Anti-war voters urged to think tactically
Voters opposed to the Iraq war are being urged to think tactically – particularly in marginal constituencies.
A newly launched off-shoot of the international Waging Peace campaign – which campaigns for world peace in the nuclear age – is appealing for those disillusioned with the war in Iraq to back a cross-party slate of anti-war MPs in the upcoming general election.
Vote4Peace has selected a slate of 40 anti-war MPs from the Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and SNP who it believes are committed to “peace and legitimacy”.
It hopes to gather volunteers in target constituencies as well as raise donations for under-funded candidates.
MPs to receive its backing include Plaid Cymru MP Adam Price who launched a campaign to impeach Tony Blair, Liberal Democrat defence spokesman Paul Keetch, and prominent anti-war Labour MP Ann Cryer.
It explains the absence of Conservative MPs or candidates from its slate by saying that very few opposed the war in Iraq, and none of those are in marginal constituencies.
Vote4Peace claims inspiration from non-party anti-war platforms in the USA such as MoveOn.
Exactly how much money the organisation has at its disposal is unclear. The Guardian claims that it has about £100,000, but its campaign director Paul Hilder told his web-blog that the campaign doesn’t have that much money.
He said that the campaign is not about money but “it’s actually about the people: the many not the few, the moderate majority of Brits who believe in peace and legitimacy but despair for the realisation of their dream.
“Vote4Peace. Our try, some of us, at building a politics of peace and legitimacy, rather than just crying after that which has evaporated.”
