I was sad to miss this events yesterday, but thanks to social media we can share some to the atmosphere and keynote speeches.

CAROLINE LUCAS:

OWEN JONES:

RUSSELL BRAND

THE MASS MARCH:

And what of all this on the BBC?
Here is a screenshot (click on it to enlarge) from the BBC News website of a search for People’s Assembly coverage this week:

So, not a word yesterday (21 June) at all!! Nothing the day before that, despite the briefings they had.
Compare this to coverage of anti-government demonstrations elsewhere in the world, as shown by the screenshot of a search for ‘anti-government demonstration on the BBC News website:

If you were to look through all the articles listed just for June 2014, you will find the BBC covering anti-government protests in all these countries:

• IRAQ
• ALBANIA
• EGYPT
• UKRAINE
• HAITI
• TURKEY
• BAHRAIN
• VENEZUELA
• BRAZIL
• MALAWI
• THAILAND

but not a word about yesterday’s events in London, in Parliament Square, outside the BBC HQ even!!

Until this morning, that is. The coverage today almost certainly comes from the barrage of complaints about the complete silence about a huge anti-government demonstrations in this country. And here it is the coverage in its entirety:

The video is 25 seconds of marchers milling about – with no commentary whatsoever.

How on earth can this be? Answers on a postcard, please, to the Director General of the BBC,
BBC Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London, W1A 1AA

He is Lord (Tony to his mates) Hall of Birkenhead, son of a Banker, privately educated Oxford PPE graduate, with a long history of working in BBC News and Current Affairs. He should feel ashamed.
Email address: tony.hall@bbc.co.uk

Just another small incentive to dodge the frackers!!

Dear Mr Andrew ChybaWe’re really pleased you’ve joined us and thought you might like to know about our refer-a-friend offer.Simply invite your friends to join us using your unique code below. You will both then receive vouchers worth up to £50 to spend at Ecotopia* – when they switch their energy supply to us.We know our customers are our biggest fans and the best people to promote what we do. It’s a simple truth that the more people that join us, the more we can do. We call this People:Power. There have never been so many good reasons to join Ecotricity. We have just one simple 100% Green Electricity tariff that costs less than the standard Big Six tariff in your region for the average customer, our Green Gas comes with a ‘frack-free’ promise, we’ve frozen our prices until October 2014 – and our award-winning customer service is awesome (we recently came top in the annual Which? energy company survey of consumer satisfaction). As always, we take the money our customers spend on their energy bills and use it to build new sources of green energy – turning ‘Bills into Mills’.
Invite a friend to join Ecotricity and, when they sign up, you’ll each receive vouchers worth up to £50 to spend at Ecotopia* our online shop as a thank you. Three ways to invite a friend Forward this email to your friend. Pass on your unique invitation code, shown below, and tell your friend to quote it when they switch to Ecotricity either online or on the phone. RAFE-F4J1G Or share your invite on Twitter or Facebook!	Mr Andrew Chyba thinks you deserve more from your energy supplier. Why join Ecotricity? The satisfaction of seeing your energy bills used to create new sources of green energy. It costs less to be with us than the standard Big Six tariff in your region, for the average customer. Great customer service – the best you’ll find, in fact. We’ll send you (and the friend who referred you to us) vouchers worth up to £50 to spend atEcotopia* our online shop when you join us. To find out more, simply call our Welcome Team on 08000 302 302 or visit us online.
* Terms & Conditions apply. View the full terms and conditions here. We’d love to hear from you, contact us with your questions & comments. And of course you an unsubscribe.

At the end of the TALK ABOUT FRACKING EVENT in Swansea last week, I was asked for my Top Tip on how people can help the campaign.

I said with to a Green Energy provider such as Ecotricity so you are not paying money to frackers.

I have had people since saying that this is fine for electricity, but how does it help the gas situation? Well ………

ECOTRICITY SUPPLY GREEN GAS AS WELL AS GREEN ELECTRICITY

Screenshot (click on it to enlarge):

http://www.ecotricity.co.uk/our-green-energy/our-green-gas

Check it out and switch today!! (Prices are more competitive than you probably think too!)

Andy Chyba

Begin forwarded message:

From: Welsh Affairs Committee <Welshcom>

Subject: Press Notice – Welsh Affairs Committee Report: Energy generation in Wales: Shale Gas

Date: 16 June 2014 08:47:55 GMT+01:00

Welsh Affairs Committee

Select Committee Announcement

PUBLICATION OF REPORT
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL BENEFITS OF SHALE GAS FOR WALES MUST NOT COME AT EXPENSE OF ENVIRONMENT

In a report published today, Monday 16th June the Welsh Affairs Committee says shale gas represents an opportunity for Wales but that it must not come at the expense of Wales’s natural environment. Both the UK and Welsh Governments must consider environmental risks, including the traffic and noise caused by commercial shale gas operations as well as the visual impact and other environmental risks associated with fracking.

