Charles Kennedy asked to speak at STW demo 15th

heather | 13.02.2003 10:57

Popularist Hijack?

Please don't let Kennedy speak at the demo on the 15th. He is jumping on a popularist bandwagon, having been urged on by the pro-war Guardian. Yes, we are a coalition, he is welcome to march as part of the coalition, but allowing him to speak is allowing the demo to be hijacked by the liberal party for their own political reasons. He showed no interest in coming out against the war before. This is an insult to all those activists who have campaigned through the lean times. Other politicians from various political parties who have spoken before are those who have been with since the beginning. The Stop the War movement is NOT a platform for the Lib dems to rise to power.

Protest to

office@stopwar.org.uk

heather

Comments

Hide the following 12 comments

I'm not going to listen to ..

13.02.2003 11:34

... the usual suspects [even if I do agree with some of them].
I am going to make my own 'noise'!
Don't need to be stirred by that which I am familiar with, nor to be bored by that which is ego-guff.
This day will be about US not them.
Sit down and listen if you must, personally I think its time for something a little different!!!

jackslucid
mail e-mail: jackslucid@hotmail.com

Let him speak

13.02.2003 11:50

He won't be able to hijack the meeting. If he says anything pro war he'll be drowned out with boos anyway. If he wants support for his party he'll have to comne out against a war under any circumstances.

monkeychad

Stop war

13.02.2003 12:20

Charles Kennedy is just another hypocrite who is using the massive opposition to war on Iraq for his own ends. He and his rotten party do not represent the interests of the vast majority of the population, let alone the anti-war movement. I say "No platform for conservatives", which unfortunately now includes New Labour as well as the the Lib Dems.
Kennedy is suddenly hopping on the anti-war movement to promote himself. We've been there for years.
andyC

andyC

WE are the movement

13.02.2003 13:01

On the 15th, London is ours. I agree we should make our own noise and, personally, I don't listen to the speakers much either. My concern is that in the media on the 16th it will be 'Charles Kennedy addresses millions'. Ok, maybe I am getting carried away here but why not have speakers who are 'ordinary' people who have struggled for this from across the world. It is a real issue. Who decided on Ken Livingstone either, while I'm on the subject? The BNP are marching on the 15th. Should they be invited to speak? Can we be told the criteria for choosing speakers? Is it enough to be against war unless there is a second UN resolution? How about an open platform or letting the STW coalitions across the country, and other activists who are part of the struggle who may not be in STW, having a choice in choosing speakers?

heather

Yes come to think of it ...

13.02.2003 14:06

... I've got a few things to say - I want to be invited to speak.
The lies.
The oil.
The money.
But I can't even get a look in, somebody else always speaking "for" me.
A debate. Yeah lets have a mass debate.
And then go back home.
News, skateboarding ducks, no conspiracy there ... and now the snooker.
Snooze.
Work.
Death.

NO THANKS.

jackslucid
mail e-mail: jackslucid@hotmail.com

opportunist!

13.02.2003 14:10

It's a difficult one, Kennedy is ultimately another opportunist politician and his last minute conversion is unconvincing. He will use to it, to get as the increasingly right wing Guardian says to assimilate the movement innto the mainstream and achieve leadership of an largely organic anti-war movement.But, unfortunately he does represent a sizeable proportion of the probably first time marcher.I agree if he sits on the fence as is the Lib Dems are ken to do or make ablatant political plug, he will get shouted down. There is little time for such politicians amongst the public at this time. Personally I think stalwarts such as Labour MP Alice Mahon should speak and
others such as Mark Thomas.

BTW, Heather, IMO, the SWP who are central to the STWC are also opportunists.

concernedz

Opportunists

13.02.2003 15:15

My intention is not to single out the SWP within the Stop the War Coalition or, any other organising groups. Indymedia is a newswire. These arguments can and are held elsewhere. I just want to know why these people have been invited to speak. Would anyone involved in these decisions like to comment?

heather

opportunists

13.02.2003 16:13

Who is or is not an opportunist is not the point. I am not attacking the SWP or any group in the STW coalition. The arguements about the SWP have been rehearsed endlessly on indymedia and it is not news. The point was I would like to know how who speaks is chosen. Or should we have speakers at all? But given, that we do now, should we not have, in the next demo, some say in who stands up there and speaks. regardless of whether we listen or not.
I would like to see an answer from someone who is involved in the decision to put Charles Kennedy and , thinking about it, Livingstone on the platform.

heather

missing the point

13.02.2003 17:50

Kennedy SHOULD NOT be allowed to speak, no-one here has mentioned that his stance on the war is: he'll back it if there's a 2nd UN resolution.
Need I say any more?

gnome

I did

13.02.2003 22:46

way back in the 'We are the movement' bit. but you are absolutely right. Daily Mirror anyone?

heather

1991

13.02.2003 23:40

Where was Mr Kennedy in 1991?

andyC

Kennedy takes the piss...

14.02.2003 00:04

The problem with Mr. Kennedy is that he is a politician and not really part of the human race. Way back in 2001 he supported the Afghan war - presumably he once thought it was fair to get people killed just for a laugh and to impose a 'client regime'. These politicians would do better to join the march rather than bore 'us' with their vile words. Even for them there is time to 'turn back', but they should not expect people to suddenly want to listen...

Neo-anarchist