UK terror threat raised to 'severe', Home Secretary announces

[Peter Presland]

Peter/Jan

The 'Stop the War Coalition' have a major event planned for Blair's appearance. I have mixed feeling about the organisation and its effectiveness (or lack of it). It's clearly shot through with SIS operatives. That said, it did put over a million people on the streets of London back in early 2003 and many of those involved are sincere and full of angry idealism so criticising them is probably a bit unfair.

Any way, here is their latest call to action for Blair's appearance:

1) THE PEOPLE'S VOICE ON BLAIR'S JUDGEMENT DAY

Writers, musicians, relatives of the dead, Iraqi refugees,
poets, human rights
lawyers, comedians, well known actors, MPs and ordinary
citizens are joining a day of protest, performance and
politics outside the Iraq Inquiry on Friday 29 January, as
Tony Blair faces his judgement day.

People who oppose Britain's foreign wars are coming from all
corners of the country. The verdict on Blair will affect
present and future wars. It needs to be made clear to the
world that people here regard him as a man guilty of taking
Britain into an illegal war.

The approximate timetable for Tony Blair's Judgement Day at
the QE2 Conference Centre, is as follows:

8.00: PROTEST STARTS AS BLAIR ARRIVES
A delegation including Iraqi citizens and grieving military
families take the People's Dossier of questions for Tony Blair
to Sir John Chilcot.

9.00-10.00: NAMING OF THE DEAD CEREMONY
When Blair's testimony begins, names of Iraqis killed in the
war will be read by novelist A.L Kennedy, Musician Brian Eno,
actor and director Sam West, actor and director Simon
McBurney, playwright David Edgar, Lancet editor Richard
Horton, former UK ambassador Craig Murray, Iraqi author Haifa
Zangana, comedian and author Alexei Sayle, actor Miriam
Margoyles, and more.

10.00-11.00: SPEECHES, READINGS AND PERFORMANCES
Including by many of those participating in the Naming the
Dead ceremony.

12.00-13.00: PERFORMANCE FROM LOWKEY, KING BLUES AND
OTHER MUSICIANS.

13.00-14.00: MILITARY FAMILIES NAMING OF THE DEAD
Members of military families who lost loved ones in the Iraq
war will read the names of all 179 British soldiers who died.

16.00: PROTEST AS TONY BLAIR LEAVES THE INQUIRY

Tony Blair's Judgement Day
Friday 29 January from 8.00am
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre
Broad Sanctuary, London, SW1P 3EE
Nearest tube: Westminster

I have a sneaky feeling (and very much hope) it will get major support.

Tongue-in-cheek, Craig Murray (former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan) has this to say:

Options for Tony Blair 29 January - Tips From an Ex Senior Civil Servant

I very much doubt that Blair will enter the Iraq Inquiry via the front door. He can get in to the QE2 Conference Centre from the back by passing through the Institute of Mechanical Engineers building. That seems pretty likely. A strong detachment armed with buckets of blood should watch that route. Or he can arrive by an underground route using the spur to the QE2 conference centre from the old tunnel that connected Bomber Command (now known as The Citadel bunker) in Marsham St to the Cabinet Office and the MOD. As this tunnel network is an official secret I doubt they will want to risk him appearing mysteriously from nowhere, though.

Hound the B*****d I say - and keep on hounding him.