The Government forecasts that nearly 70% of the UK’s gas supply will be imported by 2025. It is vital that the UK identifies new sources of gas if it is to safeguard the UK’s security of supply.

Shale gas production across the UK is currently at the exploratory stage and there is no good data yet on the amount of shale gas in Wales. Should considerable reserves of shale gas be present—as industry representatives predict—it could be a decade before a viable shale gas industry is created in Wales.

The Committee’s key conclusions and recommendations are:

· The UK Government and the Welsh Government should work with commercial companies and others to provide a reliable range of estimates of shale gas available in Wales. This should be published by the end of 2014.

· Both the UK and Welsh Government should assess the overall impact of shale gas supply on the level and mix of energy produced in Wales and the UK.

· The Welsh Government should begin now to consider how the employment opportunities presented by shale gas production could be maximised. This should include a detailed examination of the skills required by the industry and the extent that Wales already has people with those skills.

· The UK Government must provide further information about how local communities in Wales will benefit, financially or otherwise, from shale gas operations in their area.

· Both the UK Government and the Welsh Government must ensure that the regulatory and planning framework gives due weight to the traffic and noise caused by commercial shale gas operations, in addition to the visual impact and other environmental risks associated with fracking.

· The issue of treatment, transportation and disposal of wastewater is a growing concern: toxic and radioactive water must not be allowed to contaminate water courses.

· The Government should consider the case for minimising ground-level shale gas operations in sensitive areas in Wales, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and National Parks. It must set out how it would ensure that development does not compromise designated sites, in particular those in environmentally sensitive areas.

· Commercial companies should pay for an independent Environmental Impact Assessment at the exploratory stage of any significant shale gas development.

David Davies MP, Chair of the Committee, said:

“Shale gas offers a wealth of potential benefits for Wales, in terms of energy supply, economic benefits and employment. We know there is some environmental risk: the UK and Welsh Governments must demonstrate that everything has been done to assess and mitigate that risk – both to the environment and Welsh people’s enjoyment of it – before we move forward and maximise the benefits for Wales.”

Copies of the Report can be ordered from The Stationery Office (Tel: 0845 702 3474) or from the Parliamentary Bookshop (Tel: 020 7219 3890). It can also be viewed on our website from the day of publication at: http://www.parliament.uk/welshcom

Enquiries to Welsh Affairs Select Committee at: welshcom

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Committee Membership is as follows: David T. C. Davies MP (Chair), Glyn Davies MP, Guto Bebb MP, Geraint Davies MP, Stephen Doughty MP, Jonathan Edwards MP, Nia Griffith MP, Simon Hart MP, Mrs Siân C. James MP, Karen Lumley MP, Jessica Morden MP, and Mr Mark Williams MP

Specific Committee Information: welshcom tel: 020 7219 6189

Media Information: Jessica Bridges-Palmer bridgespalmerj 020 7219 0724

Committee Website: http://www.parliament.uk/welshcom

Watch committees and parliamentary debates online: www.parliamentlive.tv

Publications / Reports / Reference Material: Copies of all select committee reports are available from the House of Parliament Shop (12 Bridge St, Westminster, 020 7219 3890) or the Stationery Office (0845 7023474). Committee reports, press releases, evidence transcripts, Bills; research papers, a directory of MPs, plus Hansard (from 8am daily) and much more, can be found on www.parliament.uk.

You can follow us on Twitter @CommonsWelshAff

UK Parliament Disclaimer: This e-mail is confidential to the intended recipient. If you have received it in error, please notify the sender and delete it from your system. Any unauthorised use, disclosure, or copying is not permitted. This e-mail has been checked for viruses, but no liability is accepted for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

Report – Energy generation in Wales Shale Gas.pdf

If you haven’t heard of Will Potter, you should familiarise yourself with his work. He focuses on how eco-activists are are now considered the United States’ number-one domestic terrorism threat, and they are being prosecuted as criminals.
The Tories are trying to import such attitudes to this country, as we have seen all too clearly at Balcombe and Barton Moss.

http://blog.ted.com/2014/01/31/will-potter-on-of-treating-environmentalists-like-terrorists/
Excerpt:

How did environmental activism come to be treated as a terrorist crime?

I think the most important thing I found out in my research is that all of this was actually created by the industries that are being protested. In the mid-1980s, these corporations got together and created a new word called “eco-terrorist” — because at the time, these protest movements were growing very quickly and effectively, and they had widespread public support. There clearly was a concern that unless public opinion shifted, there’d be a really big problem on their hands.

