Nelson ILP Clarion House Centenary Celebrations 1912 - 2012

"The Clarion House was built to be a non-profit making co-operative with any excess money to be used in spreading the word of socialism.

This was no accident, no coincidence. It was planned in the hope that others would take it as a model of how society as a whole ought to be organised.

Visitors could come and witness how people - lots of people - were prepared to devote their lives to the Clarion movement for no personal gain, other than the knowledge that they would leave the world a better place than when they entered it.

The Clarion is a vision of the future, a vision of a socialist society, a commonwealth, based on co-operation and fellowship, not conflict and material greed...." (click to see more - hat-tip Captain Swing)

"The People of the Woods ARISE!"

Great post in Country Standard about the first (probable) major U-Turn by the ConDems.  We can defeat them.  

"A growing revolt is in full swing in the English Countryside. Rural Communities are banding to get her to take direct action to prevent the Tory/Lib Dem privatisation of England's great forests.

On Friday, Tory Minister Mark Harper, MP for Forest of Dean was heckled and pelted with eggs by a huge crowd, including Country Standard supporters in the small town of Coleford.

The meeting in the local Library was full to bursting with further 500 outside in the street. The protesters chanted of 'Hands off our Forest' and 'Get Harper out' could be heard throughout the meeting and long into the night.

The huge crowd spilled over into the main street, with local residents and passerby signalling their overwhelming support.

It did not go unnoticed by those fighting the privatisation of the Forest of Dean that the building the meeting was held in Coleford Library, is also threatened with closure by the Tories.

Next Stop the New Forest ! Lets turn the anger on millionaire Caroline Spelman, Tory Environment Secretary architect of Forest Privatisation. The Right Wing Press running scared............

Sunday Telegraph 6 February 2011 - "Mark Harper, the Conservative MP for The Forest of Dean, was attacked by protesters as he exited a public meeting where he had been defending the Government's plans for a forestry sell-off. He was pelted with eggs by protesters who also attacked the police van to try to prevent him leaving.  Mr Harper accused a number of objectors of being "bent on violence" and likened them to a "baying mob". The public meeting, which took place in Coleford in Gloucestershire on Friday night, will have given the Coalition a worrying insight into the growing anger its forest consultation has provoked.

One Tory MP has already warned the sell-off could be the Government's 'poll tax moment'.

Martin Ives Sunday Times 6 February 2011 - "What do we want? The Forestry Commission. When do we want it? Now. In the past 10 days the coalition has performed the seemingly impossible feat of turning a dreary nationalised industry into the last redoubt of Merrie England. Watch out, its ancient greenwood is to be sold off or leased to axe-wielding spivs. So farewell, the woods that once sheltered Robin Hood; adieu the hearts of oak that kept the Royal Navy afloat.

Anyone who remembers how the view on a country walk has been spoilt by an ugly, dark wall of Christmas trees will be sceptical of the Forestry Commission’s stewardship of our green and pleasant land. Charles Clover, our environment columnist, sees merit in the government’s proposals.

However, there is no disputing how unpopular the policy is — opinion polls reveal more than 70% reject it. Damian Green, the luckless Tory minister who had to defend the measure on BBC’s Question Time on Thursday, was howled down. Conservative HQ had supplied him with an incomprehensible debating point about the Forestry Commission’s conflict of interest as regulator and timber merchant. He was chopped up for firewood."

This is what Tories do...So why are you surprised they are selling our forests?

Hat-tip to Country Standard blog for this report about the Condems plan to privatise 15% of the land (correction it is now not 15% but all of our land) owned by the Forestry Commission. 

Someone I met today, a traditional Tory supporter, was absolutely outraged by this plan and flabbergasted that the government is even thinking of doing this.  Err...Yeah, but...

This sort of stunned outrage is becoming quite commonplace.  Non-political friends and family, work colleagues, union members and even union activists will come up to me and in detail express their shock and horror at the latest vile proposal or act of this government.  Well...yes, but didn't you say you were not voting at the election since they were "all the same"?

My stock response is Err yes...but this what Tories do, surely you know this? Obviously not.  Even from those who like me lived through the 1980's appear shocked.

I even had someone banging the drum about this 'orrible government who before the General Election told me that Mr Cameron is a "nice man" who should be given a chance!!!!

Much, much worse recently I heard a paid union official slag off Labour Party controlled Councils while justifiably complaining bitterly about cuts and job losses and yet never uttered a single word of criticism about the government...FFS - what is going on here?

To be honest I am getting just a little bit fed up with all this.  We told people what to expect if the Tories got in and 71% of people didn't believe us.  We have to accept responsibility for losing the election but those who voted against us or did not vote have got to accept responsibility as well for what is happening.