Plaid Cymru join Welsh bingo protestors at Westminster

Plaid Cymru’s Hywel Williams MP and Plaid’s Westminster candidate in Llanelli Dr Myfanwy Davies, today joined forces with bingo players from Llanelli to campaign against unfair taxation on bingo.

The group from Llanelli lead by Nigel Griffiths traveled 330 miles to fight for their bingo club’s future by protesting in Dean’s Yard opposite the Houses of Parliament.

Protestors wore Alistair Darling masks, carried several placards, some even circled the square aboard the ‘Bingo bus’, and even joined in a game of Bingo on the green to champion the cause.

Plaid Cymru’s Hywel Williams has previously warned that the decision to increase in the rate of duty from 15% to 22% could signal a decline for Bingo clubs.

A Plaid-backed SNP motion to reverse the decision was recently defeated by Labour MPs. Other forms of gambling such as casino or online poker remain taxed at 15%.

Plaid’s Hywel Williams MP said:

“The Government's treatment of the bingo sector is incredibly unfair. In the Budget, the Government announced that it had removed the VAT on participation fees for Bingo players, but at the same time has increased the rate of bingo duty from 22%. This makes no sense in practise.

“Tax fairness is essential during the recession and this taxation on licensed bingo halls is dangerous as it targets the heart of our communities, and in particular older women and those from lower income households. Bingo halls provide a safe and friendly environment for the whole community to meet and socialise.

“The protestors have championed this cause fantastically today. I hope that the Government will now see for itself that bingo clubs and their constituents are suffering under this burdensome tax.”

Dr Myfanwy Davies added:

“Bingo has been part of life in Llanelli for as long as I can remember and the last thing we need in the town centre is for the club in Market Street to have to close.

“This is a completely unfair and ridiculous tax on people’s enjoyment. Bingo is already taxed once and there is no justification for treating bingo differently from online poker or any other form of gambling.

“We’ve come today to show those MPs that voted for the tax hike will see that they cannot ignore the voice of their constituents.”

Llanelli bingo players to protest against Government Bingo tax

Time: 12pm – 2pm, Wednesday 1^st July 2009
Location: Dean’s Yard, opposite St. Sephen’s Entrance, Westminster

Plaid Cymru MPs and Dr Myfanwy Davies, Plaid’s Westminster candidate for Llanelli, will be backing bingo players from Llanelli as they plan a 330 mile journey to fight for their club’s future in Westminster .

The bingo campaigners lead by Nigel Griffiths will leave Llanelli at 6am tomorrow (Wednesday) to join bingo players from across the UK at the rally in Westminster .

The group is calling on the Government to reverse a decision to double the tax on Bingo.

Myfanwy and Hywel Williams MP have warned that the decision to increase in the rate of duty from 15% to 22% could mean the end for Bingo clubs in Llanelli and further afield.

Live Bingo Game: Players will be trialling a new game called ‘Empty House’ that may be played in clubs across the country unless bingo’s tax issues are addressed.

A Plaid-backed SNP motion to reverse the decision was recently defeated by Welsh Labour MPs. Other forms of gambling such as casino or online poker will remain taxed at 15%.

Dr Myfanwy Davies will be joining the protest. She commented:

“This is a completely unfair tax on people’s enjoyment. Bingo is already taxed once and there is no justification for treating bingo differently from online poker or any other form of gambling.

“Bingo has been part of life in Llanelli for as long as I can remember and the last thing we need in the town centre is for the club in Market Street , Llanelli to have to close.

“It is great that people from the club are willing to make the very long journey from Llanelli to Westminster to protest against the double tax. I am very pleased that I will be able to meet them there and help them make their point.

“At a time when the Government is making such bad decisions and seems to be accountable to nobody, Labour MPs who voted for the tax hike need to listen to their concerns.”

Major London protest to demand action over Tamil death toll

- Protests will converge on Hyde Park this Saturday to call for UK Government to intervene

A major protest will be taking place in London this Saturday 11 April, calling on the UK Government to exert its powers to help the Tamil citizens trapped and dying as a result of fighting in Sri Lanka.

