and from exploiting the poor. And so it goes on. I could try to make these links every time I post photos to Indymedia, but I'm just someone with a bit of a knack for taking photos rather than a literary master. For the time being I think I'll stick to photos, and let others with better skill with words write the in-depth articles.



And finally, thankyou MH for the links - worthwhile reading for anyone who is still under the impression that the G8, Live8 etc achieved anywhere near what was required of it.

Simon


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