I've been a fan of Dorian Cope's On This Deity blog since it began. Bright and bold writing commemorating aniiversaries of the history of rebellion and dissent - with an incredibly prolific daily posting policy to boot - it belongs in the blogroll of anyone with a political conscience.
So it was quite an honour to be asked to write for it. Today is the fifteenth anniversary of the tree-felling work starting at the Newbury Bypass. I wrote a book about my time on the Newbury bypass campaign a few months after it ended. Today I've written a primer/reflection piece for On This Deity, The Third Battle of Newbury Begins.
A morning in court with the Heathrow defenders
8 years ago
2 comments:
"We lost at Newbury. It was always going to be that way. Contracts had been signed, and there was a lot of money as well as face to be lost. But because of the defeat there, there have been victories elsewhere."
Always somethng to consider. The Liverpool Councillors won huge concessions from the government because they were too busy smashing the NUM. Only once they'd been defeated could the power of the state be squarely brought against the 47 councillors. By that time, Liverpool City Council had build 5,000 new council houses.
Hey Merrick. Newbury was an inspiration to me, and although the protest lost we now have much tighter regulations because of it - everyone involved is a hero of mine. I recently visited Snelsmore and was horrified by the damage done by the bypass. There were even still some ropes still tied to felled trees close to the road. Just reading your book now - thanks for writing it!
I see Newbury as one of the many struggles against the wealthy and the powerful at the top, that continues today in the form of Occupy, UK Uncut and other protest movements, and think that Newbury should be remembered by protestors today. I wrote blog about it the other day if you care to check it out. Respect, and peace.
http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/ongoing-war-against-corrupt-financial.html
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