21 September 2014
I was in Manchester today to take part in the Peoples Climate March, the event seemed to spring from the New York event that seems to have been organised to make the people’s feelings known to the United Nations summit on Climate Change taking place in New York shortly afterwards.
The aim of the Manchester march however, was to make the feelings of the people known to the Labour Party who are holding their Annual Conference in Manchester at the moment.
I joined the March in Piccadilly Gardens at about 11:30 just prior to it setting off. There were hundreds of people lined up ready to go I estimate between 1,500 and 2,000. There were drummers at the head of the march who lead the march off to a rousing beat.
As in union marches I had attended, there were chanting leaders, I was initially near a pro Palestine group but moved ahead as I don’t do chanting.
At a certain point in the march we were advised to sit, I don’t know what the problem was but we were soon back on our feet and marching.
As we arrived at the Labour Party Conference venue, the former G-Mex centre we formed a rally where various speakers enunciated the feelings of the people; ban fracking, climate policies and social justice.
I had lunch at this point, sadly missed Green Party leader Natalie Bennett, although some of their recent policy announements suggest that they have joined the establishment and are therefore less the rebels that are needed.
I did hear the local speakers, mostly women and very inspiring, there seems to be a strong tradition of radical women in the North West.
After the Climate Rally had finished I joined the NHS Rally; there were more women speakers, especially notable were those speaking about the recent Jarrow march.
After getting my photo taken with the No to HS2 inflatable white elephant I headed off to the Hannah Mitchell Foundation meeting on Northern Democracy.
This meeting was well attended but slightly disappointing as the subject was not so much about democracy as about tweaking the current structure of representation.
The Keighley Parliamentary candidate suggested that a Constitutional thing as put forward by Ed Milliband, Labour leader be set up.
The best point was made by the Unlock Democracy speaker who suggested that grass roots participation was lacking.
Then home, a very strange train journey setting off heading West, then after Stayleybridge went slowly so as to allow for the inspection of the opposite line for obstructions.
Leave a Reply