So they made up this new word, and then started using public relations campaigns, lobbying, and held congressional hearings. Eventually, that language changed the popular discourse of how we talk about protest. And it was incredibly effective, to the point that now not only does the FBI label animal rights and environmentalists as the number-one domestic terrorism threat — even though they’ve never harmed a single human being — but we have new legislation that singles these protesters out for felonies and as terrorists for what are, in some cases, nonviolent protests.

Learn about his book “Grren is the new Red” here:

http://vimeo.com/20753052

REPLY

Hi Olivia,
Thank you for taking the trouble to contact me and invite me to your school. There is a lot of mis-information in what you have written about me, but not to worry. I am sure this is just simple misunderstandings. I had no idea that the school had a sponsor who is in the Green Party, but that makes no odds to me either. The Green Party is a broad church, if you will excuse the pun. I do know of a local Green Party member who has done some work at the school and speaks highly of some aspects of what happens there.
I do not know who Mrs James is either, so I am not sure how she finds me to be ‘nasty, mean and argumentative’. I was a secondary school teacher for 20 years and I still work in education, specialising in working with adults with learning difficulties such as dyslexia. I suspect Mrs James has been jumping to conclusions a little bit. I would not be remotely intimidated by visting any school – what could I be intimidated by? The fact of the matter is that I gave up waiting for an invitation to be offered to me.

I would love to vist the school and to continue this conversation. I will happily answer any questions you might have. I will try to arrange this as soon as possible as it is not long to the long summer holiday. I look forward to meeting you soon.

Warm regards,

Andy Chyba
Chair Bridgend Green Party

PS – I have copied this to the school email address you gave me in the hope that someone will contact me to arrange a visit.
I am contactable by email or my mobile 078 1066 3241 most of the time, but if I do not answer immediately, just leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

ORIGINAL MESSAGE

Hi I am Olivia Bassett

I am dyslexic and nearly 15 years old. I am participating in the ACE curriculum and have found it to be helpful in my learning(I struggled with learning in my previous state school) and I attend Bridgend Christian School. I find what you say extremely offensive. The ACE curriculum, I agree that some of it is outdated, but if you were to go to a normal state school and look in to one of their text books you will see that some of their data is out dated as well. The ACE curriculum was made to specifically help children with learning difficulties, as the education in state schools can be very challenging for children with difficulties reading, writing and or math equations. My school has personally asked you to come in for the day and review how we work, but you became quite aggressive when you apparently discovered one of our sponsors was a member of the Green Party and you hesitated, after a while our sponsor agreed for you to come in and review the school, but only if you went for a coffee with, a person we would class as teacher and friend to the whole school, Mr Sheils, but you hesitated again and backed out completely. I am not sure why you did, I’m guessing you felt very intimidated. In the end our teacher, Mrs James, was glad you had backed out as she didn’t feel like she wanted someone as nasty, mean and argumentative as you to be let loose on the children, but I am quite sure that if you would like to have a nice, calm chat with our teacher, I am sure she would welcome you with open arms. The other issue of you implying I and or the other students, or my friends at the school are brain washed and spoon fed the education of Christianity and the bible is I think a little outrageous, I am quite sure I am not being mind controlled, if you would like to visit our school, I would love to continue our conversation, please contact us at 01656 768028, or you can email us, if you would prefer not to speak over the phone, at bridgenchristianschool. I would hope you contact soon because we would love to ask you a few questions as well.

Regards,

Olivia Bassett aged 14yrs

Keith Ross has requested I put together a synopsis/review of Saturday’s training event, so here goes!The day was essentially split into two parts:

1. The practicalities of setting up a Community Protection Camp
2. The legal ramifications of direct action and the possibility of arrest and its consequences.

There were approximately 20 delegates representing groups from:

• Swansea
• Llantrisant
• Llantrithyd and the Vale
• Llanelli
• Bristol
• Cardiff
• Bridgend
• Newport
• Gloucestershire

The morning session was run by Liz and Rachel who have extensive experience of setting up and living in protest camps, including Balcombe and Barton Moss.
The topics covered included:

• Why have a camp at all?

• Media attention and PR
• Impacts on the drilling companies

The practicalities of setting up a camp

• Toilet options and hygiene
• Kitchen requirements and considerations
• Living space – individual and group spaces

Site selection issues

• Landowners and relations with them
• Holding space and getting people there

Cultural structures

• Establishing ground rules
• Meetings
• Safer spaces policies

Dealing with problems

• Alchohol/smoking/drugs/noise

Behind the scenes considerations

• Communications with the outside world

• Maintain a blog diary
• Pictures
• Camp contact phone

Engaging people

• Meet and greet vistors
• Putting on events – Solidarity Sundays
• Educational workshops
• Provisions for kids

Relationships with the local community

• Consideration of inconvenience being caused
• Establishing levels of support – surveys
• Dissemination of information (DVDs and literature)

Skills bank – who can we call on for support and help?

