UK Newswire Archive
St. Andrews Occupation aginst £36,000 fees
13-10-2011 22:55
Activists are preparing for an occupation beginning tomorrow morning. Anti-cuts activists have been publicly rallying students to bring a tent and assemble at the ungodly hour of 5.30 AM.
More news tomorrow morning. Solidarity to the Occupy Edinburgh and Occupy Glasgow brothers and sisters.
Anonymous occupier.
NYC Mayor Plans to End Wall Street Occupation tomo
13-10-2011 22:55
In New York City, Mayor Mike Bloomberg is trying to close down theOccupy Wall Street demonstration. He's told demonstrators they should
leave the park temporarily early Friday morning so it can be cleaned and
then, he says, the Park will be open to the public and they can return.
But no tents or other gear will be allowed.
In other words, he's ending the Occupy demonstration after lying about
how the demonstrators could stay there as long as they wanted.
While it's predictable that an arrogant, disdainful billionaire would
attack this remarkable action, it's more appropriate that it be defended
by the people's movements. Ready?
Here's the latest news:
http://occupywallst.org/
They say to gather at 6:00 but we think they're going to invade the park
much earlier, btw. We would suggest gathering at like 4:00 am...just in
case.
Blackfriars bridge
13-10-2011 22:55
There were approximately 2500 people on Blackfriars bridge tonight
TfL wants to increase the speed limit on the bridge, give more space to cars, and less to pedestrians and cyclists. It is the sort of thing Jeremy Clarkson would do if he had his way, and sends out entirely the wrong message. TfL should not be allowed to get away with it. I didn't get to London tonight but I support those who turned out, regardless of what they choose to wear.
Pictures:
http://ibikelondon.blogspot.com/2011/10/cyclists-turn-out-in-their-1000s-to-say.html
Yesterday's NHS vote. View from 38 Degrees
13-10-2011 20:55
"This is certainly disappointing. But over the last few days the 38 Degrees petition had a real impact, bringing the concerns of the public into the chamber of the House of Lords. It is not over yet. The legislative process will take several more months. It won't be easy but there's still a chance we can secure changes."Lord David Owen, proposer of the amendment for a special scrutiny committee
It was close, but we lost the vote. 262 Lords voted in favour of a special scrutiny committee for the dangerous NHS plans. 330 voted against. If just 35 more Lords had voted the right way, we would have won.
Over 150,000 of us signed the emergency petition, in just 24 hours. It was all over the news. [1] Many Lords and Baronesses mentioned us in their speeches as they pledged to vote the right way. Lord Hunt stood up to announce how many of us had signed the petition and said: "That is but one small reflection of widespread concern within the community about the NHS." [2]
All across the UK we were crossing our fingers - could this be our breakthrough moment? But it wasn't our day. The government managed to twist just enough arms for their plans to move forward to the next stage.
It's nowhere near over yet. Lansley's NHS plans still have to pass several more crucial stages in the House of Lords. There will be more crunch votes and more breakthrough opportunities in the next three months. [3] One 38 Degrees member, Yvonne, summed it up on the 38 Degrees Facebook page:
"We may have lost the battle, but we have not lost the war!"
Here's what some other 38 Degrees members have been saying since the news came in:
Anthony: "Keep the spirit up, everything is possible."
Emily: "Let's see if we can facilitate LOCAL protests (not just the big city ones)."
Ivy: "Please people, keep campaigning, we mustn't lose this jewel in our crown."
Ann: "It seems there were about 150+ peers who did not vote; I wonder why and maybe we could target these next time?"
Adam: "The best option is for us to continue campaigning. There may be more amendments during the committee stage and third reading."
Julie: "We have lost two battles but NOT the war...we actually got a lot of support from the cross benchers and some lib dems re supporting the Owen amendments, so the ground work has been done."
You can join the conversation with other 38 Degrees members, and share your thoughts on lessons we've learned for next time, on the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/peoplepowerchange), on Twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/38_degrees), or on the 38 Degrees website (https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/nhs-vote-what-do-you-think)
In September, thousands of us helped write a people powered plan to influence the House of Lords. [4] Then thousands of us donated the money needed to get it started. [5] Really, we've only just started putting that plan into action - and we're already only 35 Lords short of a big breakthrough.
We did not have that breakthrough this week. But we saw that our strategy can work and we still have time to do more. We can send more messages, sign more petitions, pay for more briefings from legal experts and organise more local campaign events. We can work together to come up with new ideas for people powered tactics. If we keep going, there's a real chance we can change an extra 35 Lords' minds before the final votes in a few months' time.
Some Lords, particularly Liberal Democrats, said they wouldn't vote in favour of a special scrutiny committee because it was unnecessary. They claimed it will be possible to address 38 Degrees members' concerns by following the standard House of Lords procedure. [6] Now we're going to have to do all we can to make them keep their word on this - it certainly isn't the time to give up!
We've done an incredible amount to sound the alarm about the threats our NHS is facing, and highlight all the reasons why having a public health service is one of the things Britain should be most proud of. It's obviously a bit depressing that yesterday's vote went the wrong way. But the fight is nowhere near over.
Dr Clare Gerada, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, contacted the office after the vote with this message for all of us: "Members of 38 Degrees have played an important role in speaking up for our NHS and highlighting concerns. Today's vote is by no means the end of the story, keep going!"
So let's keep going,
David, Hannah, Becky, Marie, Johnny, Cian and the 38 Degrees team
PS: One of the really exciting things to happen this week was that over 30,000 more people joined the Save Our NHS campaign. There are now well over half a million people involved. The more of us there are, the more we can do together and the bigger the impact we can have. You can help the campaign grow even bigger by forwarding emails like this to all your friends and asking them to get involved.