Jean Lambert, the Green Party MEP for London, will be joining the protests on Saturday and speaking on the platform in Hyde Park. The European Parliament recently adopted a resolution on the situation in Sri Lanka calling for an immediate ceasefire by the Sri Lankan army and the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Ealam (LTTE) in order to allow the civilian population to leave the combat zone.

Speaking after a meeting with the Thames Tamil Association earlier this year, Jean Lambert MEP said:

"An immediate ceasefire on both sides is imperative. The situation in Sri Lanka is deteriorating by the day. With a quarter of a million people now trapped, it is crucial that a humanitarian corridor is opened up, to let these people out and to let desperately needed help, in the form of medical care, food, and mobile phones, in.

"It's also time to let the rest of the world in. We have to ensure that international aid agencies are allowed safe access to the most vulnerable people, and can carry out their vital work without impediment.

"While it remains difficult to build up a clear picture of exactly what is happening inside the conflict zone, because of the restrictions on journalists, we must maintain the pressure from the outside, and ensure that bringing an end to the suffering of innocent civilians remains a priority in the UK, Europe, and across the world."

EVENT ALERT: FOSSIL FOOLS DAY is less than a month away!

The international Rising Tide network and its allies are calling for a day of action against the fossil fuel industry on April 1st 2009. We would like to invite you to get involved in this day of action.

Fossil Fools Day is about taking action in the name of carbon common sense:

• leaving fossil fuels in the ground

• abandoning false solutions

• building real and just alternatives

On April 1st last year, people around the world celebrated Fossil Fools Day. Over 150 actions took place across four continents. Oil, gas, coal and aviation were all targeted. Fossil fuel extraction, production, financing, PR and greenwash all felt the jester's wrath. Actions spanned the full spectrum from the simply subversive to the downright disruptive: office occupations, banner drops, street theatre, Big Carbon blockades, city centre parades, spoof product launches, subvertising, leaflets, lock-ons and even a laugh-in. The tentacles of the carbon web were exposed for all to see, more people saw the empire for what it truly is - a sinking ship awaiting abandonment - and here and there, the carbon machine even ground to a halt.

Check out some of what happened and who was involved here: www.fossilfoolsdayofaction.org/2008

With your help, this year Fossil Fools Day will be bigger, better and bolder.

Here's how you can get involved:

1. Plan an action where you live ... from a bit of street theatre and a stall to an citizen's occupation of a newly nationalised bank; a little local subvertising to a Big Carbon blockade. Read on for loads of resources and support to help you pull your prank.

2. Come along to Climate Camp in the City of London on April 1st - targeting carbon markets on the eve of the G20 leaders' summit in London - because nature doesn't do bailouts. More info: www.climatecamp.org.uk/g20. Later you can head off to spoil BP's Centenary party at the British Museum. Join Rising Tide and Art Not Oil, between 6-7pm, to say 'Your Party's Over!' Bring banners, musical instruments, a sense of climate justice and a nonsense of foolery. Meet at 6pm at the British Museum's Gt. Russell St. gate.

3. Help spread the word - email friends or group members, add a link to Fossil Fools Day to your website or blog (you can grab a graphic for the event here: www.risingtide.org.uk/fossilfoolsday2009), join the Facebook group (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=76383323792) include the call-out (at the end of this email) in your newsletters/e-bulletins, put posters up where lots of people will see them, hand out leaflets, etc.

Our actions are amplified when we act in unison. This year, in the build-up to the UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen in November, let's see if we can reach over 1000 actions worldwide! On Fossil Fools Day, bring the spirit of carnival and mischief to the fight for climate justice.

It would be great to hear of your support and plans! Get in touch if you're planning a public action, so we can list it on our website and help spread the word. And whatever you do, make sure to let us know about your Fossil Fools Day action so we can add it to our end-of-day round up and show the world what grassroots action against the fossil fuel industry can achieve.

See you on the streets on April 1st.

EVENT ALERT: FOSSIL FOOLS DAY is less than a month away!

The international Rising Tide network and its allies are calling for a day of action against the fossil fuel industry on April 1st 2009. We would like to invite you to get involved in this day of action.

