tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598467.post1924405370479784788..comments2007-03-06T12:08:26.720ZJim Jeppshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17410387006098326671noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598467.post-23756490900491687172007-03-06T12:08:00.000Z2007-03-06T12:08:00.000ZWell I recognised *almost* everyone there... including from round the regionJim Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17410387006098326671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598467.post-2230114872321729582007-03-06T11:52:00.000Z2007-03-06T11:52:00.000ZJim, I agree with your analysis of the conference in that they completely under cooked the size of the room and there was no debate. However with the people in there (not oall lefty activists) i believe that the debate would have been good, THe conference provided a good starting point. <BR/><BR/>The march on the other hand was not just a bunch of your regular left activists. Belive me if it had it would have been much smaller. There were a significant number who came out from the stop the war coaches we ran to london last week, a good show from the turkish/kurdish group and quite a number who we canvassed in Romsey last week. <BR/><BR/>To me this proves that the public, when mobilised, is ready for a fight. Now what we have to do is be possitive, push the unions and build for a good turn out from the region on the national demo. <BR/><BR/>This should start with the a good show in huntingdon Health demo on the 17th March.<BR/><BR/>Phone me for details of coaches from Cambridge: 0771 2893552Tom Woodcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17786154402700775947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598467.post-81809059314081483222007-03-04T10:02:00.000Z2007-03-04T10:02:00.000ZI went to the rally in Leeds. Over 100 people in a nice venue. Big platform of different trade unionists. There was quite a bit of audience-supported and applauded heckling about the poor job of mobilization done by unions, especially Amicus. Leeds TUC blamed itself for delays. The audience was clearly in the mood for something a lot more militant than what ws being offered by the unions, and although that audience had a smattering of the left eager to get in on the discussion, the majority were clearly health workers.<BR/><BR/>Different left approaches very noticeable. An AWL activist was on the platform on behalf of the community campaigning group (deservedly, put the work in)and spoke very well - getting a mention of John McDonnell in. SWP spoke as 'concerned citizen'and wanted a slightly more militant demand than deferring Trust debts. Workers Power (or 'Andy from Revo')also spoke well and eventually raised the need for a new workers party. I was surprised at the number of young people in Amicus campaigning sashes until I looked closer and realised it was a line of Workers Powewr/Revo activists - they'd put their stickers on the sash. No demo for us, but an afternoon of petitioning - but there was a downpour and I made my way to work.badmatnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30598467.post-793695697053273532007-03-03T23:55:00.000Z2007-03-03T23:55:00.000ZHi Jim, I've finally got round to making a few comments about the regional in Brum.a very public sociologisthttp://averypublicsociologist.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com