PPS: Andrew Lansley was expecting his changes to have been finalised 6 months ago. And together we've already reined in some of the very worst bits of Lansley's plans. Click here for a quick recap of some of the things we have done together so far to protect the NHS:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/nhs-recap
NOTES
[1] The 38 Degrees petition was mentioned by many broadcasters and newspapers including BBC, Sky News, The Telegraph and The Guardian. See: http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2011/10/12/nhs-lords-cant-miss-the-media-buzz/
[2] In the debate, Lord Hunt said: "This morning, I and my colleagues received from 38 Degrees a petition containing over 135,000 signatures collected in a very short space of time asking this House to protect the NHS and to ensure that the Bill gets proper scrutiny. That is but one small reflection of widespread concern in the community and the NHS...The scale of concern and mistrust among the public and the NHS is greater than I have ever known it before. Only this House now stands between safeguarding the NHS and these confused and damaging proposals." See: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/ldhansrd/text/111012-0001.htm#11101261001800
[3] http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/battle-for-nhs-reform-in-lords-is-just-beginning-2369713.html
[4] http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2011/09/26/the-results-are-in/
[5] http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2011/09/27/save-the-nhs-can-you-chip-in/
[6] For example Lord Avebury's response to a 38 Degrees member: http://action.38degrees.org.uk/node/40197
Michael Lyons: Appeal turned down at Royal Courts of Justice
13-10-2011 17:15
Anti-Frackin Music Sample
13-10-2011 16:53
http://www.wholelottafrackingoingon.com
Talk: Anarchy in the Egyptian Revolution - London and Leeds
13-10-2011 15:50
Defend Welfare Gathering
13-10-2011 15:27
Join us for a meeting with like-minded people to share ideas and strategise to stop the government’s attacks on welfare.Campaigners Tell Cuadrilla to Frack Off
13-10-2011 14:27
Birmingham Food Not Bombs is back
13-10-2011 14:06
Food Not Bombs was very active in Birmingham a number of years ago and last night saw the first meeting of a new revitalised group.Ceilidh Benefit Night For Antifascist Prisoners
13-10-2011 13:58
rolls royce - nuclear and military playground in rotherham
13-10-2011 13:14
Here's one for yaThe dudes from Rolls Royce are building even more funky shit up at the 'death park' in Rotherham. If it isnt plain as day that businesses at the AMP dealing in nuclear, aerospace, military, robotics, drones and death are working together for some sinister shit then you might as well go back to sleep! NO NUCLEAR NO WAY!
Reports from Occupations, Part 1: Portland
13-10-2011 13:04
Occupy Birmingham on 15th October
13-10-2011 13:02
On October 15th people from all over the world will take to the streets and squares. There is an event for Birmingham on Saturday at 10am at Victoria Square. More information is available at: http://map.15october.net/reports/view/933 Solidarity Attack in Nottingham
13-10-2011 12:55
A visit to Nottingham Prison last night culminated in a fire being started underneath a prison vehicle. It had just gone nine when we arrived and after tagging some nearby walls with the messages of "Fire to the Prisons" and "Solidarity to those kidnapped", we quickly and quietly stepped to the vehicles, lit our fires and took off quickly into the night.
This attack was not a request, or a demand that the prisons improve, or that the judicial system becomes more fair. We attacked because our comrades have been kidnapped, and we will show solidarity in anyway we can. Solidarity to all those captured during and after the riots, to the anti-facists imprisoned because of the usual web of lies spun by the cops and their pals, and to all those who feel the urge to resist whenever the moment seems ripe. We did this in order to show solidarity with the actions of the IRF Bristol's action at the Law courts a few nights ago, and to our Cambridge brothers and sisters acting with such fierce love and rage.
The prisons are where they hold us when they can not control us, they are the threat they hold over us, but what they can not understand is that the greater threat to us is for us not to act. For us to be stifled by the condtions and the conditioning of this society. When we act in away that unleashes our rage, when we act in away that brings us joy then we are able to unleash a glorious FUCK YOU! A FUCK YOU with blood and spittle, a FUCK YOU directed plainly at those who benefit most from this diseased social system.
ARK Academy Public Meetings
13-10-2011 08:48
I live in South Birmingham and am a parent of two primary school-aged children. On 10th October 2010, I attended a public consultation meeting at Kings Norton High School on the proposal to turn it into an ARK academy school. I have to say that it was far worse than I had actually imagined it would be!I had thought that, whilst academies would be a form of privatisation, there would be enough safeguards in place and enough self-restraint by the people running the academies for it to avoid being too radically different from schools as they are currently run. Having heard from the people pushing this academy agenda I now think that is quite naive.
The 1-hour public ‘consultation’ meeting basically consisted of a 30 minutes of an incredibly one-sided sales-pitch given by 4 academy fundamentalists, followed by an attempt to shut down any form of criticism that came from the floor. The academy fundamentalists consisted of the ARK project director, the chair of the governors of Kings Norton High School, the Head Teacher of Kings Norton High School, and another head teacher from an existing ARK school in Birmingham.
Gary DS Memorial Benefit Saturday 15th Oct Hackney
13-10-2011 07:44
As some of you know Gary DS, his daughter Caisie, ex partner Kath, and friend Tallie died in a tragic accident on 1st August this year. His daughter Josie was seriously injured.Trade agreement threatens your internet freedom
13-10-2011 02:48
A new trade agreement poses a threat to free speech online. Help stop ACTA now and tell the European Parliament to vote "NO!"See the full story at
http://indymedia.org.au/2011/10/13/a-new-trade-agreement-poses-a-threat-to-free-speech-online-help-stop-acta-now-and-tell-th Dale Farm: An End to the Legal Process? A Call to the Baricades!
13-10-2011 01:56
Ongoing bombardment of Sirte by NATO
12-10-2011 22:31
