ON the February 15, 2003, one million people were out on the streets of London in a last gasp attempt to stop the invasion of Iraq.
The Prime Minister alluding to the huge protest said: "I rejoice that we live in a country where peaceful protest is a natural part of our democratic process."
How long ago those days seem.
On Wednesday, December 7, 2005, Maya Evans became the first person to be convicted under a new law that makes it illegal to stage an unautherised protest within 1km of Parliament Square. She was found guilty, given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay costs. Ms Evans crime was reading out the names of British soldiers who have died in Iraq.
At the Labour Party conference this year Walter Wolfgang, aged 82, a party member for 57 years was bundled out of the hall for shouting "nonsense" as Jack Straw tried to defend Britains role in Iraq. He was later stopped under anti-terrorist powers as he tried to re-enter the building.
The Labour Party of today is not the one I joined 18 years. ago. It gives me no pleasure to write this letter.
I joined Labour for social justice and left for the same reason.
Eric Hyland
The Green Party
Bolton
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