SWAN Stroll, Roll and Rally

Reading: Observer blogs, a "News Of The World"(Aargh!) someone left lying about, pages from a Robert Goddard novel, Indymedia pages.
Viewing: Bits of Japan v. Croatia, 2nd half of Australia v. Brazil and last ten minutes of South Korea v. France, The Office(BBC2), Funland (BBC2).
Listening: Radio Five.

I travelled to Sheffield yesterday for the Sheffield Welfare Action Network (SWAN) Stroll, Roll and Rally against the proposed 'reforms' to incapacity benefit (it was remarked at the rally how New Labour have given an entirely new meaning to the word reform, such that people arguing for short term positive changes now have to prefix any use of the word 'reform' with the word 'positive' to make clear they do not mean it in the New Labour sense!)
It was good to meet friends from Urban 75 and some activists I had not met for many a year. It was a lovely sunny day, and what we lacked in numbers we made up for in volume with the Sheffield Samba band and sincerity from the good range of groups and individuals represented. You can see a Green Party Trade Union Group (GPTU) flag in the background, a statement with solidarity greetings was handed round and newly elected Sheffield Green Party Councillor Bernard Little spoke at the rally. It was good to hear from people from different disability action groups, trade unions, political and unemployed groups united by commitment to the cause. As someone said at the rally, this rally and demo were just a start to building a united national campaign against New Labour's attack on welfare and benefits.

The rest of the pictures from the event can be found here

Fellow Green Left blogger Matt Sellwood has information on his blog on the hunger strike at the Campsfield House Detention Centre which is well worth reading.