Fossil Fools Day is about taking action in the name of carbon common sense:

• leaving fossil fuels in the ground

• abandoning false solutions

• building real and just alternatives

On April 1st last year, people around the world celebrated Fossil Fools Day. Over 150 actions took place across four continents. Oil, gas, coal and aviation were all targeted. Fossil fuel extraction, production, financing, PR and greenwash all felt the jester's wrath. Actions spanned the full spectrum from the simply subversive to the downright disruptive: office occupations, banner drops, street theatre, Big Carbon blockades, city centre parades, spoof product launches, subvertising, leaflets, lock-ons and even a laugh-in. The tentacles of the carbon web were exposed for all to see, more people saw the empire for what it truly is - a sinking ship awaiting abandonment - and here and there, the carbon machine even ground to a halt.

Check out some of what happened and who was involved here: www.fossilfoolsdayofaction.org/2008

With your help, this year Fossil Fools Day will be bigger, better and bolder.

Here's how you can get involved:

1. Plan an action where you live ... from a bit of street theatre and a stall to an citizen's occupation of a newly nationalised bank; a little local subvertising to a Big Carbon blockade. Read on for loads of resources and support to help you pull your prank.

2. Come along to Climate Camp in the City of London on April 1st - targeting carbon markets on the eve of the G20 leaders' summit in London - because nature doesn't do bailouts. More info: www.climatecamp.org.uk/g20. Later you can head off to spoil BP's Centenary party at the British Museum. Join Rising Tide and Art Not Oil, between 6-7pm, to say 'Your Party's Over!' Bring banners, musical instruments, a sense of climate justice and a nonsense of foolery. Meet at 6pm at the British Museum's Gt. Russell St. gate.

3. Help spread the word - email friends or group members, add a link to Fossil Fools Day to your website or blog (you can grab a graphic for the event here: www.risingtide.org.uk/fossilfoolsday2009), join the Facebook group (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=76383323792) include the call-out (at the end of this email) in your newsletters/e-bulletins, put posters up where lots of people will see them, hand out leaflets, etc.

Our actions are amplified when we act in unison. This year, in the build-up to the UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen in November, let's see if we can reach over 1000 actions worldwide! On Fossil Fools Day, bring the spirit of carnival and mischief to the fight for climate justice.

It would be great to hear of your support and plans! Get in touch if you're planning a public action, so we can list it on our website and help spread the word. And whatever you do, make sure to let us know about your Fossil Fools Day action so we can add it to our end-of-day round up and show the world what grassroots action against the fossil fuel industry can achieve.

See you on the streets on April 1st.

Ghandi Would Say "No, Thankyou!" Today....Twice!

Two things happened today that seriously undermined the life and work of Mahatma Ghandi and that makes me both angry and sad. The first to come to my attention was the auction of Ghandi memorabilia including his flip flops, glasses and various other items, sold by one private collector for £1.2million to other private collectors. The seller, an activist, has purportedly said that the proceeds will go to charities promoting peace. I wonder if Ghandi would've been comfortable with the massive amount of money that was raised for his humble belongings considering levels of poverty in India and the rest of the world.

The sale was supposed to draw attention and publicise Ghandi's beliefs in non-violence and was reported on the same day that a protester from aptly named campaign group "Plane Stupid" threw green custard over Business Secretary Peter Mandelson. Why she did what she did doesn't matter to me now because whatever message she was trying to get across was spoiled by the violence she inflicted and will not be highlighted here. Some might think that the violence was small or justified to achieve the ends of the protester but it was violence none the less and must have no place in a modern democratic society.

Ghandi achieved the symbolic end of an empire through the use of non-violent protest. His teachings were of peace. This style of activism although further down the line is on the same line as terrorism and must not be tolerated. Changes are made by education (and not just by the government) and then the peaceful mobilisation of massive numbers of people against the establishment. Once violence is used then the cause is lost. It is a real shame that this young lady did what she did because it is people like her that make it difficult for legitimate, adult protesters to approach and engage with those in power and who can effect change.