AFTER A YEAR of historic demonstrations, over 500 delegates attended the annual conference of the Stop the War Coalition on February 28. Despite the largest demonstration ever, Tony Blair went to war against the views of the majority in Britain. This decision continues to haunt him as he is unable to "move on* from questions as to why Britain was tricked into war.
Every day Blair is in the dock as the bad news on page chase him such as the Hutton enquiry whitewash, the lack weapons of mass destruction, the prosecution of Katharine Gunn, the bugging of Kofi Annan's office. No wonder that he wants to "move on" from discussing Iraq and calls on the press to report other issues. But the Stop the War Coalition conference declared that it was not prepared to "move on" as it is still campaigning for the truth to be made public and against the occupation of Iraq. Instead, delegates were united in calling on Tony Blair to "move on" and out of Downing Street for having lied to the country.
Tony Benn, now Honorary President of the Coalition, explained to the conference that the reluctance of Blair to publish the Attorney General's advice on the legality of the war without UN approval stems the trap of the war being either illegal or a breach of the UN treaty. Benn finished by saying that "Blair has no time for the elected Parliament otherwise he would tell Parliament the truth". The financial cost to Britain of the war, estimated at £3.5billion plus £40million for every week of the occupation, is driving the wedge deeper between the unions and the New Labour government. Paul Embury of the FBU reported "that many firefighters are ex-armed services personel, but appreciate that the government found the money for the war but not to meet their pay claim to get them out of poverty pay. This, he went on, "explains why the FBU NEC agreed to recommend to its conference that the union's political funds should be opened up". the war; held in October in London. the USA.
The delegates were unanimous in agreeing a sustained programme of campaigning activities including:
• a demonstration on March 13 at New Labour's Spring Conference in Manchester;
• a national demonstration on March 20 which is part of an international day of action one year on from
• initiating the holding of an international tribunal into the evidence for the war;
• participating in the European Social Forum to be
Tony Blair wants to "move on" from questions on Iraq because he does not want to be held to account for the death of troops and Iraqi civilians. The truth is that they died not in the interest of democracy, but to suit the political and economic interests of Britain and
Now most Iraqis are demanding an end to the occupation and free elections, we all need to join with the Stop the War Coalition in stepping up the pressure against our own government to make this happen. told him when the invasion would take place and what his role was to be. Blair must go
Blair must go, and it will only be a matter of time before he does. But his resignation will only be the first step in the battle against this war on us all, with its racist and authoritarian underpinning. The conquest of Afghanistan and Iraq has weakened rather than strengthened the imperial project.
During the Nuremberg trials Hermanr Goering said that it was easy to take a coun try to war: all you have to do is 'tell people they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism. it works every time'
Well, it barely worked with Afghanistan and it didn't work with Iraq, where only the cowardice of self-serving Labour MPs saved Blair, and a mass movement was created that will have the final say.
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Bob Crow speaking at the Convention of the Trade Union Left in the final few minutes before the RMT was expelle esistance stre sistance March 2004 3