The War
The movement against the war in Iraq continues to grow and to develop deep roots in the most unexpected places.
I was at the large anti-war demonstration in Wakefield. Hundreds took part including Labour Councillors in what was the town's largest march since the miners' strike. Jon Trickett, the MP for Hemsworth, addressed the rally spelling out his total opposition to the war on Iraq.
There were also demonstrations in Sheffield, Manchester etc. In Leeds there was a large women's protest and march against the war. And of course there was the 10,000-strong march in Leeds last Saturday (more next issue).
There has been a collapse of shares on the UK stock exchange. The pound has dropped in value against both the dollar and the Euro. The dollar's strength is based on the perceived boom in reconstructing Iraq and re-equipping the US military after the war. The hoped-for US boom will be financed by making the Iraqi people pay for the privilege of being invaded. The Euro's strength is on the basis they are not involved. Britain has none of these advantages and will be rewarded like any faithful poodle with a bowl of water.
The Americans have appointed lawyers to all their major troop formations. This is to try to ensure that that they cannot be taken to court over any of their actions. No such steps have been taken for the 50,000 British troops. This could render them open to legal action. Already activists are considering the possibilities of taking legal action against Tony Blair for pursing an illegal war.
The UN
I briefly mentioned the Alliance for Green Socialism's intervention at the United Nations calling for a full General Assembly to discuss the possible war with Iraq in the last Umbrella. Spearheaded by the inexhaustible Mike Davies, the lobbying was effectively organised of United Nations Ambassadors, despite the rigours of his round-the-world tour. There have already been a number of positive responses included one from the French Ambassador.
Another friend, the increasingly famous author Mike Marqusee, addressed the huge anti-war rally in New York on 15 February. This rally bought together large elements of the New York labour movement with peace activists.
Fantasies of the Labour Left
As one Blair spokesperson has said, the vast majority of the Labour NEC is completely loyal and therefore there is no possibility of a leadership challenge in any circumstances. The TUC, who went to see Blair about the war, also made it clear they would not be supporting any call for an emergency Labour Party conference. Only an electoral challenge from the left will begin to shift New Labour.
Blair is banking on a swift easy victory using the overwhelming power of the US in the war. And this is by far the most likely outcome. On the back of this victory Blair hopes to regain his unchallengeable control of New Labour and the country.
There are however risks i.e. Saddam's troops put up more resistance than expected, the allies get bogged down in street fighting in Baghdad, they make a mistake and the Iranians join in, the Israelis join in, the US bomb lots of British troops ... and the most unlikely option, that Iraq really does have weapons of mass destruction.
The Leeds City Council New Labour Councillors rejected putting a resolution against the war to the Council. Only 5 councillors (and I have their names) voted for the resolutions. The rest led by the Deputy Leader and former Stalinist Keith Wakefield voted against the proposal on the grounds that they did not want be seen to be disloyal to Blair.
Of course the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats could have put their own resolution to the Council as others have done but they choose not to do so.
Even New York City Council has, as can be seen in the following e-mail I recently received.
"Just wanted to share the good news with you....the New York City Council has declared New York against the war (ie, the city that was attacked that Bush keeps using as an excuse among his other downright lies!). There are now about 140 US cities across the country that have come out against it!"
News manipulation
The government misinformation machine is cranking itself to full speed for the war. There have been repeated reports in the media of the human shields coming back from Baghdad. However the ones I actually know are there, including my melodious friend the legendary folksinger Karl Dallas, are still in Iraq.
In order to ensure that we only see the news they want us to see reporters using satellite video and phone links have been warned that the US smart rockets might mistake them for an Iraqi communication system. Kate Adie has condemned this threat to reporters in Baghdad.
Snippets
Fabian Hamilton
My former wine merchant and MP for Leeds North East deserves especial congratulation for his stand against the war. Unlike any other MP in Yorkshire he faces a very strong lobby in favour of the war from Zionist organisations in Leeds. Jon Trickett's former shadow Peter Mandelson spoke out in support of the war at a large recent Zionist rally in the City.
Fabian also deserves congratulation for his stand against the way that refugees are been forced to live on the streets due Blunkett's savage new laws.
However we are puzzled by his new found expertise in forensic psychiatry and his pronouncements that the Yorkshire Ripper is not insane and should be moved to a proper prison. However, unlike the contents of the recent book on which Fabian appears to basing his new found knowledge, there is some evidence that Sutcliffe was not the ripper but guilty of a number of copycat killings. The "so-called" new facts in the book appear to reinforce the view held by psychiatrists at the time of the trial that Sutcliffe was mentally ill.
Chapeltown Community Nursery
Chapeltown Community Nursery is under danger of closure due to changes of New Labour policies on young people. In a typical Blair control-freak policy, finances are being directed away from community-based organisations. And of course Leeds City Council's New Labour group just rolls over.
The local councillor Norma Hutchinson (a trustee of the Nursery) advised them to petition the council, obviously unaware that this democratic right has been stopped for over three years. More sinisterly the boundaries of the Chapeltown Sure Start programme appear to have been drawn very carefully to exclude the Community Nursery.
For over 20 years this nursery has pioneered a community-based approach. Many of its practices have been copied by Leeds City Council nurseries.
This closure attempt can be seen as part of the continuing assault on Chapeltown by Leeds City Council. The Council has closed the Chapeltown Community Centre and the Chapeltown Adventure Playground and engineered the destruction of one of Chapeltown's finest buildings, the Hayfield. They closed Leopold School and are also threatening to close Frankland Place nursery. Potternewton Primary School, which serves areas of Chapeltown, is also faced with closure.
And the response from the local councillors has never extended beyond a few private words of protest. They are New Labour in the community.
Education Leeds
They have advertised for a "Resident Premises Operator" at Morley High School. This is of course a School Caretaker but behind this description lies another attack on the manual workers in Leeds City Council. Under George Mudie's leadership of Leeds city Council school caretakers were upgraded to take a real role in running the schools. This doesn't fit with New Labour's complete commitment to hierarchical "do as you're told" management. It is not surprising that New Labour see removal of any union veto as key in their dispute with the fire workers.
Hoon and Bush
Our old former bearded friend of Harehills, Geoff (Buff) Hoon, has got himself in trouble with an interview in the right wing New Labour Journal Progress where he suggested he would be happy to see a Democrat Victory next year in the USA. Bush wasn't too pleased and so Geoff now says his assistants wrote the article. In another words he politically supports Bush and he doesn't bother to read articles due to be published in his name.
In my long acquaintanceship with Geoff I have noticed many changes in his behavior not all to do with his shaving trauma. Closely watching him last week in his answers to the House of Commons Defence Committee you see clear examples of his Manchurian programming by his American "friends". However I suspect after his latest gaffe he will be removed when the gulf war ends.
Clare Short
Clare Short's describing Blair's handling of the Iraqi crisis as "reckless" has caused some raised eyebrows on the left. Those who remember her disgraceful role over the Liz Davies affair are not particularly surprised. Short plays a very specific role for Blair. She acts as a lightning conductor for any soft left criticism of the New Labour project. When they have discharged their complaints she returns to the fold. There is a general expectation that she will have a St Blair revelation on the road to Baghdad. What counts is not of course some parading of your conscience but what you actually do to stop the war.
-- Half-Celestial Khan
