It’s easy enough to understand the philosophical and propaganda appeal of having an international demonstration on December 8th. There were mobilisations from New Zealand to Bangladesh and Dubai. From a practical point of view I’m not convinced it’s a winner. With or without global warming you can be pretty certain that the early December weather in London is going to be bad. Today it was really bad. For a good part of the day a heavy downpour was interrupted by moderate showers with intervals of light drizzle. So instead of feeling part of a global movement with an anti-capitalist potential you feel cold and wet. There were wide ranging estimates about the numbers. Some said 5000. Others said 15 000. However it was a pretty young demonstration with few organised contingents. The most tightly organised one seemed to be some anarchists who were playing musical instruments and wearing pink. That’s two reasons I wouldn’t be able to join them. On the issue of lifestyle politics, well done to the police officer who detained a man holding a placard with the slogan”veganism or else”. Though he did seem to be the unhealthiest and most malnourished person in the crowd and not much of an advert for the benefits eating lentils and paper, or whatever they subsist on.
I saw one union banner from the CWU and was assured that a UCU one had been sighted. This is clear proof that the labour movement is beginning
” to take the issue seriously.
It was the public launch of Respect’s new paper which was well received. The other Respect had produced placards and flyers which helpfully served as free advertising. They had a few 
banners along as well, mostly carried by SWP members. This tends to suggest that the plan didn’t work out as intended. At this stage in Respect’s life SWP fulltimers shouldn’t need to be carrying its banners.
The other thing which readers may wish to voice an opinion on is petitions. As aspirant demonstrators left the tube station they could have signed either the Socialist Party’s petition against climate change or its SWP twin. It’s a bit like a Catholic deciding which saint to pray to. Which would be the most efficacious? It was funny to see but sad as well.
You’ll have to look elsewhere for news of what the platform speakers said. The only comment I heard that stuck was when Caroline Lucas was introduced as “the next leader of the Green Party”.
The point about the timing of the demonstration is a serious one. To get big numbers on the streets people will need to be fairly confident that they won’t have a stinking cold or pneumonia the next day. What we can say is that this event was proof that a movement is developing and that the people it is attracting are finding and creating their own networks. The trade union conference next year has to be the starting point in getting the labour movement to see climate change as a working class issue. Thanks to Phil at Marxsite for the photos.
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