Bicnod for Mumsnet - LIVE AT THE G8!!! Come and keep me company...

[Bicnod]

I'm here in Belfast for you lovely lot as one of the IF@G8 bloggers - original thread here

It all kicks off tomorrow so setting this up now like a good boy scout to be prepared.

Did I mention I'm getting a press pass?!

Still eeking.

Up in 5 hours so must go sleeeeeeep.

[BIWI]

Brilliant. Well done!

[Bicnod]

One shuttle bus, one taxi, one plane, one coach, another taxi and I'm finally hooooooome

@Mini - thank you for your posts, they've definitely given me food for thought (see what I did there?) - will read articles tomorrow when brain is less fluffy.

@liger - if he'd picked me I would have said (I know, because I wrote it down ):

I'm here for Mumsnet, and on behalf of mothers everywhere, to say it is unacceptable that over 3 million of our children die from malnutrition each year. You know in your heart that you could do more to stop this from happening. So my question to you is - what MORE can you do to support women in developing countries to feed their children, and WHEN will you do it?

Thanks for all the well dones - it really truly was an honour to represent you lot.

@scarecrow - your post has me chuffed to bits

Soooo. Final thoughts are that the G8 did not deliver everything that the IF Campaign hoped it would, but it was definitely a step forward.

Tax dodging in particular won't be swept under the carpet anymore - the public are onto it and it's only a matter of time before public pressure forces more gvt action.

The official IF response to the G8 declaration is here

I really need to go to bed now but just before I do:

Highs: meeting the other amazing IF@G8 bloggers; getting an article in the Huff ; meeting Jon Snow and him agreeing to a MN webchat; lego police vans; Guinness (yum); the Cameron press conference (even thought he didn't pick me); and spending two whole days MNing guilt free

Lows: freezing shower; scalding shower; coffee at Killyhevlin hotel. That's it - the rest was BRILLIANT.

Thank you so much for sending me - I loved every second. Now I need to go and sniff my children's heads and go to sleep.

:)

[MiniTheMinx]

Helloooo, late to the thread, well done Bicnod, have a safe journey home.

can't believe you have bagged a chat with Jon Snow

Just thought I would link this if anyone is interested.

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/205437/Lough-Erne-Accountability-Report.pdf

and this www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/205730/G8-_Accountability-Report-Comments-ECA.pdf

Would like to say more about this
"The losses to the DRC from this particular deal are estimated to be $1.3 billion - twice the DRC health and education budget"

especially at a time when western states are totting up huge debts and cutting social programmes. All is not as it seems when politicians speak. When investment comes from private sources, it is always with the express intention of making greater surpluses. One of the ways in which some of these countries are kept poor is actually because of this investment. To say that tax avoidance creates poverty in Uganda but ignore the fact that the impoverishment of both the UK state and its people stems from the same neo-liberal economic model, proves our leaders are either thick or they deliberately obscure the truth and they think we are thick!

When aid comes from western countries it is always with the express purpose of shoring up the capitalist system, for it will fail without A)creating new markets to sup up all that lovely surplus made through cheap labour and tax avoidance, B)ensuring that every last thing is privatised to make profit and ensure all public money whether tax or aid is shovelled back into the coffers of the corporations. Ask yourself why everything here is slowly being cut or privatised???

If you read both of those reports, esp the section on economics and the second report, para Recovery of stolen assets, its as clear today as it was in 1917 that imperialist corporations with the assistance of the western states and the banks, are carving up the world for profit.

You deserve a for all your hard work.

[MmeLindor]

Well done, Bicnod. Been following here and on Twitter, and it looks like an action packed couple of days. You must be exhausted.

[Tee2072]

Really well done Bicnod! Safe trip home.

[scarecrow22]

I have been lurking and followed whole thread. Thank you so much Bicnod - and the other informed posters. Your Huff Post article gave me goosebumps it was so good. Have been finally dragged out of my newborn bubble and engaged with big world again - and in the best way. Safe home, and I also really look forward to hearing your round up. I'd also be interested in links to other blogs or articles you think have covered.it particularly well.
thanks

[shoofly]

safe journey home and well done.

