This years annual 'Nuremburg rally' of the Labour Party is to be held once again in sunny Brighton (the change to this location from the traditional northern resort of Blackpool now seems a permanent one) However, this year alongside the normal exciting treats of rigged votes, pre arranged resolutions and numbingly boring speeches by senior ministers will be the 'McParty'. New Labour has finally gone full circle by inviting the union busting fast food chain McDonalds to sponser it's exclusive 'Gala reception' for MP's and party bureaucrats. When questioned by a Guardian Journalist as to whether he thought it immoral for the Labour Party to accept money from a company whose past record of staff intimidation, poverty wages and multi million pound lawsuits against unemployed activists leaves much to be desired, the Prime Minister shrugged 'So what...What are we saying,any company that is non-union we are not going to work with'. Well it might be a good start considering over 50% of The Labour Party's funds are extracted from the pockets of well intentioned Trade Union members. The Prime Minister later commented 'I can't really get worked up about McDonalds'. Quite a different story from the thousands who have no choice about getting 'worked up' slaving their butts off daily to feed unutritious food to predominantly working class kids. Perhaps a spell flipping burgers may jolt Tony into a rethink but for the time being it's gonna be McChampagne and Double McCavier with Stilton Burgers all round for our fast food loving 'labourites'. On a more serious note, it is vital that as many people as possible get down to Brighton on Sunday 30th September to protest against the neo liberal agenda that the Labour Government is now pursuing. High on the agenda at this years conference is Blairs plan to privatise education and health. Apart from being proven to be both uneconomical and completly corrupt leaving future generations with huge collective mortgages and inadequate public provision the plan is blowing up in the Governments face as it appears that this is too much even for right wing Trade Union leaders to stomach (although whether they can manage a McBlock vote and chips is a different question altogether). Coupled with this is survey after survey shows massive public opposition to the idea in what could well turn out to be Labour's 'Poll tax' and it is certainly an excellent opportunity for Global Protestors to link their struggles with the increasingly militant mood of the Trade Union movement, which is now speaking publically of political strikes and a 'winter of industrial discontent'.
Activities will be going on all weekend but for fun and frolics and 'guest entrance' to the conference people are meeting between 12-1pm. For further details and transport arrangements please visit www.resist.org.uk.