Mass Lobby of MPs For 'Trade Justice not Free Trade' (report and pics)
fairy trader | 02.11.2005 17:40 | Globalisation | London
Campaigners numbering in the thousands today took part in a mass lobby of MPs demanding Trade Justice, not Free Trade, ahead of the WTO ministerial meeting in Hong Kong in mid December.
They assembled in regional groups, snaking from parliament over the bridge and right along the other side of the thames back up to parliament bridge.
They assembled in regional groups, snaking from parliament over the bridge and right along the other side of the thames back up to parliament bridge.
At 1pm there was a minutes silence and much waving of white items (the trade mark colour of the campaign).
This was the first major event for the Trade Justice Movement since the Make Poverty History (MPH) rally and march the weekend beore the G8 Summit in scotland.
While many both inside and outside of the MPH coalition have criticised the campaign for being too simplistic, superficial and compromised by pop stars and politicians, the campaigning has to continue.
For two good perpectives on the MPH campaign post G8 see:
http://www.redpepper.org.uk/global/x-nov05-hodkinson.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4397936.stm
The mass organised lobby of MPs saw many politicians meeting constituants in their pre-arranged locations along the thames, in a repeat of the scenes seen in 2002 during the last mass lobby. It provided people the opportunity to talk openly about the issues and was certainly an interesting sight seing so many politicians on the street talking to people. "Democracy in action" commentated one old lady, although many younger campaigners were sceptical that the event would produce real results. It was also of course a great opportunity for the MPs to get some positive coverage and get their pictures taken along with campaigners.
Plenty of TV cameras and press photographers were out and about after the initial panic caused by Blunkett's resignation - as were several community video and radio groups recording the days events.
Other campaigners queued up outside parliament to go inside and lobby their MPs - when I left at 2pm the MP-omiter, measuring how many MPs had been lobbied was up to a count of 32. It's expected that that figure will reach into the hundreds by the end of the day.
People were lobbying their MP's to support the calls to stop pushing poor countries to open their economies through world trade talks and respect poor countries' right to decide on trade policies to help end poverty and protect their environment. Campaigners were also urging their MPs to sign the trade justice Early Day Motion 679 'Making Poverty History through Trade Justice'.
Similar lobby efforts were also happening in other countries and a european wide lobby will take place in Brussels on 21 November. In the UK, so far 600,000 people in the UK have already added their support to the Vote for Trade Justice campaign.
More info:
Trade Justice Network Mass Lobby Info:
http://www.tjm.org.uk/lobby05/index.shtml
http://www.waronwant.org/?lid=10729
http://www.wdm.org.uk/news/events/masslobby/index.htm#photos
Indymedia Global Feature on forthcoming WTO ministerial in Hong Kong (11-18 Dec):
http://www.indymedia.org/en/2005/10/826288.shtml
WTO to abandon "Development Round" of trade talks
19-20 October 2005
The World Trade Organisation is set to abandon the "Development Round" at its General Council meeting this week and return instead to a corporate agenda based on self-interest and power politics, according to proposals.
http://www.waronwant.org/?lid=10842
2002 Trade Justice Mass Lobby - Report and Pics:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2002/06/34226.html
(NB the 2002 one was much bigger attracting well over 10,00 people)
This was the first major event for the Trade Justice Movement since the Make Poverty History (MPH) rally and march the weekend beore the G8 Summit in scotland.
While many both inside and outside of the MPH coalition have criticised the campaign for being too simplistic, superficial and compromised by pop stars and politicians, the campaigning has to continue.
For two good perpectives on the MPH campaign post G8 see:
http://www.redpepper.org.uk/global/x-nov05-hodkinson.htm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4397936.stm The mass organised lobby of MPs saw many politicians meeting constituants in their pre-arranged locations along the thames, in a repeat of the scenes seen in 2002 during the last mass lobby. It provided people the opportunity to talk openly about the issues and was certainly an interesting sight seing so many politicians on the street talking to people. "Democracy in action" commentated one old lady, although many younger campaigners were sceptical that the event would produce real results. It was also of course a great opportunity for the MPs to get some positive coverage and get their pictures taken along with campaigners.
Plenty of TV cameras and press photographers were out and about after the initial panic caused by Blunkett's resignation - as were several community video and radio groups recording the days events.
Other campaigners queued up outside parliament to go inside and lobby their MPs - when I left at 2pm the MP-omiter, measuring how many MPs had been lobbied was up to a count of 32. It's expected that that figure will reach into the hundreds by the end of the day.
