Stop the war hustings Brixton

Fifty antiwar activists and Stop the War Coalition supporters came to the Brix in St Mattews Church, Brixton to hear candidates' policies on Britain's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. I was invited and gave a five-minute introductory speech, along with the Green, SPGB and LIb Dem candidates. But there was no sign of Labour (who simply sent emails declaring that they were against the war in Iraq, but were not in favour of pulling the troops out of Afghanistan) or Conservatives.

My message of troops get out now, solidarity with the Palestinians and spending the money on jobs, homes and services rather than banks, bullets and bombs went down very well.

The Lib Dems were against the war – until the fighting and the killing started and want to scrap the Trident nuclear arsenal but not get out of Afghanistan. The Greens gave Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair a clean bill of health over the shooting of local man Jean Charles de Menezes and would leave Britain's military machinery in tact to be used again.

I'll post something soon, along with hopefully videos, as I am off to bwork. But Jason Cobb has kindly already posted recordings of the meeting including me summing up. So listen here for my summation and for other candidates views listen here.

And thank you to the chair and Stop the War Coalition for inviting me.