Hi Peter H
Americans dropped the bombs. Supported in general terms by the British government perhaps. But not in their particular tactics which must have even shocked and awed our chiefs of staff. But, immediately after the war started, the Lib Dems did join in and supported 'our boys'. In that they were equal to other MPs.
Their defence guru Lord Garden opposed the war because he thought Britain should have attacked other places - Iran, Syria, N Korea - first.
But our Labour Council didn't support the war, Labour MPs Bradley, Lloyd and Stringer and 136 other LP MPs voted against, and Manchester Labour has been pretty solid in supporting anti war activity and in wishing for an end to the occupation.
Local Lib Dems have however generally been lightweights in supporting practical antiwar activity.
But 'Val' has a point on the conference mentioned. But this was not a case of deliberate welcoming of arms people. A conference headlined 'Microwave' booked here and no-one, including CAAT/StWC realised or commented until the last few hours that this included weapons applications. In contrast Willie Rennie (Lib dem) has a weapons factory from the 5th largest arms makers in the world in his backyard, was a PR for them or worked for the firm who were, and is somehow pretending he is now anti- the stuff they make. John Leech has fallen in behind him, many months after this gross hypocrisy was publicised.
I think that is very unfortunate. Why is Leech doing this anyway? He is not a defence spokesman. He is surely not the twister Willie's best mate? Why is he joining the hypocrite's crusade?
