BY NORM DIXON

Around 100,000 protesters filled the streets of London on September 27 to oppose the US-led occupation of Iraq and to demand that British Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labour government pull British troops out of Iraq.

There was a sea of placards condemning Tony ``B-liar'' for spreading lies about Iraq's weapons capabilities to justify the invasion of Iraq. Solidarity with the people of Palestine was another popular theme. The day of protest was organised by the Stop the War Coalition, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and the Muslim Association of Britain.

Blair's dishonesty over the Iraq war has resulted in Labour's popularity slumping to just 30% — three points behind the Tories and neck-and-neck with the Liberal Democrats — according to a poll in the September 28 Sunday Times. A poll published in the News of the World found that 64% of voters no longer trusted Blair and 48% wanted him to quit.

A poll of 300 Labour Party members published in the September 27 Observer found that 41% want Blair to resign, 57% thought he was wrong to back US military action against Iraq and 81% believe he did not tell the truth in order to go to war.

Anti-war protests were also held in Edinburgh, Brussels, Paris, Seoul and at least a dozen other countries.

From Green Left Weekly, October 1, 2003.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.

Tools

• Bookmark This Page
• Print This Page