Postal Liberalisation talk

The Yeovil Labour Party has invited Phil Chadwick of the CWU to give a talk on the liberalisation of the postal services that have been carried out by the New Labour government and the European Union over the last decade or so, and what developments are likely in the future. The meeting will be held on Thursday the 3rd of July at 19:00 at the Labour Club, all are welcome to attend.

Submitted Amendments to Crime, Justice, Citizenship and Equalities Policy Document

As many of you will know recently the Yeovil Labour Party held its policy forum to discuss the Crime, Justice, Citizenship and Equalities draft final year policy document. At the meeting the following proposed amendments to the document were recommended by the members present. The amendments were as follows.

1. 42 Days Detention and Civil Liberties : Amendment Proposed by CLPD and LRC.
Delete, page 11, line 31, "We are also bringing forward new proposals on pre-charge detention, so that in exceptional circumstances, and with strong parliamentary and judiciary safeguards, there can be a temporary and non-renewable extension of the limit for up to 14 days so that the police can continue to hold terrorist suspects while pursuing their investigations in complex cases".

Supporting Argument :
A further curtailment of civil liberties by extending detention without charge could undermine the flow of information about possible terrorism. There is a growing concern that the muslim community is being targeted as a religious group because of its opposition to US military action in the Middle East.

2. ID Cards : Amendment Proposed by CLPD.

Delete, page 11 line 42 to Page 12 line 14 inclusive

Supporting Argument :
This removes the commitment to ID cards. The National Identity Register would be the world's biggest biometric database, holding 52 pieces of information on every adult who remains in the UK for longer than 3 months. As well as being a waste of public money, the scheme will cost us personally, financially and in terms of our privacy and relationship with the state. Opposition will continue to grow as more people understand these costs and doubt the accuracy and security of such a huge government database. They will change our society and the way we live, forever.

3. Fox Hunting : Amendment Proposed by Helen Weeks.

Add, page 7 line 43.

New Paragraph to Insert:
We will ensure that the ban on hunting with hounds is properly enforced by inserting a new clause of "cause" or "permit" to the Hunting Act 2004 (this can be through a Hunting ( Amendment) Bill, and that offences under the Act be made notifiable and proper penalties for offenders are introduced.

4. Monitoring of Privatised Contracts in the Police Force : Amendment Proposed by Bill Byrd.

Add, page 11 line 4, insert AFTER "By improviding working practices, cutting red tape..."
"closely monitoring and reviewing privatised contracts throughout the police force and encouraging the public service ethic".

Policy meeting to discuss crime and justice, citizenship and equality

The Yeovil Labour Party will be holding a public meeting on Monday the 16th of June at 19:00 at Unity Hall, to gather feedback from both Labour Party members, trade unions and the general public to formulate a response to one of the party's Partnership in Power documents tackling crime and justice, citizenship and equality.

Once the meeting is concluded the response will be sent on to be voted on at the annual conference.

Report on Yeovil Sports Zone meeting

For those who couldn't make it to the meeting on the Yeovil Sports Zone project last month with Tim Caroll (leader of South Somerset District Council) and Ashey Strelling (of Save Mudford Rec), the report is up on the Yeovil TUC's website.

The War on Democracy

We'll be showing John Pilger's film the War on Democracy on Thursday the 17th of July at 19:00 at Unity Hall (opposite the bus station).

The ruling elite in United States likes to go on about how they spread democracy, but this film shows the “hidden war” that is being waged against democracy - how democratically elected governments are overthrown and replaced by dictatorships who represent US corporate interests. It shows what the United States really likes to spread is capitalism, free markets and the neo-liberal doctrine against all public ownership, it shows how the people of Latin America are plunged into poverty by economic “shock treatment” consisting of massive privitisation. And it shows how the people are fighting back in Venezuela and other countries of Latin America.

Here's what John Pilger had to say about the film:

The film is about the power of empire and of people. It was shot in Venezuela, Bolivia, Chile, and the United States and is set also in Guatemala and Nicaragua. It tells the story of “America’s backyard,” the dismissive term given to all of Latin America. It traces the struggle of indigenous people first against the Spanish, then against European immigrants who reinforced the old elite. Our filming was concentrated in the barrios where the continent’s “invisible people” live in hillside shanties that defy gravity. It tells, above all, a very positive story: that of the rise of popular social movements that have brought to power governments promising to stand up to those who control national wealth and to the imperial master. Venezuela has taken the lead, and a highlight of the film is a rare face-to-face interview with President Hugo Chavez whose own developing political consciousness, and sense of history (and good humour), are evident. The film investigates the 2002 coup d’etat against Chavez and casts it in a contemporary context. It also describes the differences between Venezuela and Cuba, and the shift in economic and political power since Chavez was first elected. In Bolivia, the recent, tumultuous past is told through quite remarkable testimony from ordinary people, including those who fought against the piracy of their resources. In Chile, the film looks behind the mask of this apparently modern, prosperous “model” democracy and finds powerful, active ghosts. In the United States, the testimony of those who ran the “backyard” echo those who run that other backyard, Iraq; sometimes they are the same people. Chris Martin (my fellow director) and I believe “The War on Democracy” is well timed. We hope people will see it as another way of seeing the world: as a metaphor for understanding a wider war on democracy and the universal struggle of ordinary people, from Venezuela to Vietnam, Palestine to Guatemala.

Everybody is welcome to come along, after the film we'll throw the floor open to discussion on topics raised in the film.