Campaigners urge world leaders to say 'pants to poverty'

from 24 Dash

Campaigners gathered today to urge world leaders meeting for next week's G8 summit to keep their promises on tackling poverty.

Thousands of protesters were expected to line the Thames in central London ahead of Tony Blair leaving for the summit, which takes place in Germany from June 6.

The demonstration comes two years after the G8 summit at Gleneagles when the planet's richest countries made pledges on aid.

Veteran anti-poverty campaigners Midge Ure and Annie Lennox were among those calling on Mr Blair today to make the most of his last G8 summit.

Mr Ure said of today's protest: "It's a pretty sad message that we're here saying the same things we said two years ago, and 20 years ago with Band Aid.

"It's a bit pathetic that we have to come back and say this so often to keep people on their toes.

"This is a gentle reminder to the powers that be that we're still watching."

He said that the aim of today's protest was to show Mr Blair and other leaders that the public expected them to honour their commitments made at the last summit.

He said: "Mr Blair should go to Germany as a warrior and leave on a high.

"Do something magnificent before he leaves.

"And if he can't do it, set it up for Gordon Brown to complete the job they said they would do."

Ms Lennox said: "The title of the campaign Make Poverty History is slightly misleading because poverty can't be made history over night. Each step is incremental, as they have to be. But as people walk away nothing will happen.

"It's not something that will take one event. It has to be an ongoing, socially committed campaign based on human rights, ethics and morality."

She continued: "I believe there is a huge waking up, a people power movement that has lost faith in politicians. But instead of responding with disillusionment and disinterest, people are getting together to find alternatives."

The rally and other events have been organised by a coalition of more than 90 organisations including Action Aid, Christian Aid, Friends of the Earth and Oxfam.

Oxfam campaigner Alison Woodhead said: "This is about people power. The movement has grown enormously since 2005.

"We want to say to Tony Blair, 'This is your last G8. Make it count. We were here in 2005, we're still here. We're not going away'."

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