• Providing energy e.g. solar (avoiding gas!)
• Building stoves
• Providing water
• Dealing with toilet waste and other refuse
• Entertainers

All of this was covered in just a couple of hours, with much of it not much more than a superficial ‘think about this’.
More time and detail was spent on considering toilet and kitchen options, along with how to initiate a camp and get to hold the space.
This latter point was a good lead into the afternoon ‘legal’ session.

The afternoon session was entitled “KNOW YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS” and was run by Katherine from ‘Seeds for Change’ organisation (not ‘Seeds of Change), with valuable additional insight from Val of the ‘Green & Black Cross’ organisation.
See: www.seedsforchange.org.uk and www.greenandblackcross.org and activistslegalproject.org.uk

The topics covered included:

• What could you be arrested for?

• Most likely offences and their penalties (if found guilty)

Arrest procedures

• What to expect
• Advice on what to say and do when
• Health issues
• Getting legal help/support
• Avoiding duty solicitors

Possible outcomes and their ramifications

• Being held in custody
• Being bailed
• Being charged
• Being cautioned (admitting guilt)
• Being released without charge

Legal observers

• Their role
• What the should and should not do
• Getting trained (through the Green & Black Cross)
• Advice on use of cameras/video

This session generated a lot of questions and debate. After all, those present, for the most part, are people that are passionately committed to doing whatever they can to oppose the frackers, but in most cases have limited or no experience of direct action that can have legal consequences. Even the experienced ‘old hands’ got valuable information on how things have changed since, in some cases, activism of decades ago.

Everyone present therefore found the whole day immensely valuable and thought provoking. It may make a few think twice about just how involved they want to get in terms of direct action, but for most it was an invaluable heads up on what to expect and how best to avoid consequences that could prove personally difficult. Forewarned is forearmed!!

For many, it is now a case of “BRING IT ON”!!!!

You are invited to attend a presentation on

C L I M A T E   C H A N G E

and take part in a conversation about

what we can do to encourage action

within our local community.

The presentation will take place at Coity Higher

Community Centre, Litchard Cross, Bridgend,

on Monday, 16^th June, at 6.30 pm.

The speaker will be SIMON DAWES, B.Sc, MIFST, C.Sci, a Climate Leader recruited by the Climate Reality Project and a lecturer at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

He is one of a number of people throughout the world who have been trained by Al Gore, to educate people about climate change and build local networks of climate activists.

Refreshments will be available.

8pm start.

Reserve a seat at www.talkfracking.org

CHAIR: Keith Ross – Safe Energy Wales (https://www.facebook.com/FrackedSwansea)

SPEAKERS:
Liz Arnold – US Anti-Fracking Campaigner (http://loudfastphilly.com/interviews/elizabeth-arnold)

Tina Louise Rothery – Residents Action on Fylde Fracking (http://stopfyldefracking.org.uk)

Paul Mobbs – Environmental Consultant (http://www.fraw.org.uk/mei/index.shtml)

Tom Barlow – Reclaim The Power (http://www.nodashforgas.org.uk)

Andy Chyba – Frack-Free Wales (http://www.frackfreewales.org)

Numerous invitations to national and local pro-fracking interests have been put out – but none have accepted the invitation to date.

This is a critical moment for Britain. The government’s plans to introduce fracking will change the UK forever.

There are several issues surrounding this technology that we need to talk about. Can fracking cause a real threat to our water supply ? Will fracking bring a genuine jobs boom? Will fracking help us tackle climate change, or will it make it worse?

Come along to hear these questions and many more debated. The debate starts at 8pm. Doors open from 7. Tickets are free. You just have to sign up at talkfracking.org.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/ukip-mep-nathan-gill–7211633#.U48atxETLbo.facebook

“Wales’ newly-elected Ukip MEP says he sees no inconsistency between his party’s stance on immigration and the fact that he employed “dozens” of eastern European and Filipino workers in a care company.
It has emerged that Mr Gill, who lives in Anglesey, was a director of a number of family businesses that owned property and provided care services on contract to Hull City Council in Yorkshire.
He yesterday confirmed he had employed “dozens” of immigrants from new EU countries like Poland and others from the Philippines. He also said he had provided “bunkhouse” accommodation for employees and others who had migrated from eastern Europe.
One of Ukip’s major campaign policies at the recent election was its opposition to unlimited migration from other EU countries.”

This just confirms my suspicion that all UKIP’s scapegoating tactics are just a cover to sneak uber-Tory policies past people’s noses (i.e. dismantling the NHS, ending rights to sick/holiday/maternity pay, tax rises on the poorest 88%, education cuts to pay for aircraft carriers etc.) A.C.