The G20 Again

Déjà vu non? They meet, they agree that something must be done, they meet, they agree something must be done. As long as we are in agreement, that's the main thing.

Jacqui Smith Says Britons Should Be Grateful

Jacqui Smith criticised the "current vogue for police bashing'' in a speech at the Police Federation conference. That's an interesting choice of words "vogue for police bashing", is it vogue to strike a citizen, I hope not.

We all saw the pictures on the television. But what we didn't see was all the hard work that went in, behind the scenes, to mounting such a large-scale and intensive police operation

Yes preparations that involved talking up the danger the protesters presented, warning pregnant women not to venture into the City, telling bankers to dress down and generally demonising protesters. Going on to an operation that lend police hiding identity numbers, covering their faces, trying to remove the press, allegedly getting undercover police officers to provoke protesters into violence, finishing up being heavy handed, beating a woman and killing someone. All of which they attempted to cover up.

She goes on to say:

We are lucky in this country for the way in which protest is facilitated and the police play a very important role in that.

Yes we're lucky Jacqui Smith hasn't outlawed it yet. This isn't a few bad apples, this a general mentality in the police force at large, they have far too much power and not enough accountablty. Yet we should be grateful?

Communique, c'est merde?

Having read the finial communique, I feel like I've opened an oven and been blasted with hot air. Wading through the spin, mixed reports, and statements to write up a post has verged on impossible, fortunately other bloggers have fared better.

The Financial Crimes - an investment banker goes over the figures.

Spectator - Fraser Nelson who is a Conservative gives an overview of the points.

Burning Our Money - a tax payer goes over the points and figures.

You can read the communique and download it here.

G20 Day Two Recap

During the early part the day photos like the one above were released, which does make you wonder if it was more of a school reunion than a summit. I half expected to see a photo of Gordon Brown swaying awkwardly on the dance floor.

By mid afternoon however they seemed to get a grip and an agreement was reached:

• Bankers' pay and bonuses will be subject to stricter controls
  

• A new Financial Stability Board will be set up to work with the IMF to ensure co-operation across borders and provide an early warning mechanism for the financial system

• There will be greater regulation of hedge funds and credit ratings agencies
  

• A common approach to cleaning up banks' toxic assets has been agreed

• The IMF has an increase of $750bn for poorer countries to draw on. (read more)
  

It's hard not to look at these measures and feel it's too little too late. For the long term however there are some potentially positive points, taking a stricter rather than complacent line with finance, along with putting the money pledged into a fund, rather than a stimulus are steps forward. Though the 'Financial Stability Board' just sounds like a box ticking group, or a problem waiting to happen.

For Brown though, pushing for the $1tn could be misjudging how people will respond to the "$1 trillion" headlines, as the public already feel enough money has been wasted. Additionally the countries and people that will benefit from this directly aren't UK voters. Unless he backs this up with real action and leadership here in Britain, a large amount of people will take the line that charity starts at home, if they haven't already.

His poll result off the back of this will be very interesting.

G20 Day One Recap

As the dust settles on the signs denouncing greedy bankers, Gordon and Obama finish talking about their “special friendship”, and Jamie Oliver fires up the Downing Street oven to prepare a lavish dinner for world leaders. What is it people will remember?

The protests certainly have out numbered the coverage of anything so far, particularly this.




The only way Brown can compete with that is, riding into the press conference on the back of a horse, blood running down his face and suit slightly torn, shouting “it's hell out there but I made it”. Or being lowered on top of a giant globe into the middle of the press, jumping off and striding towards his podium.......which sadly I can actually imagine happening.

The "special friendship" has been getting a bit of coverage, not in an entirely positive way though. The meaning for the public has changed since Churchill first used it, under Blair and Bush it came to symbolise minsters falling over themselves to please the USA. Not really the best term to be using right now and such remarks are only remembered by politicians in fondness.

President Sarkozy looks likely to upstage the G20, by having a tantrum and turning the summit into an episode of EastEnders. I wouldn't be surprised however, if the Euro replaces the dollar as the main international currency off the back of this. Given the EU leaders certainly have a firm agreement as to what they want, along with a strong position.

On all the main news sites the protests along with France and Germany's demands are in the top3 most read today, Gordon's press conference doesn't make the top 10. Has what the G20 can achieve been pushed into hot air territory? Or is it simply that the drama is a lot more entertaining than Gordon?

