UK Newswire Archive
Evictions and Destruction on the ZAD Airport Protest Site
27-11-2012 20:16
The ZAD airport protest site in France is still being evicted, a process that started on the 16th October. The zone is gradually being militarised but there are HUGE numbers of protesters and seemingly more every day. We're still fighting and it is not over!Human Rights for University of London outsourced workers - DEMO TOMORROW
27-11-2012 09:15
https://www.facebook.com/events/417931154943332/ https://www.facebook.com/3coca http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5j3zxXEl34
Curo Housing tenants owe staggering debts of £176million
27-11-2012 08:24
Curo Group considers selling off Somer Community Housing Trust assetts to cover spiralling debts. Tenants demand the housing stock be transferred back ASAP into the ownership and control of B&NES Council.Palestinian As One
27-11-2012 03:55
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQJ0UnfWR8M&feature=share&list=UU7XhMItxEJ2mNmwSoflTHLQ
Objection to the George Farm Opencast Proposal
26-11-2012 22:55
The Loose Anti Opencast Network has submitted an objection to LEM Resources plan to surface mione 400,000 tonnes of coal from the George Farm site at Denby in Derbyshire. This press release summarises the content of the objectio
THE LOOSE ANTI OPEN-CAST NETWORK
LAON PR 2012-14 26/11/12
GEORGE FARM : WHY DESTROY WHAT’S THERE WHEN THE USE OF COAL FOR POWER GENERATION PURPOSES IS BECOMING HISTORY?
In an objection to the proposal to develop a quarry to take out 400,000 tonnes of coal from the George Farm site, the Loose Anti Opencast Network (LAON) make the following points:
<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->By the end of 2016, six heavily polluting power stations which were using coal to produce electricity will be closed. This is equal to a third of the UK’s coal burning generating capacity. These power stations are Ferrybridge (Yorkshire), Ironbridge (Shropshire) Cockenzie (nr Edinburgh), Kingsnorth (Kent), Tilbury (Essex) and Didcot (Oxfordshire)
<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->It is now Government policy for the foreseeable future to phase out the use of coal for power generation purposes
<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->It is also now Government policy to use a new subsidy system to encourage the remaining coal burning power stations to be switched to burning biomass. As a consequence, Tilbury Power Station has already been converted to burning biomass, Ironbridge is to be converted. In addition, half of the UK’s biggest power station, Drax (Yorkshire)is to be converted by 2017 and another large power station Eggborough (Goole on Humberside) is also to be converted.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->New Department of Energy and Climate change figures predict what the consequence of these changes will be for on the demand for coal for power generation purposes in the UK until 2030. In 2011 the UK used over 40.5m tonnes of coal. By 2017, the date by when coal extraction on the George Farm site is most likely to finish if planning permission was granted anytime soon, demand is expected to have fallen to 26.6m tonnes, a drop of about 34%.
The use of coal for power generation purposes is becoming history and for the foreseeable future this trend will continue as Power Generating companies continue to reduce the country’s capacity to burn coal.
In addition, the objection points out how easy it is to import coal.
“ All the years of disturbance and nuisance local people will suffer could be avoided if 4 loads of 130,000 tonnes of coal could, instead, be unloaded in Immingham and transported by a far more environmentally friendly method of transport, rail, to the power stations where it is needed.
This would also mean that the current generation of residents would not have to wait for 25 years before the site began to look mature, assuming that this was in fact a 5 year ‘Green to Green’ proposal, with no submission of a future plan to extend the site.”
Steve Leary, who wrote the submission, is the Co-ordinator of the Loose Anti Opencast Network have been working with The West Hallum Environment Group and the Smalley Action Group, who fully support this objection.
He commented
“ We in LAON have been working with members of local groups in objecting to this application. The new evidence LAON has presented shows why coal for power generation purposes is becoming history. The simple question which Derbyshire County Councillors face is knowing that this is the case, is 4 shiploads of coal worth saving local people from years of disturbance plus innumerable traffic movements by road, if account is also taken of journeys made by employees and suppliers servicing the site in addition to the known estimated heavy lorry movements. This is a stark choice that the Planning Authority has to take. The case being put here is that protecting local people from the loss of amenity caused by working this site, if permission is given, is worth 4 shiploads of coal, especially when the use of coal is becoming history.
