Peace campaigners take guests to meet MPs

Date published: 12/02/2007

Rochdale peace campaigners, Pat Sanchez and Rae Street were in London last week together with John La Forge of the American organisation, Nukewatch and Ria Verjauw of the Belgian Coalition Against Depleted Uranium Weapons. Inside the House of Commons, they joined Jeremy Corbyn, MP and MEP Caroline Lucas at a meeting to highlight the international campaign for a ban on depleted uranium weapons and lobbied local MPs, Paul Rowen and Jim Dobbin to support the campaign. 

Outside, on Westminster Green, they introduced John and Ria to Brian Haw who has been protesting outside the Commons continuously since 2001 and who on 10 February received his award as Channel 4’s "Most Inspiring Political Figure of 2007’. Pat and Rae said: "We were very pleased to receive such a positive response from our local MPs and it was good to be able to show John and Ria that at least some British politicians are committed to finding peaceful solutions to the world’s difficulties. 

"Our visitors were overjoyed to meet Brian Haw. His long and inspiring protest against the Blair government’s warmongering is famous around the world and we are looking forward to seeing him again when we come to London on 24 February to tell the government that we want "No Trident’ and "Troops Out of Iraq’."