Galloway and arms fair organisers

[Streathamite]

I really don't understand Red Jezza's logic. If Reed has so many lines of business and the arms trade is just a tiny minority then they should be the perfect target for a boycott.

An NME reader could write to the magazine and say they would like Reed to pull out of DSEi. Depending on the reaction they get from NME they could urge bands to boycott the NME tour.

Similarly if CAAT turn up to more and more Reed exhibitions you could end up with sub-campaigns such as 'Vegetable Photographers against the arms trade' persuading the annual Vegetable Photographers conference to find a new exhibiton organiser.

These are the sort of tactics that just plain work.

oh ffs! let's go through the workings of a)business b) Reed and b) publishing, then you might 'understand'.
the number of people who are likely to care enough to make a fuss about this to the extent of denying themselves something they enjoy reading, or which they rely on for their work and/or business is VERY SMALL.
Therefore the impect of consumer-based action is, also, VERY SMALL
Reed make a LOT of money out of DSEI and also from other exhibitions serving the defence and aerospace markets is small in comparison to their total combined revenue streams, but FAR TOO LARGE for them to simply roll over and die at the behest of a handful of protesters, and the tiny number of people they rope in to support the campaign TO THEIR OWN DETRIMENT - however small the cost to them might be.
Equally, many of the markets they serve - electronics, healthcare, property development, agriculture, manufacturing, travel - are staffed at the top level by people who WILL NOT GIVE A SHIT.
3 bands pull out of the NME tour? In the HUGELY unlikely event that any breaking band will risk their big break for a gesture, with VERY uncertain end result, they'll say 'so what' - and find 3 more.
and that was your most hopeful idea.
finally, there is no way that one of the world's biggest information services company will allow themselves to be known - EVER - as 'the company who got its' arse kicked by a bunch of peacenik hippies' (as it will be seen in the markets they feed off). Any sort of consumer action would simply end up as a fly devoured and spat out by the elephant.
You wouldneed an ARMY of G8/road protest veterans committed to the last drop of blood, to cause Reed the slightest noticeable problem.

 

[Elektra]

I still don't understand whose boycott Galloway is supposed to be not following.

CAAT have not called for a boycott of Reed fairs and the National Book Fair...

Yes, it was a critical letter calling on Reed to end their arms link and not a full-on boycott, although I don't know whether any of the signatories turned up for the event.

However, people against the arms trade have made a stand on Reed's role as organisers of Britain's most notorious arms fair. Galloway may not have known about the TLS letter and the CAAT action beforehand - now that he does know, will he issue a statement in solidarity with them? Children are among those dying because of armaments made and sold here. I find it disturbing that purported leftists are so sanguine about this.

Another concern is that Galloway is being presented to us as a leading light of socialism, and this is yet one more incident that indicates the contrary. To his credit, he admits he isn't as left as some people think. But it raises a question as to why some people are insisting that he is.

 

[peacepete]

Red Jezza -

all i'm saying is that as a G8/road protest veteran myself, I think it sounds like a sensible plan.

 

[peacepete]

come to think of it, i can't think of anything more boycottable than a magazine. they've even got an editor you can write to to make your point. it's so obviously a good idea i think i'm going to have a hissy fit.

 

[mutley]

Yes, it was a critical letter calling on Reed to end their arms link and not a full-on boycott, although I don't know whether any of the signatories turned up for the event.

However, people against the arms trade have made a stand on Reed's role as organisers of Britain's most notorious arms fair. Galloway may not have known about the TLS letter and the CAAT action beforehand - now that he does know, will he issue a statement in solidarity with them? Children are among those dying because of armaments made and sold here. I find it disturbing that purported leftists are so sanguine about this.

Another concern is that Galloway is being presented to us as a leading light of socialism, and this is yet one more incident that indicates the contrary. To his credit, he admits he isn't as left as some people think. But it raises a question as to why some people are insisting that he is.

Well unless he is a follower of Urban75 i doubt he'll know about this.. so will therefore be unlikely to be issuing a statement..

 

[Elektra]

Well unless he is a follower of Urban75 i doubt he'll know about this ...

And yet on Channel 4 News tonight, Jon Snow showed that even the middle east press have picked up on it.

Perhaps I'm making an unfair assumption that MPs with an interest in world affairs would be better informed.

 

[Col_Buendia]

The writers aren't the first on this bandwagon, and it does seem to me to have more to do with personal morality than bringing about an end to the arms trade that others seem so comfortable with.

Lancet calls for publisher to cut ties with international arms trade

Obviously the editors of the Lancet are veterans of many roads protests etc to come out with hippy nonsense such as:

"On behalf of our readers and contributors", the editorial says, "we respectfully ask Reed Elsevier to divest itself of all business interests that threaten human, and especially civilian, health and well-being."

