European governments are committed to massive rearmament, and the UK government is a leading part of it. Starmer is even talking of committing UK troops to Ukraine, and insists that the whole country must be on a ‘war footing’.
European anti-war campaigners are gearing up to respond with an international peace conference in Paris on 4-5 October.
French MPs from Jean Luc Mélenchon’s Le France Insoumise (LFI) have gathered over 4,000 participants from across the continent. They are planning to recreate the movement that co-ordinated the Iraq war protests a generation ago.
MP Jerome Legrave and his fellow MP Thomas Portes will be joined by their colleagues Danièle Obono and Sophia Chikirou. Zarah Sultana is attending from the UK, and she will joined by José Nivoi, one of the dockworkers of Genoa who have disrupted arms shipments to Israel. Lorena Delgado Varas, the Swedish MP who has been expelled from the Left Party for her stance against the war and genocide, is also taking part, she is currently onboard the flotilla for Gaza.
Many trade-unionists from France will be there, as well from many other countries. Several important French unions will participate in an official capacity.
There will also be a Russian and a Ukrainian speaker uniting their calls against the war from the stage of the conference.
The conference registration is still open. As many activists and trade unionists as possible from Britain should make their way to Paris. We need to send a message to all the European governments: the people of Europe demand peace.
Coaches to Paris are currently available from around £40 return:
https://www.flixbus.co.uk/bus-routes/london-paris
https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/destinations/paris/london-to-paris