There are few events in British turning points in the political life of this country but the massive demonstration in central London on 28 September must surely be considered as one.
Over 400,000 people came out to march against the proposed attack on Iraq and to demand freedom for Palestine. The march began leaving the Embankment at lo'clock and over four hours later many thousands were still assembled there. There were several breakaway marches with some 10,000 making their way down Oxford Street. The day had a carnival atmosphere. There were only two arrests for minor public order offences.
At the Hyde Park rally the marchers were addressed by no fewer than six trade union leaders, several MPs and leading figures from the Muslim community, Asmi Bishwara from Israel's Knesset, John Pilger, former UN arms inspector Scott Ritter, London mayor Ken Livingstone, Tony Benn, MPs Galloway, Mahon, Corbyn, and many others.
The size of the demonstration surprised everyone including the most optimistic of the organisers. We knew it would be a large march, there were nearly 1000 coaches booked and the march was the result of a year-long campaign organised by the Stop the War Coalition. However we could not foresee the spontaneous surge of opposition to war with Iraq that the demonstration represented.
We now have a mass movement against the war: According to labour historian Keith Flett this was the largest ever march in British political life.
It is crucially important for socialists to develop the Stop the War Coalition. Already many hundreds of local groups are established up and down the country and the small Coalition office is inundated with requests for help, speakers, leaflets, posters.
The next immediate stage in the campaign is already being prepared with a day of mass action planned for 3,l October (after this paper goes to press).
••••. • Activists from the Coalition have gone to the US to help war movement there ••
What this movement now represents is the possibility of overcoming a whole series of seemingly intractable political problems and realising certain possibilities:
The revitalisation of the trade union movement expressed not just in the election of left leaders and the beginning of a
@ MOVEMENT@ new period of industrial militancy but seen also in the confidence with which these trade unionists take on the intemational questions of Iraq and Palestine.
The sight of RMT leader Bob Crow holding the lead banner of the demonstration in one hand while in the other he car ried the message 'this war is a failure expressed this new development.
The following week Crow wiped the floor with Northern Ireland secretary John Reid in a 'Question Time' debate. Twelve trade unions have either affiliated to the Coalition nationally or supported the demonstration.
Opposition to the war within the trade union movement between the TUC and Labour conferences, going from 40% outright opposition [no war even with UN authorisation] to 48% at the Labour Party conference.
Stop the War speakers have addressed firefighters' rallies and received a very good response.
For the last 25 years students have
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Fighting the war drive