Operation G20 Protocol

The Times is reporting that the police have handed out leaflets informing employees about the protocols of 'operation protect the city', one I particularly like.

“Smokers: when they pop out for a cigarette they weaken your defences. Change the rules for one day!”

This is becoming more entertaining than the summit!

Looks like Brown should have gone to Europe

While jet setting in South America, a Berlin magazine “obtained” and published the draft agreement Brown hopes to secure at the G20. It stated that he wanted a “$2 trillion” global fiscal stimulus. The Czech Republic, France and Spain's leaders have joined together to echo the comment, nein Herr Brown.

I'm no economist but do think they have a valid point being cautious and stopping to look at the cause of the problem. In Britain financial services alone make up almost a third our GDP. Good business is spreading the risk. Yet we can't compete globally with our exports industry and we've got so few farms left now, we're not even self sufficient.

That leaves the city (ironically) to be the one to get us back on track. Bankers can't make the money needed while being handcuffed, at the same time no regulation is like putting foxes in charge of the hen house. A balance needs to be struck with protecting people, regulating credit, spreading the risk by investing in other industries and I think we can all agree getting a better monitoring service.

Is there a problem more fundamental though, as how can you restore the economy when people don't have confidence in it? People will hold on to their money while they believe there is no light at the end of the tunnel, survival instincts will just kick in. Brown is part of that problem, he is too synonymous with the cause for people to believe he can fix it. 30 years after James Callaghan's vote of no confidence, is it time for someone in parliament to act on what people think.

G20 Protest – Saturday 28th

The protest went well contrary to what police suggested. Turn out was estimated at 35,000 by police, Put People First haven't announced any figures as of writing this. I'm surprised however there wasn't more, as can you think of anything more quintessentially British than forming a long queue!

I was pleasantly surprised by police in attendance, they weren't trying to provoke or intimidate people and their terrorist cameramen taking photos of everyone weren't out. Overall they were fairly low key apart from around parliament, which you would expect, and the Ritz which isn't so expected.

There were a lot of children and families present which was really nice to see, along with a large cross section of people from, communist parties, socialists workers, child campaign groups, pensioners, unions, anarchists, Stop the War Coalition, Salvation army, Greenpeace and a lot of people like me, who aren't happy with the ineptness surrounding this recession. The best protesters were a group of people dressed as bankers, who while slipping Champagne and smoking cigars, heckled “bloody commies, I just want a swimming pool”.

The atmosphere was really enhanced by the brass bands, they were brilliant, it was like marching to the Wallace & Gromit theme. Which made the atmosphere really upbeat, though there was a sense of anger lurking under it. Which is a pretty good parallel to how most people feel, there isn't anything that can gloss over how pissed off people are getting.

I hope the other protests planned will follow suit, and the police show the professionalism they did today, as they do set the tone of a protest as much as the protesters.

Update: I stand corrected, the police were taking photos/filming from balconies. Hence I didn't see them.

Re: G20 summit: Are demonstrators being demonised?

I'm glad to see at least one article isn't jumping on the scaremongering band wagon. People having an axe to grind isn't the same as picking up an axe and going out to protest. Though it's quite possible a small minority will want to incite violence, the majority will not. This idea that you have to be an anti capitalism anarchist intent on harm, to want to protest is ridiculous. You don't have to be anti capitalist to feel angry about bankers pay outs, wasted money, growing debt and unemployment. You don't have to be an anarchist to say the government should focus on helping people not banks, or they themselves have a role in this rescission.

I'll be out at the Put People First protest in London, I'm neither anti capitalist or an anarchist. I would not be protesting if I felt it's intent was anything other than a peaceful one. As the moment a protest becomes violent, you become just a mob of people, you lose the message you were trying to send and that's self defeating.

G20 Protests

The forthcoming G20 summit brings with it a chance to peacefully protest; whether it's anti capitalism, against bankers getting hand outs, or just frustration at the way this recession is being handled. Here is the first chance in quite awhile to get your voice heard:

Put People First are marching on the 28th March, so a good one for those that have to work.

Greenpeace are protesting on April 1st and 2nd

Stop The War Coalition are marching in central London on April 1st. Then April 2nd marching to the G20 conference.

Update1 - G20 Meltdown in The City have a list of all the main protests.

Update2 - Link to my post about the 28th March protest itself.