Globalise Resistance
G8: Gleneagles June 2005

Police leave has been cancelled in Scotland in mid June next year. Hint if hint were needed that the substantial rumours that the G8 summit will be in Gleneagles are true. The proper announcement will come out right after the G8 summit this year, thereby making June 10 a very busy day indeed.

Activists in Scotland have issued a call for opposition to the summit, to be expressed in the broadest and most inclusive protests possible, they are asking for more groups and individuals to back the statement and the call to the streets:
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We wish to protest against the meeting of the Group of 8 apparently planned for Gleneagles, Scotland in the summer of 2005.

The policies of the Group of 8 big powers are destructive and discredited. During the years that the G8 has met their aggressive free market programmes have led to the privatisation of essential services around the world and big corporations have imposed the priorities of profit on every area of life.

The results are well known; environmental crisis, a massive increase in the gap between rich and poor globally and big power foreign policy based on war. Today the US and UK alone spend billions of dollars on weapons every year while nearly half of humanity lives on less than two dollars a day.

We believe the vast majority of people in Scotland and beyond oppose the policies of privatisation, free trade and corporate power pursued by the G8. We call on all concerned organisations and individuals from Britain, Europe and the World to come together in a massive campaign of peaceful protest against the G8 meeting in 2005.

Angela MacCormick on behalf of Globalise Resistance Scotland; Mike Arnott on behalf of Dundee trades union council; Roseanna Cunningham MSP (SNP); Aamer Anwar human rights lawyer; Elaine Smith MSP (Lab); Robin McAlpine editor, the Scottish Left Review; Gilbert Oakley Regional Industrial Officer, TGWU Scotland; George Galloway MP (Respect); David Sherry branch secretary on behalf of TGWU 7/151 Scottish Housing branch; Philip Taylor reader in Industrial Relations on behalf of Stirling University Stop the War Group; Alastair McIntosh author of Soil and Soul: People versus Corporate Power; Patrick Harvie MSP (Green party); Frances Curran MSP (SSP); Dr. Clarke Mullen Orchard House Health Centre, Stirling; Professor Chris Baldry, University of Stirling; Dod Forrest Aberdeen, Unison International officer (PC); Jim Moir Aberdeen Greenpeace (PC); Paul Mackney general secretary NATFHE; Maureen O'Mara former President NATFHE; Ken Loach film director and Respect executive member; Guy Taylor on behalf of Globalise Resistance England; Mark Thomas activist and comedian; Lindsey German London Mayoral candidate (Respect); Hilary Wainwright editor Red Pepper
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If you are in a trade union, tenants group, or other organisation, bring up support for this statement in a meeting and let us know if there is more groups wanting to add their names to the list above.