One of my regrets on being on this march is missing out on the climate camp at Heathrow. But campaigning is collective, and there are other campaigners from the World Development Movement who are taking part. You can see their blogs at:
http://climatechangecamp.blogspot.com/
On Wednesday 15 August we marched from Huddersfield to Saddleworth, through the constituency of Colne Valley, where we were joined by Labour MP, Kali Mountford, and prospective parliamentary candidate for the Conservatives, Jason McCartney. Jason has the honour of being the first representative of the Conservative party who has visited us on the march.
In speaking to Kali she was supportive of some of our demands, particularly that the climate bill should not allow the UK to buy carbon credits from developing countries. When I asked her if this meant she would vote against carbon credits being included in the bill, Kali responded "I would never vote against the government".
This is outrageous; an elected representative knows something is wrong, but refuses to ever vote against her party.
I'm sure there are commentators criticising the Heathrow climate camp for being an 'attack on democracy', and questioning why we don't campaign solely through 'democratic processes'.
Kali showed today why we have to use all means of peaceful protest. An MP refusing to ever vote against the government is the true attack on democracy. Down at Heathrow, the climate camp is true democracy at work.
Distance covered so far: 439 miles
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News from WDM
About the Cut the Carbon march
This summer, Christian Aid is asking people to walk the walk on climate change by joining the longest ever protest march in UK history.
Starting in Northern Ireland on 14 July, the Cut the Carbon march will last 80 days, cover 1,000 miles, and see marchers from rich countries and poor spread the cut the carbon message to companies and politicians.
Tim Jones works as a policy officer at the World Development Movement and is representing the organisation along the march.
Starting in Northern Ireland on 14 July, the Cut the Carbon march will last 80 days, cover 1,000 miles, and see marchers from rich countries and poor spread the cut the carbon message to companies and politicians.
Tim Jones works as a policy officer at the World Development Movement and is representing the organisation along the march.
1 comment:
I feel like a lightweight having completed just 7.7 miles compared to the 1,000 miles Tim and the rest of the team will have covered by their journey's end on 2nd October. I learnt a lot from chatting to you all. Why do we have anything other than low energy light bulbs, why do we have plastic bags and why are we investing so little in renewable energy sources?
I hope I can do your efforts justice when I'm elected as the MP for Colne Valley.
Good luck,
Jason McCartney
Conservative parliamentary candidate for Colne Valley
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