A Scottish coalition, "G8Alternatives" is under development to help with a co-ordinated response to the G8. Two meetings have been held so far in Edinburgh and were attended by people representing a wide range of organisations and interests including NGOs, anti-capitalists, trade unionists and free party people.

The main focus at the moment is to secure a large piece of land on which to build a 'Convergence Centre' where people can camp with access to clean drinking water and so on.

We intend to bagsy a piece of land for the biggest free party ever in Scotland, but there are also plans for many other events, activities and facilities including Internet and email access, mobile phone charging points, alternative power sources, etc plus story telling, bouncy castles and other entertainment for kids.

We are building a web site which will be used for communicating and as an 'information dump'.

Speakers will join Wallden Bello at the "G8 Global poverty and protest" event at the ESF in london in October.

At a meeting this week in Glasgow, a spokeswoman said:

"What unites us is our belief that another world is possible and that we need to have a massive mobilisation that brings together anti-capitalists, international development campaigners, trade unionists, peace activists, environmentalists, human rights campaigners and more to discuss, debate and demonstrate,".

Scottish Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan, who attended the meeting, said that the G8 leaders had "failed miserably" so far.