People were lobbying their MP's to support the calls to stop pushing poor countries to open their economies through world trade talks and respect poor countries' right to decide on trade policies to help end poverty and protect their environment. Campaigners were also urging their MPs to sign the trade justice Early Day Motion 679 'Making Poverty History through Trade Justice'.
Similar lobby efforts were also happening in other countries and a european wide lobby will take place in Brussels on 21 November. In the UK, so far 600,000 people in the UK have already added their support to the Vote for Trade Justice campaign.
More info:
Trade Justice Network Mass Lobby Info:
http://www.tjm.org.uk/lobby05/index.shtml http://www.waronwant.org/?lid=10729 http://www.wdm.org.uk/news/events/masslobby/index.htm#photos Indymedia Global Feature on forthcoming WTO ministerial in Hong Kong (11-18 Dec):
http://www.indymedia.org/en/2005/10/826288.shtml WTO to abandon "Development Round" of trade talks
19-20 October 2005
The World Trade Organisation is set to abandon the "Development Round" at its General Council meeting this week and return instead to a corporate agenda based on self-interest and power politics, according to proposals.
http://www.waronwant.org/?lid=10842 2002 Trade Justice Mass Lobby - Report and Pics:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2002/06/34226.html (NB the 2002 one was much bigger attracting well over 10,00 people)
fairy trader
Comments
Hide the following 7 comments
Pix from TJM Lobby
02.11.2005 17:58
Stretching along the banks of the thames
Out for Trade Justice
School's Out for Trade Justice
599 were contacted in advance
From far and wide
and wider...
Waving white and making noise
Student group P&P
Interviewing MPs
Another Photo Op
'Live' news commentary
Neoliberal Capitalism
More waving
WTO Kills
Spin the wheel of misfortune
Target for today
...indeed...
Free Trade advocate gets in on the act!
"Now they are pushing developing countries to open their markets in return for reform of the EU's agricultural policy.
"This lobby shows that campaigners refuse to trust the government's claim that they are committed to a development agenda.
"We are sick of ministers parroting our slogans back at us while pursuing policies that are opposed by many developing country governments and have been shown to hurt the poor."
Fairy Trader
A few of the MPs who came out to talk to trade justice campaigners
02.11.2005 18:08
more pix
aLL very well but
02.11.2005 21:10
nick
What to do
03.11.2005 10:45
I know the 'Don't Agonise - Organise' idea and try to do what I can. But what to do when frustration sets in and you're surrounded by people who just don't give a shit?
I don't want to end up having a cosy chat to some twat MP, waving a white banner & matching wristband...
Sam
What's wrong with the action?
03.11.2005 11:40
richard
Mass Lobby for Trade Justice not free trade
05.11.2005 03:00
(how's that for sitting on the fence ?- no I am NOT an MP.).
Believe it or not I didn't go to London because I couldn't afford it AND I had to sodding sign on!
Yes, the state has got us hooked or f**ked, it seems.
However, what I heard reported back was that around 7,000 people from ALL over the country HAD travelled to London in the piss wet rain to lobby the MPs and raise awareness of the TJM campaign.
Fair do's to them all, on a week day(or giro day) too.
It is right and proper, I think, to campaign, agitate, educate, organise on ALL fronts against these capitalist, imperialistic bas**rds who claim to be elected to govern our countries(HA!).
Fair enough, some people ARE middle class, some people ARE misguided but they are doing their little bit, certainly, to try to make the world a fairer place, even if they mistakenly slip into sodding Starbucks every now and then and, O.K, the vast majority of those in London on the 2nd November at the Lobby were nowhere to be seen on J18 - 1999 when we scruffy self-labelled anarchists danced outside the closed down Bank of England but..........I say.......they ARE doing their bit........and it is a bit .....FOR Genuine GOOD.
A.N.Other
Trade Justice not free trade - time to take action
05.11.2005 10:59
Trade Justice activism extends from direct actions to the more mainstream actions the 'acceptable face' of protest of Make Poverty History has offered this year (both for people new to the issues that will hopefully go further and those that have campaigned on these issues since the early 80s and before).
Not everyone wants to speak with their MP. But when over 8, 000 people turn up en masse to do so, real political pressure is exerted that combines with all the other public actions. More, much more, is needed before and during the WTO in Hong Kong. The free trade agenda must be halted. And good on anyone who finds a way to add their contribution.
J18er