You Say Liberation, I Say Occupation... Let's Call The Whole Thing Off.

A very strong turnout on the London anti-war demo today. Tony Benn seems to be getting younger, Salma Yaquub was as inspiring as ever and George pushed a pram round the entire march...

The route was different this time - starting at Parliament Square, heading up past the back of Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park Corner and Piccadilly to Trafalgar Square.

On a personal note - the Chandos is undergoing a refurb so my usual cheap swift half before the speeches got a little pricey.

But, walking round in the late winter sun I thought about what all this achieves - after all, if the biggest demonstration in British history didn't stop us going to war what's the point? A few things kind of answered the question:

1. These lunatics really are going to attack Iran. And I make a good guess that Tony's crapping himself that this time we'll make him pay. Or Brown gets left with a real hot potato and a lost election.

2. When members of the SAS refuse to fight, leave the army and attend anti-war demos, something is shifting.

3. Actually hearing significant figures from the organised Muslim communities calling for humanitarian solidarity regardless of race, colour, religion, gender or sexuality is a nice reminder that the press has a lot to answer for in terms of the public perception of Islamic folk.

4. If we hadn't been out on the streets making a noise - things would be a whole lot worse.


And can you imagine the impact if everyone who came out for the massive demo three years ago was out everytime? Because if anything it's more important than ever but I hardly hear it mentioned anymore amongst 'educated' company.

I don't know. Collectively, we really do have the power to turn the world upside down. And if I spent half the time I spend dribbling over technology doing something constructive - then maybe that would inspire one more person etc.

But I probably won't. I'll probably content myself by thinking this post is somehow 'doing something'.

Which it isn't. Just makes me feel a bit better.

Which isn't really the point.