LAON also has to alert local people to another threat which may impinge on the decision about George Farm. Currently, the Government is seeking further changes in the planning system that might make it easier for proposals such as George Farm to gain planning permission. In the Growth and Infrastructure Bill currently before Parliament, Clause 21 will give the Secretary Of State power to define certain developments as ‘Major Infrastructure Projects’ . If quarrying and surface mining are so defined, as the draft legislation suggests then the decision will be made by means of a Public Inquiry and not by the local planning authority, thus making it far more difficult for local people to object to such proposals. So far The Government has refused to define precisely what it means by ‘Major Infrastructure Projects’. It would be deeply ironic if the surface mining of coal was so defined in view of the predicted decline in the use of coal for power generation purposes”
About LAON
The Loose Anti-Opencast Network (LAON) has been in existence since 2009. It functions as a medium through which to oppose open cast mine applications. At present LAON links individuals and groups in N Ireland (Just Say No to Lignite), Scotland (Coal Action Scotland), Wales (Green Valleys Alliance, The Merthyr Tydfil Anti Opencast Campaign), England, (Coal Action Network), Northumberland, (Whittonstall Action Group, Halton Lea Gate Residents)) Co Durham (Pont Valley Network), Leeds, Sheffield (Cowley Residents Action Group), Kirklees, (Skelmansthorpe Action Group) Nottinghamshire (Shortwood Farm Opencast Opposition), Derbyshire (West Hallum Environment Group, Smalley Action Group and Hilltop Action Group) , Leicestershire (Minorca Opencast Protest Group) and Walsall (Alumwell Action Group).
Contacting LAON
Steve Leary LAON’Ss Co-ordinator, at infoatlaon@yahoo.com
You can now follow LAON on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/Seftonchase
Contacting the West Hallum Environment Group
Neil Paget, Chairperson, The West Hallum Environment Group @
smalleychildcare@btinternet.com
Free Stall, Wrexham People's Market
26-11-2012 21:22
There's now a free stall in Wrexham People's Market, Chester Street, Wrexham open for sharing from Monday to Saturday every week. The stall's being run by the people for the people. Those taking part include members of Give and Take, Freeconomy Wrexham and the Yum Yum project, others with an interest in developing the gift economy and everyone else who's given stuff, taken stuff and who's helping look after the space. Join us, to take, give or help out on the stall.
Workfare’s Christmas Bonus For The Bosses – Demonstrate, 8th December
26-11-2012 20:53
Saturday 8th December, 2pm
at the new Poundland, S12 Martinaeu Place, 76-77 Corporation Street, Birmingham, B2 4UQ
Please join and invite your friends to the facebook event and spread the word.
Full article | 1 addition | 1 comment
URGENT: Christine must stay!
26-11-2012 19:47
Sizewell Nuclear Power Stations Blockaded
26-11-2012 08:58
The road leading to Sizewell nuclear power stations A & B has been blockaded since 6:45 this morning. The protestors are still there (9:00).#Dec5 >> London Anti-Cuts Demo << #Dec5
26-11-2012 03:03
http://anticuts.com/2012/11/21/see-you-again-on-dec5-free-education-living-grants-abolish-the-debt/ http://uniteresist.org/ 'Scared' Self-harming Sexually-active spy seeks sympathy, sues Scotland Yard.
25-11-2012 19:08
Yesterday the Daily Mail reports that former undercover cop Mark Kennedy is suing the Met for "for failing to ‘protect’ him against falling in love with a woman in the group of eco-warriors he was sent to infiltrate."
Kennedy who is clearly on an offensive to win public sympathy is quoted as saying:
‘When I was exposed, I started drinking heavily, cutting myself and plunged into a deep depression. I was tormented with guilt over the hurt I’d caused.’
And also that:
‘I still have to watch my back because there are people out there who want to harm me. My life has been destroyed.
Direct Action Timeline between September 2011 - November 2012 from Greece
25-11-2012 16:45
Post by Traductorxs: Although in recent months some of the leaflets have been translated into Castilian (especially contrainfo), there were also many actions that were "forgotten". Therefore we have tried to compile the following chronology.Wandsworth Washout!
25-11-2012 12:36
The EDL 'international' demo in support of jailed career criminal Tommy Robinson was a dismal affair with hardly 50 showing up!Twenty-nine Years of Dignified Resistance: An Echo in the Heartbeat of the Peopl
25-11-2012 09:34
17th November 1983 to 17th November 2012by the
Dorset Chiapas Solidarity Group
UG#594 - Occupy 2.0 (Peer Produced Politics)
25-11-2012 08:56
UG#593 - Let Your Life Be A Friction (To Stop The Machine)
25-11-2012 08:53
Is the Philippines child-friendly?
25-11-2012 01:09
Full article | 2 additions | 4 comments
More than 2,000 march to save NHS Lewisham A&E and Maternity Units
25-11-2012 00:19
http://www.savelewishamhospital.com/how-to-respond-to-tsa/ http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/lewisham-hospital/