[Salbertina]

Very well done indeed, Bicnod! You've done yourself proud, you've done MN proud...and you nabbed the wonderful Mr Snow! I shall stop now

[BIWI]

Safe journey!

[BewitchedBotheredandBewildered]

My feeling is that results from G8 are always weak. One could be forgiven for being under the impression that motions are being gone through rather than anyone actually being on fire to change anything.

You've been fabulous Bicnod and really risen to the challenge of being "outside your comfort zone".

Sorry about the frustrations, particularly having flight delayed.

and for you, and well done, you've been impressive

[RowanMumsnet]

Just want to say WELL DONE and thank you to Bicnod for doing us proud. Looking forward to reading your thoughts when you've had time to 'gather' [Kate Winslet emoticon]

[liger]

What would have asked if he'd picked you?

Well done Bicnod - you've done brilliantly, your boys should be v proud of you ! Bet you can't wait to see them.

[Bicnod]

Phone battery dying. Will check in when make it home. ETA 1am...

[Bicnod]

At Belfast City airport waiting for flight home. Place crawling with journos and flight delayed

Will post later with final thoughts etc.

Generally speaking the feeling is the G8 response on tax and transparency was weak but a step in the right direction.

What do you all think?

By the way I tried very hard to get the PM's attention at press conference for question: second row, right in his line of vision, bright stripy jumper, hand first up every time. .. But to no avail. He studiously ignored me.

[Tee2072]

There were protesters, and there were arrests, but none of them got anywhere near the actual summit.

And that's what matters.

And I agree that the dissidents are loons, not stupid. And, like most cowards, march with masks on.

[ChablisLover]

Agreed Tee

It only takes one lunatic to break throughand the reputation of our little bit of the world in tatters.

I too anticipated dissident troubled not normal g8 protestors.

The authorities had to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. And that costs. If they didn't and something happened, complaints would ring loud.

On radio this morning a lady attributed the lack of protest to a change in the protestors attitude

I attribute it to the fact the psni are armed and can used water cannon and plastic bullets in riot situations.

I know that normalises to those on the mainland this type of policing. But I grew up with it and it is at times still required

Sad but true

[Tee2072]

Cost to international relations if a loon dissident republican loon managed to get anywhere near the G8 leaders (which was not outside the realm of possibility without the £3m of razor wire etc) - priceless.

If you don't live in NI, you will never understand how important that fence and wire were...

[Spidermama]

G8 Summit costs... 6 miles of perimeter fence and barbed wire £3 million....

[liger]

Tee , the main issue with Food Aid is that donor aid is tied with conditionalities. Food Aid in the form of Grain from the US for example is bought from US farmers and shipped to countries with a food crisis even if there is a surplus available in other countries in the region. It supports the US farming industry and there would be uproar in the US if the practice was ceased.

Compared to that the inappropriate diversion of Food Aid in the crisis affected country is minimal and can be avoided by appropriate targeting of Aid. So for example families will chose to sell some of their grain to buy sugar or oil. If sugar and oil are included in the initial distribution there is less sold at market.

[Tee2072]

I meant that even if food aid gets to the countries that need it, there has been a problem of it getting to the actual people rather than being sold on the black market and the money filling the pockets of the governments.

[Bicnod]

Right - packing up to head over to press conference.

Eek!

[Bicnod]

Sacre - missed that about bananas - that is indeed completely bananas. Craziness.

Bewitched - thank you! :)

[Bicnod]

x-post Sacre - yes - interesting question about sanctions.

Just asked Richard Murphy (tax dude) about this and he said that unfortunately there is no hint of this in the action plans at the moment.

He called the action plan a toothless tiger...

[BewitchedBotheredandBewildered]

Brilliant Huffington Post article.

Jersey - Bananas? Oh dear!

[Bicnod]

Will take a pic of leaders and tweet it if I'm allowed - are you allowed to take photos in press conferences? Presumably you are?!

Especially of Obama.

I might well have a teensy Obama crush