 

[peacepete]

I forgot about that Lancet thing. I'm a little worried bearing in mind that I'm only 23, but my brain is not what it used to be.

This was quite a while ago was it not?

 

[Fisher_Gate]

Galloway signs innumerable early day motions on every issue under the sun. I couldn't find any MP who had put one forward specifically about Reed and the Arms Fair but I found these on arms proliferation that GG had signed, if anyone doubts his commitment:


http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=29487&SESSION=875
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=29141&SESSION=875
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=28552&SESSION=875
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=28404&SESSION=875

 

[Streathamite]

come to think of it, i can't think of anything more boycottable than a magazine. they've even got an editor you can write to to make your point. it's so obviously a good idea i think i'm going to have a hissy fit.

let me put Reed Elsevier's full and accurate reaction to your boycott;
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA....we'll REALLY notice THAT Fellas!!!!!
It is the shittiest, crappiest, most impotent idea of the decade. boycotts work when you are asking consumers not to give up that much (eg nestle), not to give up their own vital interests (ditto), when a CONSUMER boycott really hurts (nestle, McDonalds, barclays) and when applied to an organisation with a narrow product range, so that you can hurt their core product (Barclays).
NONE of these apply here; and the above boycotts were only SLIGHTLY successfull
Redd can only be hurt by an ADVERTISER boycott; I know a LOT about this firm, and - with respect - you know SWEET FUCK ALL about either Reed or how business works. Take it from one who knows more.
They will LAUGH at this.

 

[ska invita]

Quick derail: Has Galloway ever shown his face in parliament since BB?

 

[Streathamite]

Red Jezza -

all i'm saying is that as a G8/road protest veteran myself, I think it sounds like a sensible plan.

at 23, you are NOT a veteran!

 

[cemertytwo]

That is so true......and its not just the Standard that`s backing her. The Guardian has been putting in its little bit by doing stuff like " A week with Oona" etc. This week they gave her a half page dairy entry thing which she used to justify her particaption in stuff like the Holocust memorial trust and praising her undoubted "ethnic background" etc etc.
Of course The editor of the Gaurdain and her go back a long way....much like he`s best friends with and " A close neighbour" of Tessa Jowell and her theiving husband.

 

[X-77]

Quick derail: Has Galloway ever shown his face in parliament since BB?

he has indeed...

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/george_galloway/bethnal_green_and_bow#hansard

 

[Fisher_Gate]

Quick derail: Has Galloway ever shown his face in parliament since BB?

Yes - he voted with the government on the Religious Hatred Bill.

More positively he did a good double act with John McDonnell on the Rail industry.
http://www.publications.parliament....cm060228/halltext/60228h02.htm#60228h02_head0

 

[Fisher_Gate]

...This week they gave her a half page dairy entry thing ...

Is she the cat who got the cream ...

(read carefully!)

 

[Udo Erasmus]

Quick derail: Has Galloway ever shown his face in parliament since BB?

Yes, see below:

Respect attacks strike-breaking scroungers
02/03/2006

Respect gave full backing to parliamentary moves this week to expose the way public money is used to bankroll strike-breaking companies in the rail industry.

Left Labour MP John McDonnell secured an adjournment debate on Tuesday 28 February to highlight the scandal of private firms drawing on public subsidies to attack the RMT and other rail unions.

Speaking in the debate, Respect MP George Galloway underlined the scale of the subsidies to the train operating companies under rail privatisation:

"My hon. Friend [John McDonnell] has just told the Chamber that despite taxpayers providing subsidies of between two and three times the amount of those previously provided to British Rail, the Association of Train Operating Companies has now resuscitated a power that would allow it to compensate maverick employers who will not meet their employees for the failure of their industrial relations strategy."

Later, he asked whether such public money "helped subsidise Brian Souter's vicious, fascistic, anti-Government campaign on clause 28, which may have had a different number in Scotland.

"Using money from his business this Brian Souter launched a blistering, homophobic, bigoted and prejudiced campaign against the Government who gave him millions of pounds."

Respect believes that it is only through the wholesale renationalisation of the rail industry that the interests of passengers and rail workers can be secured.

"We have a track record of support for rail workers and their unions against the privatised companies," says George Galloway. "There are important questions over pay and conditions in the industry, with the issue of pensions moving to the top of the list. Each of these has a political dimension as well. Respect believes it can play a significant role in increasing the political pressure by showing there is an alternative to the left of New Labour."

 

[Streathamite]

err, i think Fisher gate done that one above, udo...